<a href="https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/scientists-use-stones-to-build-canoe-like-their-ancestors-and-sailed-it-140-miles-across-dangerous-waters/" target="_blank">View original image source</a>.
Talk about taking the plunge! A dedicated team of scientists recently decided to take a page from ancient history by building a canoe replica and sailing it 140 miles across the treacherous Kuroshio current, which is one of the strongest in the world. Their goal? To explore how Paleolithic people navigated from Taiwan to Japan’s Yonaguni Island thousands of years ago. With only period-accurate tools and their instincts, these modern adventurers braved the open sea just like their ancient counterparts—definitely not your average science experiment!
Can you imagine paddling for over 45 hours without the convenience of GPS or even a reliable map? That’s exactly what they did in their 23-foot-long dugout canoe named Sugime, crafted from a single cedar trunk. Despite the challenges, their research revealed that these dugout canoes were surprisingly fast and durable, challenging prior assumptions that primitive rafts were the only option for ocean crossing. Talk about going against the tide—literally!
So what does this reveal about our ancestors? Apparently, they were not just sailing around aimlessly; they were skilled navigators using the sun, stars, and ocean swells to find their way—which is a far cry from my last beach vacation using only a standard set of instructions from Google Maps! What journey would you embark on given the chance?
The intrepid team is still analyzing the data from their journey, which undoubtedly holds more secrets about ancient migration patterns. Who knew history could be so adventurous? It’s a perfect reminder that maybe we all have a bit of an explorer inside us, just waiting for the right adventure—though perhaps with a bit more safety gear!
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