Final answer:
Neanderthals, with their stocky build, would have a lower surface area to volume ratio compared to modern humans living at the equator, who tend to have taller and more slender bodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The surface area to volume ratio measures the amount of surface area compared to the volume of an object. A higher surface area to volume ratio means that an object has a larger surface area relative to its volume. In the case of Neanderthals and modern humans living at the equator, Neanderthals would have had a lower surface area to volume ratio compared to modern humans. Neanderthals had a stocky build and were adapted to cold environments, with shorter limbs and a compact body. This compact body shape would have resulted in a relatively smaller surface area compared to their volume. On the other hand, modern humans living at the equator tend to have taller and more slender bodies, which would result in a larger surface area to volume ratio. Therefore, a modern human living at the equator would have a higher surface area to volume ratio compared to a Neanderthal.