People from North America moved into South America in at least three migration waves, researchers report online November 8 in Cell. The first migrants, who reached South America by at least 11,000 years ago, were genetically related to a 12,600-year-old toddler from Montana known as Anzick-1 (SN: 3/22/14, p. 6). The child's skeleton was found with artifacts from the Clovis people, who researchers used to think were the first people in the Americas, although that idea has fallen out of favor. Scientists also previously thought these were the only ancient migrants to South America.
But DNA analysis of samples from 49 ancient people suggests a second wave of settlers replaced the Clovis group in South America about 9,000 years ago. And a third group related to ancient people from California's Channel Islands spread over the Central Andes about 4,200 years ago, geneticist Nathan Nakatsuka of Harvard University and colleagues found.
One mystery produced by the research was genetic markers were found in remains in Brazil that are shared with Australian Aborigines, but by no remains found between them in the Americas.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 09 2018, @10:05PM (2 children)
The Mormon religion is predicated upon the idea that the Americas were settled in a few waves.
While the main thrust of their scripture is premised upon the life and times of one family and their descendants from the middle east, those descendants encounter both people and writings from waves of cultures that had come before.
Makes you think doesn't it?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 09 2018, @11:55PM
Makes me think that people will try to glom on to anything that comes close to the narrative they think will bolster their religious beliefs.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 10 2018, @12:53PM
No, the The Mormon religion is predicated upon the idea that there is some imaginary magic sky wiener that says it was ok to have multiple wives, molest children, and sell magic underwear. Not joking or trolling.