North America's First Migrants: Tracing the Sea Ice Highway
New research challenges traditional theories of how and when humans first arrived in North America, suggesting that early Americans may have traveled along a "sea ice highway" along the Pacific Coast as early as 24,000 years ago. Paleoclimate reconstructions of the Pacific Northwest indicate that sea ice may have provided a means for people to move farther south. This theory complements the idea of a "kelp highway" and highlights the adaptability of early humans. While proving the use of sea ice as a migration path is difficult due to underwater archaeological sites, it offers a new framework for understanding human migration in North America.