Which of the following species represents the closest relative to modern humans?

Homo neanderthalensis, commonly known as Neanderthals, represents the closest relative to modern humans (Homo sapiens) based on genetic and fossil evidence. Neanderthals and modern humans share a common ancestor, which lived roughly 400,000 to 800,000 years ago. Genetic studies indicate that non-African human populations today carry a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA, demonstrating interbreeding between the two species after modern humans migrated out of Africa.

This close genetic relationship is marked by similar physical traits and behaviors, such as the use of tools and the ability to control fire. Neanderthals lived in Europe and parts of Asia at the same time as early modern humans, and evidence of cultural practices, such as burial rites, suggests complex social structures. As such, Homo neanderthalensis is regarded as not only closely related but also potentially influential in shaping the development and evolution of modern human behaviors and adaptations.

The other species listed, while also part of the Homo genus, are either more distantly related or represent different evolutionary branches. For example, Homo erectus, one of the earliest species to exhibit human-like body proportions, existed millions of years before modern humans. Homo naledi, a