Scientists Unlock Secrets of Ancient Human DNA

In the 1860s, Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher discovered human DNA. This discovery assisted scientists in uncovering truths about our ancient ancestors. Even in 2018, researchers made new findings. This excavation unearthed various old mysteries, including a hitherto undiscovered group of ancient humans. Read about their discoveries here of the Two Skeletons That Are 11,500 Years Old
In 2018, archaeologists discovered the skeletons of two Native American infants. They were both 11,500 years old and members of the same family. These were not regular skeletons. They were well-preserved enough to help scientists understand early humanity. In fact, they include information about the first humans to visit North America.
After Researchers Visited a Remote Alaskan Location in the early 2000s, anthropology professor Ben Potter started working in Upward Sun River, Alaska. That area of Alaska was once connected to Europe and Africa. This forested location is 50 miles from Fairbanks and only accessible by helicopter. Despite the rough terrain, Potter had a valid cause for excavating there.
So what Is Beringia? When Pangea began to disintegrate, several land corridors remained between the continents. The earliest known humans were born in Africa, but they spread around the world. Beringia served as a bridge between Siberia and Alaska. Many archaeologists believe that the first North American inhabitants crossed that bridge around 34,000 years ago. However, this was only a theory.
So what is the Beringian Standstill Hypothesis? Many historians assume that early humans reached Beringia, although they don’t know who accomplished it. One proposal, known as the Beringian standstill hypothesis, attempts to address this. According to the concept, the “Ancient Beringians” lived alone on Beringia due to the ice and hard environment. If this is accurate, archaeologist Jennifer Raff believes the Beringians are the sole forefathers of all Native Americans. Native Americans still reside close to the Upward Sun River, in fact. It’s also part of their area. Potter interacted with Native Americans during his excavations. They are typically fiercely protective of their burial grounds; nonetheless, they recognized the value of Potter’s work and offered to assist him.
Then the First Discovery: A Three-Year-Old Child. In 2010, Potter and other University of Alaska scholars investigated the Upward Sun River. They found the cremated remains of a three-year-old child. At 11,500 years old, this discovery was extremely rare. Unfortunately, the skeleton was not sufficiently preserved to extract DNA from. Scientists could not even determine the gender.