Key Points
- A new genetic study supports the theory that humans first arrived in Sahul (ancient Australia/New Guinea) about 60,000 years ago.
- The migration happened in two separate waves from Southeast Asia, not one.
- One group took a northern route into New Guinea, while another took a southern route into Australia.
- The journey required advanced seafaring skills, as people had to cross up to 100 km of open water.
A major new study is helping to settle a long-running debate about when humans first reached the ancient supercontinent of Sahul, which included modern-day Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. The research published in Science Advances, based on genetic analysis, strongly supports the theory that the first people arrived around 60,000 years ago.
For years, scientists have been divided between two main ideas. The “short chronology” theory suggested humans arrived about 50,000 years ago, a timeline supported by some genetic data. However, the “long chronology” theory argued for a much earlier arrival, around 60,000 years ago, a view backed by some key archaeological sites in Australia.
This new study sides with the long chronology. Researchers used a “molecular clock” technique to analyze DNA from nearly 2,500 Indigenous people across Australia, New Guinea, and Oceania. By measuring the rate of natural genetic mutations over time, they could estimate when different populations split off from one another. Their findings consistently pointed to a timeline that began at least 60,000 years ago.
Even more fascinating, the DNA evidence shows the migration wasn’t a single event. Instead, two distinct groups traveled from Southeast Asia, each taking a separate path. One group took a northern route into what is now New Guinea, while another took a southern route onto the Australian landmass.
This journey was no simple walk. The migrants had to cross up to 100 kilometers of open ocean to reach their destination, proving they were skilled seafarers far earlier in history than many believed. While the debate isn’t completely over, this research provides compelling new evidence about the incredible journey and deep origins of the first Australians and Papuans.
