New analysis of remains found in a Belgium cave revealed that Neanderthals disappeared from Europe thousands of years earlier than previously thought. Bones found in Spy Cave were believed to have belonged to some of the last surviving members of the Neanderthal species to have inhabited Europe. Previous analysis of the remains estimated that the individual lived around 24,000 years ago, but new studies conducted by a team of experts from Belgium, Britain, and Germany have revealed that they were instead from between 44,200 and 40,600 years ago. This means that Neanderthals vanished from Europe thousands of years earlier. Furthermore, they dated two other remains found at two other locations in Belgium (Fonds-de-Foret and Engis) and they found that they were very close in age. Gregory Abrams, who is from the Scladina Cave Archaeological Centre in Belgium and the co-lead author of the study, explained this further, “Dating all these Belgian specimens was very exciting as they played a major role in the understanding and the definition of Neanderthals,” adding, “Almost two centuries after the discovery of the Neanderthal child of Engis, we were able to provide a reliable age.” (A picture of a jaw found in Spy Cave can be seen here.)