New research suggests humans reached Australia later than previously thought

A fresh review of genetic and archaeological evidence indicates that Aboriginal Australians likely arrived on the continent no earlier than 50,000 years ago, challenging previous estimates of 65,000 years.

The study, published in Archaeology in Oceania, was led by James O’Connell, professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Utah, in collaboration with Australian colleagues, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The researchers drew on recent genetic studies analyzing traces of Neanderthal DNA in modern humans. All humans, including Indigenous Australians, carry between 1–4% Neanderthal DNA, suggesting that Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals only once, between 43,500 and 51,500 years ago. By this logic, the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians could not have arrived on the continent prior to that period.

O’Connell and his team also examined the archaeological record across Australia. Most sites date between 43,000 and 54,000 years ago, aligning with the genetic evidence. The researchers noted one outlier, Madjedbebe in northern Australia, which was previously dated to between 59,000 and 70,000 years using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). This technique measures energy accumulated in buried minerals over time. However, O’Connell cautions that sand deposition at the site may have caused heavier artifacts to settle deeper over time, meaning the dating may reflect the age of the sand, not the artifacts themselves.

The study also highlights the formidable challenges early humans faced in reaching Australia. The continent is separated from Southeast Asia by the Wallacean archipelago, requiring at least eight open-ocean crossings of up to 90 kilometers. Genetic data suggest the founding populations included at least four separate mitochondrial lineages, implying a deliberate, well-organized migration of dozens of individuals rather than accidental drift. “This strongly suggests that colonizing passage was deliberate, not accidental,” O’Connell said, emphasizing the need for seaworthy rafts or canoes and sufficient food and water for multi-day voyages.

The researchers argue that the combination of genetic and archaeological evidence, along with behavioral and technological innovations such as cave art, tools, and ornaments, supports a post-50,000-year arrival for humans in Australia.

“The pendulum is going to swing back to general agreement for an under 50,000-year date for Australian colonization,” O’Connell said. He notes that this timing aligns with the broader Eurasian out-of-Africa population wave, raising new questions about human migration patterns, technological development, and cultural evolution during that period.

By Vugar Khalilov