Hominids
by Robert J. Sawyer · first published 2002
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From back cover Tor paperback February 2003: Hominids examines two unique species of people. We are one of those species; the other is the Neanderthals of a parallel world where they became the dominant intelligence. The Neanderthal civilization has reached heights of culture and science comparable to our own, but with radically different history, society and philosophy. Ponter Boddit, a Neanderthal physicist, accidentally pierces the barrier between worlds and is transferred to our universe. Almost immediately recognized as a Neanderthal, but only much later as a scientist, he
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Seconding Barsk, and just about anything by Robert Sawyer; I would recommend his Neanderthal Parallax series, which begins with Hominids: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/264946.Hominids
on “Ask HN: What is the best sci-fi you read this year?” ↗You might enjoy Hominids by Robert Sawyer
on “Neanderthals ran 'fat factories' 125,000 years ago” ↗…nominees where I was unmoved or even questioned their inclusion. I've also read a decent selection of historical winners, by no means exhaustive or even the majority, and the worst was without a doubt Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer.
on “The Day NY Publishing Lost Its Soul” ↗…seems to be a general misunderstanding of what quantum computers are capable of in the public mind, or at least that slice of it that is even aware of quantum computers' existence. I was just reading Hominids by Robert J Sawyer and it involves a quantum computer. He describes how it 'checks every possible answer simultaneously' to find the prime factors of a number instantaneously...which of course is not…
on “D-Wave Defies World of Critics With ‘First Quantum Cloud’” ↗