Humans, Not Climate, Key to Ancient Giants' Fall: Aarhus Study Reveals

Recent research from Aarhus University concludes that human activity, not climate, was the primary cause of the extinction of giant mammals.

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Large-scale migrations of the first modern humans from Africa around 100,000 years ago significantly impacted ecosystems worldwide due to their adaptability.

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Humans' ability to hunt larger animals with advanced weapons and techniques contributed to the decline and extinction of giant mammals.

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Scientists studied the DNA of 139 living species of large mammals to analyse population changes over the past 50,000 years.

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The relationship between human expansion and the selective extinction of big animals is supported by fossil data spanning the last 50,000 years, however the link with climatic change is contested.

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DNA sequencing advancements in the last 20 years allowed researchers to analyse the DNA of numerous species, providing valuable data for the study.

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The decline in large mammal populations coincides with the spread of humans, questioning the role of climate change.

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The study provides a new perspective on human impact versus natural climatic factors in historical species extinction.

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