Stuff They Don't Want You To Know CLASSIC: Happy Thanksgiving! Also -- when did humans reach the Americas?
Nov 27, 2025
Exploring how humans first reached the Americas, the hosts challenge the classic Bering Land Bridge theory. They discuss new evidence, like the Chiquihuite Cave findings suggesting earlier occupation. The episode dives into alternative migration methods, including coastal routes and small boats. Listeners hear about the persistence of established scientific narratives and how fresh discoveries can reshape our understanding of early human migration. Fascinating insights make you rethink history!
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Bering Bridge Story Is Oversimplified
- The textbook story that humans arrived in the Americas only after the Last Glacial Maximum is oversimplified and contested.
- The Bering land-bridge explanation fit earlier data but cannot account for newer evidence pushing arrival dates much earlier.
Be Ready For Scientific Pushback
- Approach established scientific narratives with critical curiosity when new data appears.
- Expect resistance and require multiple, corroborating discoveries before consensus shifts.
Clovis Culture Appeared Suddenly
- The Clovis-first model links early American settlers to a distinctive stone-tool culture that appears suddenly in the record.
- Radiocarbon dates place Clovis at roughly 9,200 BCE with their disappearance about 500 years later.