The ancestors of today's Indigenous people arrived in the Americas during the coldest part of the last ice age, study suggests
A new study suggests that the ancestors of Indigenous peoples in the Americas arrived no earlier than 21,000 years ago. Researchers analyzed genetic evidence to evaluate various archaeological models regarding the timing of human migration to the continents.
Why it matters
This research helps resolve a long-standing debate among anthropologists regarding the timeline of human settlement in the Americas during the last ice age.
The first people in the Americas arrived no earlier than 21,000 years ago, but 'there are huge gaps in our genetic dataset,' a new study reports.
By Kristina Killgrove Edited by Laura Geggel , Laura Mondrag n Published 2 October 2026 In News 5 min read When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works .
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