INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

The mandible had been separated from the skeleton, and both it and the neurocranium are incomplete, so they were reconstructed and

consolidated with plaster

CT scanning made it possible to check that older reconstructive work to ensure it had not masked any elements that may have influenced the

taxonomic classification, per the authors

The team also scanned the skulls of three Homo neanderthalensis skulls in the collection of the Musee de l'Homme in Paris and compared those

blue denotes bone, green denotes filling. Dan David Center of Human Evolution, Tel Aviv University

In blue, the bone; in green, reconstruction. Dan David Center of Human Evolution, Tel Aviv University

blue denotes bone, green denotes filling. Dan David Center of Human Evolution, Tel Aviv University

In blue, the bone; in green, reconstruction. Dan David Center of Human Evolution, Tel Aviv University

They concluded that the neurocranium's parietal and temporal bones, and the shape of the bony labyrinth, were consistent with Homo sapiens

However, other features, like the receded and high location of the posterior rim of the foramen magnum, indicated a possible Neanderthal

lineage

And the mandible showed distinct Neanderthal characteristics, leading to the determination that the child was a hybrid of the two

hybridization would not have been viable; the results of their analysis demonstrate that it is possible, although the child in question died

very young

involved with the study, told New Scientist

make a definitive determination: "Human populations are variable and there can be a lot of variability in their appearance and physical form

Ancient skull may have been half human, half Neanderthal child