Stunning discovery could rewrite the early history of Native Americans

The long-buried remains of an infant girl are helping to rewrite what archaeologists know about the initial migration of humans to North America. The discovery, which was published in a new research paper in the journal Nature, reveals that the long-held belief of a single founding population of Native Americans reaching the continent over 20,000 years ago may be in need of a drastic alteration.

The girl, who was around six weeks old at the time of her death, was discovered by archaeologists in Alaska back in 2013. The find was interesting but not particularly groundbreaking. That is, until scientists decided to analyze her DNA to confirm what they thought they knew. Assuming that her genetics would match up nicely with those of other early Native Americans, the researchers were blown away when the results finally came in. This little girl was different.

The infant is now thought to have been one of an entirely different lineage of early settlers in North America. The group, which scientists have taken to calling “Ancient Beringians,” because they would have traversed the Beringia land bridge from Siberia into North America and remained in the Alaska area, has never before been documented.

This new research suggests that as the last ice age came to a close, humans began to move into North America from Siberia. That much has long been assumed, but what wasn’t previously known is that the population split off into two groups either before or shortly after coming to present-day America. The settlers that we think of today as Native Americans arose from one of those groups, but the other population didn’t follow them south, and it’s likely that they remained in the north for thousands of years.

The remains of the infant and another like her have been dated to around 11,500 years ago, meaning that by that point the split between Ancient Beringians and Native Americans had already been well established. Now the race is on to learn more about this previously unknown population of ancient settlers, and potentially find a link from the Ancient Beringians and modern day populations in the region… if one exists.

Comments

FG set to deploy first batch of CNG vehicles ahead of Tinubu's one year in office come 29th May 2024

FG announce plans to deploy the first batch of CNG Vehicles ahead of first anniversary of Tinubu in office on May 29th 2024. Said N100 billion was allocated to purchase 5,500 CNG vehicles, 100 electric buses, and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits. Deployment of CNG vehicles is parts of FG’s vision to have at least one million natural gas propelled vehicles on the roads by 2027. The Federal Government has announced plans to start the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and tricycles for mass transit ahead of Tinubu administration’s first anniversary on May 29th. The move was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Sunday April 21st 2024. According to him, the Federal Government allocated N100 billion last year to purchase 5,500 CNG-powered vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 electric buses, and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits. The funding, which is part of the N500 billion palliative budget, also suppo

CBN asks Nigerian banks to charge 0.5% cybersecurity levy on all transactions

CBN asks Nigerian banks to charge 0.5% cybersecurity levy on all transactions Jerry Wright-Ukwu May 7, 2024 Amid the prevailing challenges in Nigeria, deposit money banks across the country will now implement a 0.5% cybersecurity levy on transactions, as announced in a circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dated May 6, 2024. According to the circular addressed to all commercial, merchant, non-interest, and payment service banks, as well as mobile money operators and payment service providers, the levy is in line with the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ( amendment ) Act 2024. “Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ( amendment ) Act 2024 and pursuant to the provision of Section 44 (2) (a) of the Act, ‘a levy of 0.5% (0.005) equivalent to a half percent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act’, is to be remitted to the National Cybersecurity F

Reasons why Man United will defeat arsenal this weekend

Manchester United has the potential to claim victory against Arsenal for several concrete reasons: 1) Home Advantage: Playing at Old Trafford, United will have the backing of their home crowd, which could boost the team's morale and performance 2) Strong Attack: With players like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes, United boasts a formidable attacking force that can break down Arsenal's defense. 3) Tactical Flexibility: Manager Erik ten Hag has shown adaptability in his tactics and can exploit Arsenal's weaknesses by adjusting his game plan accordingly. 4) Improved Defensive Stability: United has conceded fewer goals in recent matches, suggesting an improvement in their defensive capabilities, which could help them keep Arsenal's attackers at bay. 5) Motivation for Top-Four Finish: United's players will be highly motivated to secure a win against Arsenal, as it could significantly boost their chances of securing a top-four finish in the Premi

uchendu

Search This Blog