Some Ancient Humans Stayed In Central Europe During The Last Ice Age And Adapted To The Colder Temperatures, According To A New Study
During the height of the last ice age, some modern humans were able to adapt to the colder temperatures in similar ways to bears and wolves.
They stayed in central Europe during this glacial period, a finding that has challenged beliefs about where our ancestors lived.
Previously, studies have supported the idea that modern humans moved to southern Europe during the last ice age, with their reach expanding as global temperatures increased later on.
However, according to a recent study led by Oxala García-Rodríguez from Bournemouth University in England, some humans stayed in central Europe. It was the first study to use genetic data to achieve its results.
Since the 19th century, scientists have known that the distribution of plants and animals across the world fluctuated with the climate. However, the current climate crisis has highlighted the importance of understanding these patterns.
At the height of the last ice age, which occurred approximately 20,000 years ago, many species, including humans, spread out geographically.
By then, European ice sheets had reached Denmark and south Wales. Europe most likely looked like Alaska or Siberia today.
In the new study, the research team reviewed the genetic history of 23 common mammals in Europe.
These species included humans, squirrels, bank voles, hedgehogs, shrews, red deer, wild boar, weasels, and brown bears.
kuzenkova – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
They also determined where the greatest diversity in Europe is today because areas of high genetic variation are likely to be places that species have occupied the longest.
These areas are known as refugia. They are locations where species retreated for survival when environmental conditions were too harsh elsewhere.
These refugia were likely warmer or had a higher availability of prey. They would have been occupied since the last ice age.
The team found that some mammals, such as red foxes and roe deer, were restricted to southern areas like Iberia and Italy. As global temperatures increased after the ice age, they expanded from these regions.
Other mammals, such as beavers and lynx, expanded to the east of Europe only to later spread west.
Species like the common vole and the pygmy shrew stayed in sheltered areas, such as deep valleys in northern Europe.
Scientists have documented these patterns before. Yet, the team discovered an additional pattern. The new study suggested that some species, like brown bears and wolves, were already widely distributed across Europe during the height of the last ice age, with no discernible refugia or refugia in both the north and south.
Homo sapiens followed this pattern as well. At that point, Neanderthals had already been extinct for around 20,000 years. It is unclear why ancient humans and other mammals lived in harsh climates instead of branching out to more hospitable locations.
It is especially surprising when it comes to humans because our ancestors originated in the warmer climate of Africa, so it seemed unlikely that they were tolerant to colder temperatures.
The research team does not know whether the humans survived due to technology like clothing, dwellings, and building fires or the fact they were omnivorous and could adapt to the environment.
The new pattern could make scientists rethink climate change and human distribution. Perhaps some areas will stay habitable for longer than expected, even as the climate shifts dramatically.
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