Ancient cave art suggests first known humans in Ireland walked over from Wales
summary
Archaeologists have discovered cave art in south-west Ireland dating back 15,000 years, suggesting that early humans migrated from Wales via a prehistoric land bridge. This discovery pushes back the known timeline of human habitation in Ireland by 5,000 years. The findings were made possible by using AI algorithms to identify potential cave sites based on known characteristics of dwellings in Wales. This evidence supports the theory that hunter-gatherers followed animal migration routes during the Ice Age to expand their territory.
key points
- AI-driven mapping allowed researchers to identify 28 potential caves, eight of which contained rock art including engravings and ochre paintings.
- A lost land bridge between Pembrokeshire and Rosslare provided a viable path for humans to follow large herbivores like mammoths and bison.
- Population pressure and competition for limited cave dwellings in Wales likely drove early humans to move further west and north into Ireland.
who should read it
People interested in archaeology, prehistoric human migration, and the application of AI in scientific research.
discussion skeptical
consensus
Commenters generally agree that the quoted temperature range of -10°C to -20°C for summertime is likely a factual error in the reporting. They argue that such temperatures would be too cold for the forested and grassland plateau described, suggesting instead that the negative signs were mistakenly added or the terms summer and winter were swapped. The sentiment is one of skepticism regarding the accuracy of the article's data.
top insight
One user points out that while -10°C might be be plausible as a winter average during the last ice age, the peak of summer should have been slightly warmer than freezing to allow for some melting. This distinction clarifies that while extreme cold was plausible for the ice sheet, it is incompatible with the forested environment described in the source text.
Generated by an LLM from the article and thread. Check the sources before relying on it.