A famous old site in Chile called Monte Verde is now thought to be much younger. For a long time, people believed it showed very early humans in America. However, new research says this is not true. The findings were published in a science magazine. This changes what we thought about when people first came to America. It may help explain how they traveled south.
Monte Verde was important evidence for people living in South America before the Clovis culture. The Clovis people lived in North America about 13,400 years ago. Scientists thought Monte Verde was 14,500 years old. This was older than the Clovis people. It challenged the idea that Clovis people were the first Americans.
But now, Dr. Todd Surovell and his team have new ideas. They think dirt moving over time made the site seem older. Their research suggests that newer things mixed with older dirt. Therefore, Monte Verde is likely between 6,000 and 8,000 years old. This means it is about the same age as, or younger than, the Clovis culture.
Dr. Surovell said Monte Verde was key to the idea of people in South America before Clovis. The original discovery changed everything about how people came to America. Dr. Claudio Latorre, a co-author, agreed. He said Monte Verde "turned the entire story on its head."
This new information means scientists must rethink migration. If Monte Verde is not older than Clovis, the idea of early people moving south is weaker. It might mean people came from north to south. The Clovis culture could have been an early, important group to spread out. This new study will cause many discussions among experts.