Humans Survived Toba Supervolcano by Adapting Diets, Study Suggests

New evidence challenges previous theories on early human migration, indicating adaptability to arid conditions post-eruption.

A new study reveals that humans survived the Toba supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago by adapting their diets and behaviors, indicating a high level of adaptability.
Evidence from the Shinfa-Metema 1 site in Ethiopia shows humans consumed more fish in the arid conditions following the eruption, challenging previous notions about early human dispersal.
The discovery of microscopic volcanic glass shards, or cryptotephra, at the site provides precise dating and suggests that humans were present before, during, and after the Toba eruption.
This adaptability and evidence of early archery suggest that humans could have dispersed out of Africa during arid intervals along 'blue highways' created by seasonal rivers.
The findings challenge the 'green corridor' theory of human migration, proposing that humans adapted to and exploited arid conditions for dispersal out of Africa.