New research shows climate was the key factor impacting the movement of the first farmers across Europe

Phys dot org ^ | July 16, 2020 | Dr Lia Betti, University of Roehampton

[SunkenCiv]

The research, a collaboration between the University of Roehampton, the University of Cambridge and several other institutions, combined archeological data with palaeoclimatic reconstructions to show for the first time that climate dramatically impacted the migration of people across Europe, causing a dramatic slowdown between 6,100 BCE and 4,500 BCE.

The research team, including Dr. Lia Betti, Senior Lecturer of the University of Roehampton, assembled a large database of the first arrival dates of Neolithic farmers across the continent and studied the speed of their migration in relation to climatic reconstructions of the time. They also re-analysed ancient DNA data to understand the interaction between early farmers and local hunter-gatherers.

They discovered migration started quickly out of south-eastern Europe, with Neolithic farmers pushing out the existing hunter-gatherer population. This was demonstrated by how little the DNA of the two groups mixed. As they moved north, the climate became less suitable for the crops they had bought with them. Their pace of movement slowed, changing how they interacted with local hunter-gatherers, which can be seen through increased genetic admixture of the two groups...

Comparing ancient DNA data from local hunter-gatherers and early farmers, the authors also demonstrated that the challenging climatic conditions for farming in Northern Europe led to closer relationships between the two groups and higher admixture. Exchanges of goods and local hunting knowledge may have allowed the first farmers to persist in these regions despite poor crop yields.

This research shows how climate has significantly impacted the migration of people since the beginning of our history. The climatic suitability of places to live and settle played a key role in determining where different human groups could thrive, in turn changing the genetics of entire continents.

[ThanhPhero]

Gosh! they had SUVs back then? Who knew?

[A Navy Vet]

Okay, but you may not like mild hot sauce I put in it. It’s sorta bland without it.

[ApplegateRanch]

So basically people in the Neolithic period were able to figure this out in areas OTHER than Africa where they still haven’t figured it out.

The smart ones kept leaving Africa for greener pastures, leaving the dumb ones there to inbreed.