Early signs of human presence in Australia

Marean, Curtis W.

doi:10.1038/547285a

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Inferences about early Australian technology and subsistence based on data from Madjedbebe (e.g., Florin et al, 2020) are probably accurate, but not well dated. Ideas about the timing of a >50 ka African H. sapiens diaspora, to the degree they are based on that same 65‐ka age estimate (e.g., Bae et al, 2017; Marean, 2017; Rabett, 2018) are undercut entirely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying disturbance in archaeological sites in tropical northern Australia: Implications for previously proposed 65,000‐year continental occupation date

et al. 2020

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The stratigraphic integrity of archaeological deposits in the seasonally wet tropics can be disrupted by termite activity and other processes. Significant questions have been raised about the surprisingly old age estimates for artefacts recovered from two sites in northern Australia: Nauwalabila and Madjedbebe. If accurate, a 65,000‐year date for the latter would represent a 30% increase in the currently accepted length of human occupation of the continent. The oldest estimate for Nauwalabila falls just short of that. These dates would have important implications for human dispersal across Eurasia in the Late Pleistocene. No other data from Australia support them. Smith et al. (2020) claim to refute the notion that termite disturbance accounts for these anomalies. Here we show that the criteria on which the assertion is based are invalid. Radiocarbon data from both sites, not cited by Smith et al. (2020), are consistent with the termite‐disturbance hypothesis. Luminescence data claimed to offer strong support for the early Madjedbebe estimate are also consistent with termite disruption. We conclude that the early dates for human presence at Madjedbebe and Nauwalabila must be rejected along with any chronometric inference about human behaviour to the degree it relies on them.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying disturbance in archaeological sites in tropical northern Australia: Implications for previously proposed 65,000‐year continental occupation date

et al. 2020

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“…It precedes nearly all evidence for unifacial points and intensive seed processing in Sahul by 60 ky (88,89). These mismatches demand critical review, not the unquestioned acceptance and attempts at accommodation they have received from some (84,90). Support for the 65-ka age estimate is based partly on the notion that the established post-50-ka continental chronology reflects the limits of radiocarbon analysis, which some commentators suggest cannot produce reliable dates >40 ka (90).…”

Section: Madjedbebementioning

confidence: 99%

“…These mismatches demand critical review, not the unquestioned acceptance and attempts at accommodation they have received from some (84,90). Support for the 65-ka age estimate is based partly on the notion that the established post-50-ka continental chronology reflects the limits of radiocarbon analysis, which some commentators suggest cannot produce reliable dates >40 ka (90). Appeal to other techniques, notably luminescence analysis, is seen by these critics as essential to the production of accurate dates beyond this "barrier."…”

Section: Madjedbebementioning

confidence: 99%

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

O’Connell

Allen

Williams

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

199

160

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Anatomically modern humans (, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000-55,000 years ago ( 50-55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka. A recently reported age estimate of 65 ka for Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in northern Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea), if correct, offers what might be the strongest support yet presented for a pre-55-ka African AMH exodus. We review evidence for AMH arrival on an arc spanning South China through Sahul and then evaluate data from Madjedbebe. We find that an age estimate of >50 ka for this site is unlikely to be valid. While AMH may have moved far beyond Africa well before 50-55 ka, data from the region of interest offered in support of this idea are not compelling.

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“…Finally, and going back to our roots as human beings, a classical theory of biology considers that natural selection favors the aggressive defense of sources of food (territoriality) when the benefit of accessing them exclusively exceeds the costs of controlling them, and this was present already in first groups of Homo Sapiens in Africa [13].…”

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confidence: 99%

Ownership at stake (once again): housing, digital contents, animals and robots

Nasarre-Aznar

2018

JPPEL

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Purpose This paper aims to discuss the questioning around the current suitability of ownership both for accessing to certain property (housing, to be more specific) and chattels (digital contents, animals and autonomous robots) that have recently flourished, favored by technological advances and the change in the values of the millennials’ in a context of crisis. Design/methodology/approach The process of substitution (e.g. through alternative housing tenures, such as intermediate tenures and collaborative housing, licensing digital contents) or erosion/elimination (e.g. owning animals and robots, tokenization through blockchain) of ownership through key types of property and chattels. Findings Ownership, both of land and goods, is again at the stake. Technological advances and/or new values of millennials in a context of crisis have led to questioning the suitability of ownership to favor universal access to housing, of holding music and other digital contents, have limited the faculties of animals’ and pets’ owners and are favoring the evolution of autonomous robots into subjects of law rather than mere objects. Research limitations/implications Only key property (housing) and chattels are studied (digital contents, animals, robots). There is no broad study of the global current situation of ownership. Practical implications It is discussed how the changes of values and technological advances in a context of crisis have impacted in the strength and reliability of ownership to allow access to property and chattels. Social implications These changes in ownership change how we can access to property (housing) and to chattels (digital media) and even to changes in what is considered “object” such as what is happening in Europe with animals and robots. Originality/value This is a new approach to consequences of the crisis in the field of housing (fractioning of ownership -temporal and shared ownership-, collaborative economy) and a change of values in the new millennial generation (animals) in this context and owing to the advance of the new technologies (robots). Is ownership again at the stake?

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Early signs of human presence in Australia

Cited by 4 publications

References 7 publications

Identifying disturbance in archaeological sites in tropical northern Australia: Implications for previously proposed 65,000‐year continental occupation date

Identifying disturbance in archaeological sites in tropical northern Australia: Implications for previously proposed 65,000‐year continental occupation date

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

Ownership at stake (once again): housing, digital contents, animals and robots

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