Younger Dryas Posed Little Threat To Paleoindians

Monday, April 12, 2010 - 10:35 in Paleontology & Archaeology

The Paleoindians who occupied North America throughout the Younger Dryas interval, which saw a rapid return to glacial conditions approximately 11,000 years ago, successfully dispersed across the continent's diverse habitats, according to a new study in the Journal of World Prehistory.   Experts have generally assumed that cooling temperatures and their impact on communities posed significant adaptive challenges to Paleoindian groups.  But the new review of climatic and environmental records from this time period in continental North America suggests that the Young Dryas age cooling was not as sudden, extensive, or severe, and the notion that these conditions may have taken the Paleoindians by surprise is questionable. read more

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