Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands

Authors: Pigati, J.S., Bennett, M.R. et al.

Journal: Science

Volume: 382

Issue: 6666

Pages: 73-75

eISSN: 1095-9203

ISSN: 0036-8075

DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5007

Abstract:

Human footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA, reportedly date to between ~23,000 and 21,000 years ago according to radiocarbon dating of seeds from the aquatic plant Ruppia cirrhosa. These ages remain controversial because of potential old carbon reservoir effects that could compromise their accuracy. We present new calibrated 14C ages of terrestrial pollen collected from the same stratigraphic horizons as those of the Ruppia seeds, along with optically stimulated luminescence ages of sediments from within the human footprint–bearing sequence, to evaluate the veracity of the seed ages. The results show that the chronologic framework originally established for the White Sands footprints is robust and reaffirm that humans were present in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39172/

Source: Scopus

Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands.

Authors: Pigati, J.S., Bennett, M.R. et al.

Journal: Science

Volume: 382

Issue: 6666

Pages: 73-75

eISSN: 1095-9203

DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5007

Abstract:

Human footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA, reportedly date to between ~23,000 and 21,000 years ago according to radiocarbon dating of seeds from the aquatic plant Ruppia cirrhosa. These ages remain controversial because of potential old carbon reservoir effects that could compromise their accuracy. We present new calibrated 14C ages of terrestrial pollen collected from the same stratigraphic horizons as those of the Ruppia seeds, along with optically stimulated luminescence ages of sediments from within the human footprint-bearing sequence, to evaluate the veracity of the seed ages. The results show that the chronologic framework originally established for the White Sands footprints is robust and reaffirm that humans were present in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39172/

Source: PubMed

Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands

Authors: Pigati, J.S., Bennett, M.R. et al.

Journal: SCIENCE

Volume: 382

Issue: 6666

Pages: 73-75

eISSN: 1095-9203

ISSN: 0036-8075

DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5007

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39172/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands.

Authors: Pigati, J.S., Bennett, M.R. et al.

Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.)

Volume: 382

Issue: 6666

Pages: 73-75

eISSN: 1095-9203

ISSN: 0036-8075

DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5007

Abstract:

Human footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA, reportedly date to between ~23,000 and 21,000 years ago according to radiocarbon dating of seeds from the aquatic plant Ruppia cirrhosa. These ages remain controversial because of potential old carbon reservoir effects that could compromise their accuracy. We present new calibrated 14C ages of terrestrial pollen collected from the same stratigraphic horizons as those of the Ruppia seeds, along with optically stimulated luminescence ages of sediments from within the human footprint-bearing sequence, to evaluate the veracity of the seed ages. The results show that the chronologic framework originally established for the White Sands footprints is robust and reaffirm that humans were present in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39172/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White Sands

Authors: Pigati, J.S., Bennett, M.R. et al.

Journal: Science

Volume: 382

Issue: 6666

Pages: 73-75

ISSN: 0036-8075

Abstract:

Human footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA, reportedly date to between ~23,000 and 21,000 years ago according to radiocarbon dating of seeds from the aquatic plant Ruppia cirrhosa. These ages remain controversial because of potential old carbon reservoir effects that could compromise their accuracy. We present new calibrated 14C ages of terrestrial pollen collected from the same stratigraphic horizons as those of the Ruppia seeds, along with optically stimulated luminescence ages of sediments from within the human footprint–bearing sequence, to evaluate the veracity of the seed ages. The results show that the chronologic framework originally established for the White Sands footprints is robust and reaffirm that humans were present in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39172/

https://www.science.org/stoken/author-tokens/ST-1558/full

Source: BURO EPrints