BELGRADE, THURSDAY

A PAPER IN The Scientific Dolphin, an alternative online research journal, suggests that human teenagers may be the remnants of our interbreeding with Neanderthals. And it’s all to do with sleeping habits.

Neanderthals are thought to have survived freezing cold winters during ice ages, by virtually hibernating through the worst months. This habit is now believed to be the reason human teenagers sleep so much.

“The hibernation gene crossed over during interbreeding, and because homo sapiens did not sleep through much of winter, it re-emerged as a support mechanism for human teenagers whose brains need huge amounts of energy during that period of development,” explained Dr Hungerford Munch, who led the study. “Hence the huge amounts of food they consume. Your modern teenager is a Neanderthal in all but name. Many parents would tell you they know that anyway, but science now all but confirms it. The Neanderthals never died out, they just moved in and ate you out of house and home while sleeping interminably.”