Pat gets a no-prize in the shape of a hand axe for bringing us news of a new development in Neandertal research. By examining a broader range of modern human teeth, scientists have contradicted previous findings that Neandertals matured at a faster rate than modern humans. Instead, it would seem they matured at essentially the same rate as we do. While it doesn't exactly solve the "where'd they get off to anyway?" mystery, it does at least remove one factor from the equation.