In May 2013 , a storm uncovered these ancient footprints on an English beach . At over 800,000 years old , they ’re the oldest human ascendent footprints ever found outside of Africa . The tempest that let out them soon launder them away too , but scientist have been studying the footprint for months after the fact , thanks to 3D tomography .
Over the preceding decade , heavy winter storms have heavily eat at the sand , silt and gravel that form the coastline near Happisburg , UK . This erosion exposed these ancient footprints in a long - covered layer of laminated silt , which archaeologists coincidently stumbled upon during a depressed tide study of the arena . From that moment , it was a airstream against sentence : bear on stormy atmospheric condition and the beat lunar time period were continually wearing away the grounds .
While strong-arm measurements were n’t potential in the field , the researchers were able to patch together dozens of digital pic of the footprint to create 3D practical images for modern study . The property of the footmark correspond to juvenile - to - adult hominin fundament size , estimate to be around five foot tall . Analysis of the flora and brute ground in the deposit helped designate the age of the imprints .
The resulting inquiry composition , published today in Plos One , shows just how influential this find is : the footprints indicate that human root were ramble around northern Europe at least 350,000 years earlier than antecedently estimated . Asthe British Museum ’s Dr. Nick Ashton told the BBC , “ it will rewrite our intellect of the early human occupation of Britain and indeed of Europe . ”
And to think , without 3D scanning , it all could have wash away before we even recognise what we were miss . [ Plos OneviaCnet ]
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