摘要：Paleoanthropologists are increasingly utilizing energetic models to provide insights into hominin ecology and
evolution. Energy dynamics represent a key interface between an organism and its environment; how energy is
extracted from limited resources and allocated to various somatic functions has consequences for survival and re-
production. Within the past few years, several teams of researchers have reconstructed Neandertal energy budgets
to address issues such as foraging efciency, population density and spatial utilization, cold tolerance, and the
replacement of Neandertals by modern humans. In the present paper, we systematically reexamine Neandertal
energy expenditure and intake through the lens of recent developments in contemporary human biology and nu-
tritional science. We estimate Neandertal energy expenditure and dietary needs by using published sex-specifc
body mass estimates coupled with physiological information on contemporary high-latitude populations. Com-
parative data suggest that four important factors contribute to high energy requirements in Neandertals: 1) large
body mass and high levels of muscularity; 2) exposure to severe cold stress; 3) consumption of high meat, high
protein diets; and, 4) high levels of physical activity. Contemporary northern populations have systematically
elevated basal metabolic rates (BMRs) compared to lower latitude groups, an apparent adaptation to chronic and
severe cold stress. In addition, feld and laboratory studies suggest high dietary protein is associated with substan-
tially increased metabolic heat production. Further, activity paterns among contemporary northern populations
and Neandertal post-cranial morphology suggest relatively high physical activity levels. Thus, multiple lines of
evidence point to extremely high energy requirements and intakes among Neandertals. The high turnover of
metabolic energy in Neandertals likely had important implications for key aspects of life history, such as physical
growth rates, age at reproductive maturity, and lifespan. Consequently, a detailed exploration of Neandertal ener-
getics provides insights into hominin population dynamics during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition.
