Svante Pääbo: ‘It’s maybe time to rethink our idea of Neanderthals’

The Swedish geneticist on winning the Nobel prize, his laureate father and early man's sensitive side

A greyish neanderthal skeleton stands at the door of Svante Paabo's office, acting like a doorman to check up on his visitors, who have grown considerably in number since it was announced he was to receive a Nobel prize. It clutches a white party balloon in its left hand and is missing its right lower arm.

Unfortunately my son broke it off once," says Paabo with a chuckle, patting the skeleton's head.