North America

[bostonlass]

Forgive me if this is not the right place to ask this question, but does anyone know how the American Indians came to America? It's a question that's been bugging me lately. I know that Columbus came to America and after that all the immigration started but how did the Indians come to America?

 

[Dark_Lite]

They migrated from Asia across the land bridge that connects Russia and Alaska.

 

[bostonlass]

They migrated from Asia across the land bridge that connects Russia and Alaska.

Isn't there ocean inbetween there?

 

[The Lady Kate]

Isn't there ocean inbetween there?

There is now -- The Bering Strait. But it's a very shallow area, only about 55 miles wide, which geologists say was once dry land. Easy walking for a nomadic people...

This link might help: http://www.nps.gov/bela/html/history.htm

 

[neverforsaken]

yeah, in fact during the cold war alaska was being considered ground zero for a soviet invasion because of the ease it could be done. but thats why native americans look asian, because they are mongoloids, other mongoloids are pacific islanders as well.

 

[Crusadar]

And yet we wonder how kangaroos and kaolas got to Australia from Noah's Ark.

 

[The Lady Kate]

And yet we wonder how kangaroos and kaolas got to Australia from Noah's Ark.

Find a land bridge from the Middle East to Australia and the problem will be solved.

The Bering Strait bridge actually existed.

 

[Crusadar]

Kate said: Find a land bridge from the Middle East to Australia and the problem will be solved.

The Bering Strait bridge actually existed.

Or for that matter how did the Aborigines get to Australia? Ice doesn't leave much evidence when it melts - think ice age.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

Kate said: Find a land bridge from the Middle East to Australia and the problem will be solved.

The Bering Strait bridge actually existed.

Or for that matter how did the Aborigines get to Australia? Ice doesn't leave much evidence when it melts - think ice age.

i just completed an excellent simple introduction to this in
_
The Journey of Man : A Genetic Odyssey by Spencer Wells
-

Written for the general layperson, it has a technical side that ought not to overwhelm anyone. The author is both a good scientist and a decent popularizer, as well as a clear concise author. It is a straight forward presentation of his research in using genetics to trace the major migrations of human beings out of Africa. He talks about the places he has seen and what he did there, thus introducing a little bit of human interest and travelogue. But mostly it is about following the genetic trail in both female mitochrondria and male Y-chromosomes to find that first Eve and first Adam as it is commonly labelled.

Ought to be one of the first books recommended to anyone with a interest in early mankind and how we got around the earth. Short easy read held my interest just fine, a decent book.

it is a nice little book and has the motif of walking along the lower sea level beach from the horn of Africa around India to Australia. nicely done. worth a look.

...

 

[The Lady Kate]

Kate said: Find a land bridge from the Middle East to Australia and the problem will be solved.

The Bering Strait bridge actually existed.

Or for that matter how did the Aborigines get to Australia? Ice doesn't leave much evidence when it melts - think ice age.

So how long after the Flood was there an Ice Age which froze a path from the Middle East to Australia?

Surely someone would've noticed the Pacific Ocean freezing solid within the last couple of thousand years...

 

[Crusadar]

Kate said: So how long after the Flood was there an Ice Age which froze a path from the Middle East to Australia? Surely someone would've noticed the Pacific Ocean freezing solid within the last couple of thousand years...

Actually there is a lot of land between the Middle East and Australia. Considering of course that the whole Indian Ocean need not freeze – only the parts between Indonesia and the mainland - Indonesia and Australia in order for such a crossing to occur. It is common knowledge that the sea level during the ice age was some 350-400 feet lower than it is today so there is no problem for animals crossing even if the water did not freeze.

 

[The Lady Kate]

Kate said: So how long after the Flood was there an Ice Age which froze a path from the Middle East to Australia? Surely someone would've noticed the Pacific Ocean freezing solid within the last couple of thousand years...

Actually there is a lot of land between the Middle East and Australia. Considering of course that the whole Indian Ocean need not freeze – only the parts between Indonesia and the mainland - Indonesia and Australia in order for such a crossing to occur. It is common knowledge that the sea level during the ice age was some 350-400 feet lower than it is today so there is no problem for animals crossing even if the water did not freeze.

So all you need to do is find a shallow tract of the Indian Ocean between the Middle East and Australia.

Where is this 400-foot shelf? Can you put up a map?

 

[Crusadar]

Kate said: So all you need to do is find a shallow tract of the Indian Ocean between the Middle East and Australia.

No, just a connection between Indonesia and Malaysia and Timor Island and Australia. Why don’t you look at a map of southeast Asia a lot closer before setting up more strawmen Kate. (hint: it is connected to the middle east all the way to Malaysia?)


Can you put up a map?

Can I put up a map? Please, if you want an answer your going to need to do some work and look at a map – now here is the chance to use that mind of yours instead of just depending on faith as you say. Now how far is it from Malaysia to Indonesia, from Timor Island across the Timor Sea to Australia (keeping in mind that sea level was also lower.)

Here is something else to think about though while your doing that. We know that in 1883 Krakatau, an island volcano, erupted and remained lifeless for many years. Later it was inhabited by a variety of life forms – insects - earthworms, birds, lizards, snakes and a few mammals. Would one consider that the non flying animals evolved on the island within a century or did they arrive there from elsewhere via water?

I suspect however your not looking for an answer, just an opportunity to stump old Crusadar the YEC. But that’s okay, I’m use to it – evolutionist polemic that is. If you want to really discuss science why don’t you hop over to my information thread and we will discuss what really matters, not this trivial stuff.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Kate said: Find a land bridge from the Middle East to Australia and the problem will be solved.

The Bering Strait bridge actually existed.

Or for that matter how did the Aborigines get to Australia? Ice doesn't leave much evidence when it melts - think ice age.

Compared to the expansion of the Polynesians across the Pacific, getting from Asia to Australia is child's play.

Giant glaciers covering significant fractions of a continent do leave lots of evidence. Something that big does a number on the ground.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

There was a migration across the Bering Strait during the last ice age (~12,000 years ago). However there is some evidence that some people came earlier, perhaps as early as 40,000 years ago.

PS - I just realized that I can't remember if the numbers are years ago or BC, so they may be off by 2,000 years.

 

[Late_Cretaceous]

I don't even think there needed to be a land bridge. The Inuit routinely cross much larger areas of Arctic ocean waters in kayaks. The trip from russia to alaska would be an easy trip for them.

 

[Rusticus]

And yet we wonder how kangaroos and kaolas got to Australia from Noah's Ark.

The more interesting question to ask would be: Why are there not any kangaroos and koalas anywhere else?

 

[JVD]

I don't even think there needed to be a land bridge. The Inuit routinely cross much larger areas of Arctic ocean waters in kayaks. The trip from russia to alaska would be an easy trip for them.

I was going to say this. I live in Alaska and know that they still cross it occasionally. During the cold war there were even some who crossed it.

It still freezes in the winter there and can theoretically be crossed on the ice, but it is very dangerous. In fact, look at the top of a globe and imagine a very cold winter. Some adventurous souls could walk from Norway, (well Spitzbergen),to Greenland and to Nothern Canada on the ice.

As far as the Pacific Islands, think boats.