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Article: Human ancestor may have taken to sea.(research indicates Homo erectus used some type of sea craft)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- March 14, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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An evolutionary predecessor of modern humans known as Homo erectus apparently used some type of seaworthy craft to reach the Indonesian island of Flores at least 800,000 years ago, according to a new study.
Most researchers treat the settlement of Australia by H. sapiens between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago as the earliest instance of systematic sea travel.
"Even at times when the sea level was lowest, water crossings were necessary to reach Flores from Southeast Asia," write archaeologist Michael J. Morwood of the University of New England in Australia and his colleagues. "We conclude that H. erectus in this region was capable of repeated water ...