ZAP // Coco E., Iovita, R. / PLOS One
New computational model, with the collaboration of the University of Algarve, shows that the Neanderthals completed a wide-west migration through the northern Eurasia in less than two millennia, traveling about 3,250 km, using rivers valleys as natural self-established.
A new one, published last week at PLOS One, suggests that its second major migration – from the current Caucasus region to Siberia – was faster and more predictable than previously believed.
The investigation was led by Emily Coco e Radu Iovitawith the collaboration of the center for the study of the human origins of the University of New York and the University of Algarve.
The results obtained with the researchers team simulations add a new geographical context to the previous genetic clues of a Neanderthal Migration of the Pleistocene late.
The researchers introduced a late -pleistocene Eurasia map with a resolution of 1 km, Complete with reconstructed rivers, glaciersdeserts and elevation, in an AB-LCP model-“Less cost-based path.”
This model simulates human movement through a landscapeimitating how individuals find routes that minimize travel cost using only local information and incomplete knowledge, explains the.
Each virtual “traveler” made about 400,000 decisions execution walk – which means that the choice of the next step or action is not evenly distributed, but It is biased for longer distances or larger changes.
On average, The simulated traveler took 830,000 individual steps while looking for the square of less energy in his immediate vision. This approach avoids presuming any prior knowledge of the landscape or a fixed destination.
Successful travelers left the north or southern flanks of Caucaso and reached the Siberian Altai in just 925,000 to 1.1 million steps. This is equivalent to about 1 million kilometers of deambulation, which translates into less than 2,000 years of real motion calendar to velocities of hunters-recolector.
Coco E., Iovita, R. / Plos One
Neanderthals followed the rivers
In dozens of executions, the ways grouped along the large Volga-Kama corridor, slid through roller coastal passages, and then channeled east along the Ob-Irtysh and Turgai valleys toward Altai.
Five -steps straight line segments or more appeared more often in these river runnerswhich confirms that the channels of running water would have attracted groups of walkers and minimized expensive elevation changes.
“Our results show that, despite obstacles such as mountains and large rivers, Neanderthals could have crossed northern Eurasia surprisingly Soon, ”explains Emily Coco.
“These findings provide important data on the paths of old migration that cannot be studied from the archaeological record And they reveal how computational simulations can help discover clues about old migrations that have shaped human history, ”adds the researcher.
The model was successful only during two climate windows Relatively Mild: The Marine Isotopic Stage 5E, starting approximately 125,000 years ago, and the Marine Isotopic Internship 3, starting approximately 60,000 years ago.
Warmer temperatures kept the glaciers with withdrawal and the more continuous vegetation through the spare tire, increasing the adequacy of the habitat and opening safe rivers crossings previously insurmountable.
“The Neanderthals could have migrated thousands of kilometers from the mountains of Caucaso to Siberia In just 2,000 yearsfollowing river runners, ”explains Iovita.
“Others have speculated on the possibility of this type of rapid long -distance migration based on genetic databut this has been difficult to prove due to limited archaeological evidence In the region, ”he adds.
“Based on detailed computational simulations, it seems that this migration was a almost inevitable result of landscape conditions During hot climate periods of the past, ”concludes the researcher.
