Challenging Ice Age Paradigms: Human Resilience Amidst Glaciers

A collaborative study led by researchers from Bournemouth University and Cornell University suggests that humans adapted to the last ice age in a similar way to animals such as wolves and bears. This finding challenges established theories about how populations survived in Europe during that Ice Age.

Historically, humans have been thought to have retreated to southern Europe during the peak of the Ice Age, expanding northward as the climate warmed. However, this new research, which uses genetic data unlike previous studies, indicates that some humans maintained their presence in central Europe during the colder period.

The research highlights that understanding the distribution of genetically distinct populations is crucial as climate change continues to affect global environmental conditions. Insights from the study could reshape scientific approaches to human adaptation and survival during harsh climates.

(With contributions from agencies.)