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How did Stone Age humans cross a treacherous 140-mile stretch of open ocean with no modern tools or maps? That mystery puzzled scientists for decades, until a recent experiment brought ancient seafaring back to life. Around 30,000 years ago, prehistoric people left what is now Taiwan and journeyed across the East China Sea to settle the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. But how they achieved this feat remained one of early humanity’s great unanswered questions.

A team of researchers set out to retrace this ancient voyage, but with a strict rule: they could only use tools and materials available to early humans. Their first two attempts, using basic rafts, ended in failure. That’s when they turned to a different method. They crafted axes from stone, felled a Japanese cedar tree, and carved a dugout canoe using the same primitive techniques believed to have been used by our ancestors. Launching from the eastern coast of Taiwan, they navigated by observing the Sun and stars, just as prehistoric sailors might have done.

Battling the powerful Kuroshio Current, one of the world’s strongest oceanic flows, they paddled for over 45 hours. Their journey concluded in success when they landed on Yonaguni Island, the westernmost point of Japan. This daring experiment proved that ancient humans had the skill, endurance, and innovation to make such a daunting voyage.

This research not only validates the migration routes suggested by archaeology but also sheds light on the early use of maritime technology. It reveals a level of navigational intelligence that challenges previous assumptions about human capabilities during the Paleolithic period.

Fun Fact: The successful canoe used in the experiment weighed over 400 kilograms and was made entirely by hand without metal tools, just as it would have been 30,000 years ago.

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#Paleolithic #StoneAge #PrehistoricNavigation #AncientHumans #HumanHistory #Seafaring #Archaeology