“REVOLUTIONARY DISCOVERY: 23,000-YEAR-OLD FOOTPRINTS ALTER AMERICA’S HUMAN HISTORY”

Why in the news?

  • Archaeological breakthrough: 23,000-year-old footprints found in New Mexico challenge existing human history in America, suggesting earlier habitation.
  • Discovery at White Sands National Park redefines ancient human presence, providing valuable insights into early interactions and life in North America.

About White Sands National Park:

  • Location:situated in New Mexico, covering an area of 589.9 km2 within the Tularosa Basin.
  • Features:It includes 41% of the world’s largest gypsum dunefield, featuring dunes as tall as 60 feet (18 m).
  • Geological History:The park’s landscape evolved over 12,000 years ago from a lake basin with Ice Age mammals to gypsum dunes due to climate changes.
  • Biodiversity:The park hosts thousands of species, including 45 endemics like white-colored moths, with a significant invertebrate population.
source:LotusArise
About North America continent:

  • North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, bordered by the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, and South America.
  • It ranks third globally in size, covering nearly 24 million square kilometers.
  • Extends from 7°N to 85°N latitude and from 20°W to 179°W longitude.
  • Notably close to the North Pole and the International Date Line.
  • Includes five time zones due to its vast longitudinal span.
  • Features: diverse climates from Arctic regions to tropical areas along the Tropic of Cancer.