https://www.usgs.gov/news/fossilized-footprints-reveal-human-habitation-north-america-thousands-years-earlier-previously Skip to main content Home Home Science Topics, centers, missions Products Maps, data, publications News Releases, I'm a reporter Connect Contact, chat, social media About Organization, jobs, budget Search [ ] Search * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Digg * Reddit * StumbleUpon * Pinterest About Us * Who We Are * History * Past Directors Organization * Mission Areas * Regions * Science Centers * Science Support Key Officials Congressional * Briefing Series * Statements * Contacts Budget Opportunities Doing Business * Contracts * Grants and Cooperative Agreements * Partners and Cooperators * Building Partnerships Emergency Management Survey Manual Data and Tools * Data and Tools Topics * Real-time Data * APIs * Science Data Catalog * Science Datasets * Data Management * Data Management Tools * GIS Data Maps * Map Topics * Topographic Maps * Geologic Maps * GIS Data * The National Map * USGS Store * Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Publications * USGS Publications USGS Library Software Multimedia Gallery * Images * Videos * Audio * Webcams Park Passes Featured Stories News Releases * National News * State News Science Snippets Technical Announcements Employees in the News Get Our News Media Contacts I'm a Reporter * Request Footage * Earthquake Questions * Multimedia Gallery * Key Officials * Congressional Headquarters * 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive * Reston, VA 20192, USA * 703-648-5953 Locations Contact Us * 1-888-ASK-USGS * Email * Web Chat Staff Profiles Social Media Science Explorer * Biology and Ecosystems * Land Resources * Coasts * Data, Tools, and Technology * Energy * Environmental Health * Geology * Mapping, Remote Sensing, and Geospatial Data * Minerals * Natural Hazards * Oceans * Planetary Science * Water Mission Areas * Core Science Systems * Ecosystems * Energy and Minerals * Natural Hazards * Water Resources Programs Science Centers Observatories Laboratories Unified Interior Regions * Region 1: North Atlantic-Appalachian * Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf * Region 3: Great Lakes * Region 4: Mississippi Basin * Region 5: Missouri Basin * Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas-Gulf * Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin * Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin * Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest * Region 10: California-Great Basin * Region 11: Alaska * Region 12: Pacific Islands Frequently Asked Questions Education * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Delicious * Digg * Reddit * StumbleUpon * Pinterest Search [ ] Search Science+ Science Explorer Mission Areas Programs Science Centers Observatories Laboratories Unified Interior Regions Frequently Asked Questions Education Products+ Data and Tools Maps Publications Software Multimedia Gallery Park Passes USGS Library News+ Featured Stories News Releases Science Snippets Technical Announcements Employees in the News Get Our News Media Contacts I'm a Reporter Connect+ Headquarters Locations Contact Us Staff Profiles Social Media About+ About Us Organization Key Officials Congressional Budget Opportunities Doing Business Emergency Management Survey Manual Fossilized Footprints Reveal Human Habitation of North America Thousands of Years Earlier than Previously Thought Release Date: September 23, 2021 ALAMOGORDO - New scientific research conducted at White Sands National Park in New Mexico has uncovered the oldest known human footprints in North America. The discovery reveals evidence of human occupation in the Tularosa Basin beginning at least 23,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than previously thought. "These incredible discoveries illustrate that White Sands National Park is not only a world-class destination for recreation but is also a wonderful scientific laboratory that has yielded groundbreaking, fundamental research," said Superintendent Marie Sauter. The fossilized human footprints were buried in multiple layers of sediment on a large playa in White Sands National Park. Seeds embedded in the footprints were radiocarbon dated and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey to establish their age. The research dramatically extends the range for the coexistence of humans and Pleistocene (ice age) megafauna and confirms that humans were present in North America before the major glacial advances at the height of the last ice age closed migration routes from Asia. The findings are detailed in an article published in the journal Science. "This study demonstrates the process of science - new evidence can shift long held paradigms," said USGS Acting Rocky Mountain Regional Director Allison Shipp. White Sands National Park contains the world's largest-known collection of Pleistocene age (ice age) fossilized footprints in the world and has been recognized as a megatracksite since 2014. In addition to human footprints, tracks from the Columbian mammoth, saber-toothed cat, dire wolf, and other ice age animals have been discovered. More information about the park's fossilized footprints is available at https://go.nps.gov/whitesandsfootprints. Scientists from White Sands National Park, the National Park Service, USGS, Bournemouth University, University of Arizona and Cornell University, in connection with the park's Native American partners, have collaborated and consulted on this research. White Sands National Park protects and preserves the world's largest gypsum dunefield, at least 23,000 years of archaeology, adaptive flora and fauna, as well as Works Progress Administration-era historic pueblo buildings. Contacts Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Office of Communications and Publishing 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192 United States Phone: 703-648-4460 Heidi Koontz Public Affairs Specialist Central States Office of Communications Email: hkoontz@usgs.gov Phone: 303-202-4763 Partners U.S. National Park Service Connect USGS News: Everything We've Got: Subscribe RSS Biology and Ecosystems: Subscribe RSS Geology: Subscribe RSS National News Release: Subscribe RSS New Mexico: Subscribe RSS Skip to upper content Home * Privacy Policy * Legal * Accessibility * Site Map * Contact USGS Science * Science Explorer * Mission Areas * Programs * Science Centers * Observatories * Laboratories * Unified Interior Regions * Frequently Asked Questions * Education Products * Data and Tools * Maps * Publications * Software * Multimedia Gallery * Park Passes * USGS Library News * Featured Stories * News Releases * Science Snippets * Technical Announcements * Employees in the News * Get Our News * Media Contacts * I'm a Reporter Connect * Headquarters * Locations * Contact Us * Staff Profiles * Social Media About * About Us * Organization * Key Officials * Congressional * Budget * Opportunities * Doing Business * Emergency Management * Survey Manual --------------------------------------------------------------------- * U.S. Department of the Interior * DOI Inspector General * White House * E-Gov * USA.gov * No FEAR Act Data * FOIA * Follow * Twitter * Facebook * GitHub * Flickr * YouTube * Instagram