Book contents
- The Unstoppable Human Species
- The Unstoppable Human Species
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Hard Evidence
- Chapter 3 Who Are These People?
- Chapter 4 How Did They Get Here?
- Chapter 5 Ancient Africans
- Chapter 6 Going East
- Chapter 7 Down Under
- Chapter 8 Neanderthal Country
- Chapter 9 Going North
- Chapter 10 A Brave New World
- Chapter 11 Movable Feasts
- Chapter 12 Distant Horizons and Stars Beckon
- Chapter 13 Unstoppable? Human Extinction
- Chapter 14 Conclusion
- Book part
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 12 - Distant Horizons and Stars Beckon
Oceanic Islands and Beyond
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 March 2023
- The Unstoppable Human Species
- The Unstoppable Human Species
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Boxes
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Hard Evidence
- Chapter 3 Who Are These People?
- Chapter 4 How Did They Get Here?
- Chapter 5 Ancient Africans
- Chapter 6 Going East
- Chapter 7 Down Under
- Chapter 8 Neanderthal Country
- Chapter 9 Going North
- Chapter 10 A Brave New World
- Chapter 11 Movable Feasts
- Chapter 12 Distant Horizons and Stars Beckon
- Chapter 13 Unstoppable? Human Extinction
- Chapter 14 Conclusion
- Book part
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
ch 12: This chapter examines prehistoric migrations to oceanic islands. First, it considers the special difficulties of reaching such islands, and reviews claims about Pleistocene preagricultural movement to oceanic islands. Next, it focuses on the peopling of the Pacific Ocean, the fastest and most geographically extensive human population movement of all time. Though some archaeologists have speculated that these islands were colonized accidentally, the evidence shows that these were purposeful voyages by people who knew exactly where they were going and how to get there. Lowered sea levels during the LGM/MIS 2 shortened distances between some islands and possibly aided humans living in Sunda, Wallacea, and Sahul in settling Near Oceania. Movements into Remote Oceania commenced around 4 Ka, and movements into Polynesia after 1 Ka. Finally, the chapter considers future human migrations on Earth and beyond. The latter, it argues, will not be “just like Star Trek.”
Keywords
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- Information
- The Unstoppable Human SpeciesThe Emergence of Homo Sapiens in Prehistory, pp. 256 - 275Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023