▁the ▁P ag lic ci ▁C ave ▁in ▁Italy , ▁dated ▁to ▁ 2 3 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 4 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁old ▁( P ag lic ci ▁ 5 2 ▁and ▁ 1 2 ), ▁identified ▁the ▁m t D NA ▁as ▁H ap lo group ▁N , ▁typical ▁of ▁the ▁latter ▁group . ▁ ▁The ▁expansion ▁of ▁modern ▁human ▁population ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁begun ▁ 4 5 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ago , ▁and ▁it ▁may ▁have ▁taken ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 – 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁for ▁Europe ▁to ▁be ▁colon ized . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁Ne ander th als ▁were ▁slowly ▁being ▁disp la ced . ▁Because ▁it ▁took ▁so ▁long ▁for ▁Europe ▁to ▁be ▁occupied , ▁it ▁appears ▁that ▁humans ▁and ▁Ne ander th als ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁constantly ▁compet ing ▁for ▁territory . ▁The ▁Ne ander th als ▁had ▁larger ▁bra ins , ▁and ▁were ▁larger ▁overall , ▁with ▁a ▁more ▁robust ▁or ▁heavily ▁built ▁frame , ▁which ▁suggests ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁phys ically ▁stronger ▁than ▁modern ▁H omo ▁s api ens . ▁Having ▁lived ▁in ▁Europe ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁years , ▁they ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁better ▁adapted ▁to ▁the ▁cold ▁weather . ▁The ▁an atom ically ▁modern ▁humans ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Cro - M agn ons , ▁with ▁w ides p read ▁trade ▁networks , ▁superior ▁technology ▁and ▁bodies ▁likely ▁better ▁su ited