The Real “Apocalypse Escape” Journey Revealed
A genetic study published last year revealed that 98.7% of the human population vanished during a catastrophic event. However, a recent study has shed light on the surprising new world that emerged with just 1,300 remaining individuals.
The Close Call with Extinction
According to Science Alert, this near-extinction event occurred approximately 900,000 years ago, well before the emergence of Homo sapiens. At this critical population bottleneck, only a meager 1,300 individuals survived worldwide. These individuals were the ancestors of our species and potentially other human species that went extinct.
The Great Migration
While last year’s study depicted the “apocalyptic” event through the DNA of over 3,000 modern humans, the new research conducted by geologists from the University of Milan (Italy) and Columbia University (USA) explains how these 1,300 survivors managed to endure.
By examining scant evidence including bone fragments, stone tools, and geological data, scientists discovered that the remaining humans were confronted with a deprived, icy, and food-scarce Africa and a vast, arid stretch of land in present-day West Asia. However, it was precisely this aridness and the subsequent drop in sea levels that exposed “land bridges,” enabling them to migrate by foot from Africa to the vast plains of Asia and Europe, sometimes utilizing primitive sled-like vehicles.
This mass migration not only saved them from extinction in a desertifying Africa but also provided an opportunity for the human species to expand and flourish once again.
The Tools of Escape
The ingenuity and adaptability of these ancient survivors were crucial to their successful journey and establishment in new habitats. Their innovative methods of escape from Africa and the challenges they overcame played a significant role in the continued advancement of our species.
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