Talk politics.

What if Neanderthals and Denisovans survived and managed to mostly repel Homo Sapiens advance out of Africa, leading to a world with multiple competing human species?



I’ve been thinking lately about how different history might have looked if Neanderthals and Denisovans had survived alongside us instead of disappearing. Not as cavemen hiding in forests, but as actual competing civilisations with their own kingdoms, religions, armies, and identities. Europe could have been dominated by Neanderthals, Asia by Denisovans, while Homo sapiens would have expanded out of Africa much later through maritime trade and naval power.

What fascinates me most is that politics, religion, and even the meaning of “human” would probably look completely different. Ancient empires might justify rule based on species instead of ethnicity, while universalist religions would emerge trying to unite multiple intelligent human species under one moral system. Ironically, despite endless conflict, the long-term outcome would probably still be mixing and gradual unification into one blended humanity. The more I read about recent discoveries around Neanderthals and Denisovans, the more realistic this scenario actually feels.

Some interesting reading too:
Smithsonian Magazine article on Denisovans and other ancient humans

Just read this fascinating piece on the "Doomsday Glacier" in Antarctica - the Thwaites Glacier - and how it could raise sea levels by over 60 cm if it collapses: LINK

Right now, scientists are installing sensors and cables on and around Thwaites to understand it better. One bold idea being studied is a massive underwater "curtain" that could block warm water from eating away at the glacier's base. It would have to be huge - up to 150 m high and 80 km long - but if it works, it might slow down the collapse.

Some see this kind of geoengineering as essential since global warming isn't slowing down fast enough. Others warn it's risky, expensive, and might distract from the real solution: cutting emissions. Still, with rising seas threatening coastal cities, people are debating whether interventions like this are worth trying.

Whatever happens, the future of Thwaites is a real-world test of how far humanity might go to protect the planet.

And here's a great visual explanation on YouTube: