Final answer:
The student is asking about Homo neanderthalensis, also known as Neanderthals, which are a late variety of archaic Homo sapien that lived in Europe and Asia from about 400,000 to 30,000 years ago and are known to have interbred with early modern Homo sapiens.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about a late variety of archaic Homo sapien that was prevalent in Europe. This refers to Homo neanderthalensis, commonly known as Neanderthals, which were a species of archaic humans that lived between about 400,000 and 30,000 years ago in Europe and Asia. Neanderthals evolved from Homo erectus and are considered to be a transitional species between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens, the latter including modern humans.
Neanderthals shared certain traits with both their predecessors and successors, such as a large brain size averaging 1,200 to 1,400 cc, which is within the range of modern humans. They had distinct physical characteristics, including a thick skull, prominent supraorbital ridges, and a lack of a prominent chin. They lived in social groups and were known for their ability to adapt to the cold climate of Europe during the ice age, hunting big game, using fire, wearing animal skins, and burying their dead. Scientists have found evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals, Denisovans, and early Homo sapiens.