[karaterobot]

> Unfortunately, archaeologists are unable to provide additional evidence because any boats used by Neanderthals would have been made of wood, which would have long since decomposed to nothing.

Why make the leap to assume they invented sails, given the lack of physical evidence? I mean, it seems reasonable to think they could have rowed or even floated 40km long before they developed sails, and that they would develop those techniques on the way to doing that.

[shkkmo]

You and others seem to be hung up on the fact that the verb "sail" can mean any travel on water by ship, regardless of how that ship is propelled.

[karaterobot]

Yep, that's definitely the rub. And to be sure, you're right that that verb doesn't necessarily imply a sail is involved. However, in fairness, the original article talks about how neanderthals "went sailing", which isn't typically what people say when they go rafting or rowing. At any rate, it's a pretty ambiguous word to use when there are less suggestive ones out there!