Neanderthals Grew Fast, but Sexual Maturity Came Late

From National Geographic News :

Live fast, die young—this is how our closest relatives the Neanderthals were traditionally thought to progress through life.

But a new study of Neanderthal skeletons suggests the species grew quickly but reached sexual maturity later than so-called modern humans—and quite possibly survived to a ripe old age.

The study also suggests that Neanderthals had a harder time of child bearing and possibly child raising. As a result, modern humans may have simply outbred their heavy-browed rivals.