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Cave dig finds signs of human life over 30,000 years ago

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27 Jul 2020
UNSW Media
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Near the modern entrance to Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

Near the modern entrance to Chiquihuite Cave in central Mexico. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

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The entrance to the Chiquihuite Cave archaeological site. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

The entrance to the Chiquihuite Cave archaeological site. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

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The archaeological dig site at Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

The archaeological dig site at Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

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Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia inside Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia inside Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

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Archaeologists collecting ancient soil DNA samples. Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

Archaeologists collecting ancient soil DNA samples. Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

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Dr Ciprian Ardelean and students (from left to right: Rafael A. Martinez, Valeria M. Sánchez and Jesús De la Rosa). Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

Dr Ciprian Ardelean and students (from left to right: Rafael A. Martinez, Valeria M. Sánchez and Jesús De la Rosa). Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

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A view of the valley from Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

A view of the valley from Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

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Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia working near the entrance of Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia working near the entrance of Chiquihuite Cave. Photo: Thomas L.C. Gibson.

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Dr Ciprian Ardelean, who led the Chiquihuite Cave archaeological excavations. Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

Dr Ciprian Ardelean, who led the Chiquihuite Cave archaeological excavations. Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

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Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia (centre) sampling material for radiocarbon dating alongside fellow researchers Prof. Joaquín Arroyo-Cabrales and Dr Juan I. Macías-Quintero (from left to right). Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia (centre) sampling material for radiocarbon dating alongside fellow researchers Prof. Joaquín Arroyo-Cabrales and Dr Juan I. Macías-Quintero (from left to right). Photo: Devin A. Gandy.

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A stone tool found below the Last Glacial Maximum rock layer, belonging to a material culture never seen in the Americas. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

A stone tool found below the Last Glacial Maximum rock layer, belonging to a material culture never seen in the Americas. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

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A stone artefact found below the Last Glacial Maximum rock layer. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean

A stone artefact found below the Last Glacial Maximum rock layer. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean

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Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia sampling material for radiocarbon dating. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia sampling material for radiocarbon dating. Photo: Dr Ciprian Ardelean.

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Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU), University of Oxford. Photo: Eileen Jacob.

Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU), University of Oxford. Photo: Eileen Jacob.

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Archaeological findings at the Chiquihuite Cave in Mexico suggest humans may have reached the Americas over 30,000 years ago – a period 15,000 years earlier than previously thought.

An international team of scientists – including UNSW Sydney's Dr Lorena Becerra-Valdivia (formerly of the University of Oxford) – were behind the findings.

Find out more in this Newsroom story.

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