Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher made the discovery of human DNA in the 1860s. Scientists were able to uncover mysteries about our ancient ancestors because to this discovery. Researchers were still discovering new things in 2018. A hitherto unidentified group of ancient humans was among the many ancient secrets unearthed by this particular excavation. Go here to read about all of their findings.
Two Skeletons That Are 11,500 Years Old
The skeletons of two Native American infants were discovered by archaeologists in 2018. They belonged to the same family and were each 11,500 years old.
These skeletons weren’t typical. They provided scientists with information about early people because they were sufficiently preserved. Indeed, they include details on the earliest people to set foot in North America.
Researchers Visited a Remote Alaskan Location
Ben Potter, an anthropology professor, started working in Upward Sun River, Alaska, around the beginning of the new millennium. Fairbanks is 50 miles away from this wooded location, which is only accessible by helicopter.
There was solid reason for Potter to dig there, even though the terrain was challenging. Originally, the region of Alaska was connected to both Africa and Europe.
What Is Beringia?
There were still some landways connecting the continents when Pangea started to fragment. Although they spread all over the planet, the earliest known humans were born in Africa.
The Beringia was the link between Alaska and Siberia. According to many archaeologists, that bridge is where the first humans in North America originated more than 34,000 years ago. But this was only a theory.
The Hypothesis of the Beringian Standstill
Many historians think that early humans crossed the Beringia, although they are unsure of who did it. The Beringian standstill hypothesis is one proposal that aims to address this.
According to the theory, Beringia’s harsh environment and ice forced the “Ancient Beringians” to live in solitude. Archaeologist Jennifer Raff speculates that if this is the case, the Beringians may be the only ancestors of all Native Americans.