Stone tools 'change migration story'

A research team reports new findings of stone age tools that suggest humans came "out of Africa" by land earlier than has been thought. Geneticists estimate that migration from Africa to South-East Asia and Australia took place as recently as 60,000 years ago. But Dr Michael Petraglia, of Oxford University, and colleagues say stone artefacts found in the Arabian Peninsula and India point to an exodus starting about 70,000 to 80,000 years ago - and perhaps even earlier. www.bbc.co.uk...

I post this for a couple of reasons...first and foremost as a point of information, courtesy of the BBC. Secondly, though, to illustrate that Archaeology is an ongoing process, and more importantly, that new ideas and discoveries are not suppressed and artefacts warehoused as so many posters seem to insist.

Rather, that research supports discovery, discovery makes the news, and public attention supports funding...which supports research...you get the drift.

The article also addresses issues of dating techniques...no, not how to get y'all out of Mom's basement, but to those who say 'you can't carbon date stone.' Well...you don't have to.

Not true. the earth is only 10,000 years old

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck
Blimey, I expected to find a thread with proof that we originated in the Americas and sailed to Africa to wrong-foot the archaeologists of the future and make sure the Master Plan could run smoothly. Instead, there's no mention of Hawass whatsoever!

I feel short-changed and blame Hawass!

Joking aside, it's an interesting news story and highlights the open-minded nature of the field. The borders and sharp edges of our known history keeps changing and moving like the waves on the shore. I'm tempted to add a 'sandcastles in the sand,' but you get the point.

We've come a long way from the basic premise of a major migratory wave in the original 'Out of Africa' hypothesis. We're now changing the time-lines and allowing for (tides again?) migrations in and out of Africa simultaneously over greater periods. You know more on the subject than I'm likely to, but you'll agree that adding layers of complexity to migratory theories strengthens the case rather than diminishing it. Genetics and stone tools provide much of the evidence.

I know this short video has been posted before. It remains a good snapshot of the thinking behind the whole idea...