Study Finds 22,400-Year-Old Human Footprints at White Sands

Rapid Summary

• Discovery: Human footprints at White Sands, New Mexico, date back 21,000-23,000 years, challenging the traditional belief that humans arrived in North America 16,000-13,000 years ago.
• Dating Methods: Previous studies dated the footprints using radiocarbon on seeds and pollen critics claimed were unreliable. The new study validated the timeline using mud from ancient lake beds (20,700-22,400 years old).
• Scientific Importance: This timeline is about 10,000 years older than Clovis culture evidence previously considered the earliest in North America. If accurate, it considerably reshapes our understanding of human migration and development.
• Criticisms Addressed: Critics pointed to a lack of artifacts or settlements near the footprints; researchers suggest hunter-gatherers likely avoided leaving behind resources intentionally during brief visits.
• Study Details: Conducted by University of Arizona researcher Vance Holliday and team across 2022-2023; findings published in Science Advances.

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