Footprints from America's first inhabitants?

[no1tovote4]

Human settlers made it to the Americas 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to new evidence.
British scientists came to this controversial conclusion by dating human footprints preserved by volcanic ash in an abandoned quarry in Mexico.

They say the first Americans may have arrived by sea, rather than by foot.

The currently accepted theory is that the continent's early inhabitants arrived 12,500 years ago, by crossing a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

more at link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4650307.stm

 

[Annie]

Human settlers made it to the Americas 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to new evidence.
British scientists came to this controversial conclusion by dating human footprints preserved by volcanic ash in an abandoned quarry in Mexico.

They say the first Americans may have arrived by sea, rather than by foot.

The currently accepted theory is that the continent's early inhabitants arrived 12,500 years ago, by crossing a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

more at link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4650307.stm

Thanks No1, I'll get to bring that out while teaching American History at the beginning of the year!

 

[no1tovote4]

Thanks No1, I'll get to bring that out while teaching American History at the beginning of the year!

No problem. I thought the findings were fascinating. I wonder if they were working the stone in that quarry...

 

[Dude111]

This IS quite interesting indeed!

To think that alaska and Siberia were CLOSE ENOUGH for a bridge @ one time sparks all kinds of therios! (I have heard they were once connected)

I dont think ANYONE really knows how life got started here..... The most logical AND UNRELIGIOUS reasoning is: A space ship crash landed here and people began life.... (There is evidence of a MUCH MORE ADVANCED CULTURE 100s of years ago)

Interesting for sure!

 

[JDzBrain]

This IS quite interesting indeed!

To think that alaska and Siberia were CLOSE ENOUGH for a bridge @ one time sparks all kinds of therios! (I have heard they were once connected)

I dont think ANYONE really knows how life got started here..... The most logical AND UNRELIGIOUS reasoning is: A space ship crash landed here and people began life.... (There is evidence of a MUCH MORE ADVANCED CULTURE 100s of years ago)

Interesting for sure!

LOL...yep, I'd buy that there are a few on here that are freakin' aliens. LOL

Actually Dude, I think the water levels were suppose to be a lot lower at that time because a lot of the ocean's water was still tied up in ice from the ice age. The theory is that, that made an actual land bridge that connected the Aleutian Islands to the Alaskan mainland and Russia and they just walked across. That's the theory anyway.

Me, I keep it simple. Ice from the Arctic routinely comes far enough south that if they wanted to, they could walk across in the winter. Heck, it's only like 40 miles from Russia to the furthest westward island. But MAN they'd have to be tough SOBs! LOL

Talking about tough, how tough would you have to be to get to the Americas in a dingy...30 thousand years ago?

CRAP...that would take real determination if true. I mean, it couldn't just be a boat or two. You couldn't form a viable population with just men. ;~)

Or just a couple family's for that matter. Inbreeding would doom the people that populated Mexico to some SERIOUS problems. And we KNOW that they were not only healthy, but formed a couple of the greatest cultures of the ancient world.

So, if it's true...30 thousand years ago...are you kidding me. That would take a HELL of an effort by a large group of people.

Of course, they may not have been the ancestors of the Mayan or Aztec peoples. Could have just been a couple poor lost schmucks that died off, but if they are Mexican ancestors.......WOW!

 

[Unkotare]

Seems unlikely.

 

[Unkotare]

The most logical AND UNRELIGIOUS reasoning is: A space ship crash landed here and people began life.... (There is evidence of a MUCH MORE ADVANCED CULTURE 100s of years ago)

You find that to be "the most logical" reasoning? Really?

 

[konradv]

Human settlers made it to the Americas 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to new evidence.
British scientists came to this controversial conclusion by dating human footprints preserved by volcanic ash in an abandoned quarry in Mexico.

They say the first Americans may have arrived by sea, rather than by foot.

The currently accepted theory is that the continent's early inhabitants arrived 12,500 years ago, by crossing a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

more at link:
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Footprints of 'first Americans'

From the article:

Genetic studies of present-day Native American populations support a recent arrival from north-east Asia, which agrees well with an entry through the Beringian land bridge at the end of the last Ice Age.

Dr Gonzalez suggests that the earliest settlers may have become extinct, leaving no genetic legacy today. She thinks these hunters may have been highly mobile, living in small groups, perhaps explaining why they left scant trace of their presence.

I think it's definitely possible that NA was visited before the "land bridge" people but, like the Vikings, they appear to have either left or died off, leaving no continual evidence of their prescence into modern times.

 

[Douger]

Lies. The earth is only 6,000 years old. Do you have no faith in your (s)elected leaders ?

 

[JStone]

Lies. The earth is only 6,000 years old. Do you have no faith in your (s)elected leaders ?

 

[PoliticalChic]

Human settlers made it to the Americas 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to new evidence.
British scientists came to this controversial conclusion by dating human footprints preserved by volcanic ash in an abandoned quarry in Mexico.

They say the first Americans may have arrived by sea, rather than by foot.

The currently accepted theory is that the continent's early inhabitants arrived 12,500 years ago, by crossing a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

more at link:
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Footprints of 'first Americans'

From the article:

Genetic studies of present-day Native American populations support a recent arrival from north-east Asia, which agrees well with an entry through the Beringian land bridge at the end of the last Ice Age.

Dr Gonzalez suggests that the earliest settlers may have become extinct, leaving no genetic legacy today. She thinks these hunters may have been highly mobile, living in small groups, perhaps explaining why they left scant trace of their presence.

I think it's definitely possible that NA was visited before the "land bridge" people but, like the Vikings, they appear to have either left or died off, leaving no continual evidence of their prescence into modern times.

"The battle between Indians and scientists over a 9,300-year-old skeleton is in court, again.

A U.S. magistrate in Portland, Ore., will hear oral arguments for the second day in the lawsuit brought by eight prominent anthropologists against the federal government over whether they can study Kennewick Man.

They say the skeleton, found in 1996 by college students near the banks of the Columbia River in Washington, doesn't resemble modern American Indians and could radically change theories about the earliest inhabitants of the Americas. Some scientists say Kennewick Man's bones most resemble those of modern people in East Asia."
Kennewick Man Battle Continues in Court - ABC News