Researchers have used ancient DNA to refine the timeline of early human migration into North America, a question that has puzzled scientists for decades. The study, published online ahead of its appearance in the December 2026 issue of the journal Current Opinion in Genetics & Development, examined previously published genetic and archaeological evidence to better understand when humans first arrived in the Americas.
The researchers, led by Bethany Potter and Savannah Hay of the University of Kansas, found that genetic evidence most strongly supports humans reaching the Americas between 14,000 and 20,000 years ago. They also suggest that an arrival before 15,000 years ago is likely.
This timeline is later than the previously accepted "Clovis First" theory, which suggested that the first humans arrived in North America roughly 13,500 years ago. However, later archaeological discoveries have challenged this timeline, suggesting that humans may have reached North America thousands of years earlier.
The researchers reviewed existing ancient DNA and archaeological evidence, including 23,000-year-old human footprints found at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. These footprints suggest that humans may have inhabited North America earlier than the timeline supported by currently available genetic evidence.
The study also found that ancestral Native American populations split into northern and southern groups roughly 15,500 years ago, likely south of the massive ice sheets that once covered much of North America. This would mean that their ancestors had already reached the continent before the split occurred.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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