For thousands of years, humans have shown an incredible ability to adapt to extreme conditions. A groundbreaking discovery now reveals that early humans survived on the Tibetan Plateau, Earth’s highest plateau, even during the harshest phase of the last ice age.
Researchers recently uncovered 427 ancient artifacts, including stone tools and ochre pieces—red-colored rocks used in ancient art—on the southern Tibetan Plateau. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the region was uninhabitable during the last glacial maximum, a period between 26,500 and 19,000 years ago when ice sheets covered vast areas of the planet, and global temperatures were significantly lower than today.
A research team led by Wenli Li from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing discovered an archaeological site in the Yarlung Tsangpo River valley, located 3,800 meters above sea level. Radiocarbon dating of bones and charcoal found at the site revealed evidence of human habitation dating back to three distinct periods, including around 25,000 and 23,000 years ago—right in the middle of the last glacial maximum.
Scientists believe that the river valley may have offered essential resources like water, vegetation, and game, making survival possible in such a harsh environment. Climate data from stalagmites and lake cores suggest that the valley retained more moisture than other parts of the plateau, allowing cold-resistant plants and animals to thrive. This would have provided crucial sustenance for early humans.
Stone tools found at the site resemble those from older locations farther north, suggesting that as the climate worsened, people migrated to the river valley for refuge. This supports the idea that certain valleys on the Tibetan Plateau may have served as safe zones during the most challenging ice age conditions.
With this remarkable discovery, scientists now have stronger evidence that early humans were highly adaptable and capable of enduring extreme climates. Moving forward, researchers aim to explore how climate shifts influenced migration patterns and survival strategies in the region.
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