New research has revealed that humans were present in North America much earlier than previously believed. Fossilised footprints at White Sands National Park in New Mexico have been dated to approximately 21,000 to 23,000 years ago using radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating techniques.
This suggests that Homo sapiens had already established a presence in North America during the harsh conditions of the last Ice Age, when massive ice sheets covered large parts of the continent. The findings corroborate a 2021 study that also dated the footprints to the same time period using plant seeds found alongside them.
The researchers used multiple dating techniques to ensure the accuracy of their results and address scepticism from some scientists. The discovery challenges previous archaeological evidence that suggested human occupation of North America began around 16,000 years ago.
The exact route and means by which humans reached North America from Asia are still unknown, but the footprints at White Sands National Park provide evidence of their presence earlier than previously thought. The footprints, totaling 61 in number, were found in a lakeshore environment, indicating that people walked on a mixture of wet and dry ground.
The preservation of the footprints was possible because they were covered with layers of sediment, similar to how footprints are preserved today. Overall, this research sheds new light on the timeline of human occupation in North America and highlights the need for further investigation into the routes and methods of migration.
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