Scientists Confirm Ancient Human Footprints in New Mexico Are 21,000-23,000 Years Old, Challenging Previous Theories of First Americans

Fossilized human footprints discovered at White Sands National Park in New Mexico date back 21,000-23,000 years, according to multiple dating methods.
The footprints provide direct evidence of a human presence in North America thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
Initial radiocarbon dating of seeds and plant material found with the footprints suggested their antiquity.
Additional analysis using radiocarbon dating of pollen and optically stimulated luminescence of quartz grains confirms the footprints' age.
The discovery indicates humans were present in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum, challenging beliefs about migration blocked by ice sheets.