News in Brief Climate

The first Americans could have taken a coastal route into the New World

Glacial retreat had cleared a path along Alaska’s shores by 17,000 years ago

Geologist Alia Lesnek

DEICED PASSAGE  Rocks on an Alaskan island display smooth surfaces covered by cracks created when ice once moved over them. Alia Lesnek (shown) and colleagues have determined that ice on this and three nearby islands retreated about 17,000 years ago, just before ancient humans colonized the Americas.

Jason Briner

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

Ancient colonizers of the Americas could have traveled down Alaska’s Pacific coast in canoes or other sea vessels around 17,000 years ago, a new study finds.