“Ancient DNA Reveals Shocking Truths About Our Prehistoric Ancestors—What Secrets Are Hidden in Our Genes?”
Researchers Traveled To A Remote Area In Alaska
In the early 2000s, anthropology professor Ben Potter began working in Upward Sun River, Alaska. This forested area is 50 miles from Fairbanks and can only be reached by helicopter.
Despite the difficult terrain, Potter had good reason for excavating there. That part of Alaska was originally connected to Europe and Africa.
What Is Beringia?
When Pangea began breaking up, some strips of land still connected the continents. The earliest known humans were born in Africa, but they migrated across the world.
Beringia was the bridge that connected Siberia and Alaska. Many archaeologists believe that the first North American humans came from that bridge, over 34,000 years ago. However, this was just a theory.
The Beringian Standstill Hypothesis
Although many historians believe that early humans crossed Beringia, they do not know who did so. One theory, called the Beringian standstill hypothesis, attempts to answer this.
The hypothesis says that the “Ancient Beringians” lived on Beringia in isolation due to the ice and harsh climate. If this is true, the Beringians might be the sole ancestors of all Native Americans, according to archaeologist Jennifer Raff.
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