The three traits that describe both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals are:
- They had complex language skills.
- They hunted animals.
- They made tools.
While both species had the capability of using fire, it is not specified to be as distinctive as the traits listed above. Additionally, Neanderthals actually had brains that were comparable in size to, if not larger than, early hominids, which rules out the option about smaller brains.