New evidence suggests that the desert of the Arabian Peninsula once had water and plants that brought early humans and large animals from Africa. Until 10 years ago, scientists trying to rebuild the story of early human movements out of Africa knew little about the Arabian Peninsula. Much more is known about early human settlements in the Levant region. The Levant is the area that includes modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and parts of Syria. Archaeological research has been carried out there for more than one hundred years. But a recent study published in Nature suggests that the Arabian Peninsula may have served as a bridge between Africa and Eurasia. Michael Petraglia is one of the writers of the study. He is an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. The research team included scientists from Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Britain and other countries. He said, “Arabia has not been part of the story of early human migration because so little work was done there before.” Huw Groucutt is also based at the Max Planck Institute. He travels to archaeological places in the northern Arabian Peninsula where rolling sand dunes, or hills, extend as far as the eye can see. Scientists started to look closely for archeological remains in the region after satellite images showed signs of prehistoric lakes in the areas that are now desert. “We noticed color patterns made by ancient lakes sand dunes are kind of orange-colored, while ancient lakes are tinted white or gray,” said Groucutt. Over the past 10 years, archeologists have found stone tools from several periods of prehistoric settlement by early human groups. The oldest was from 400,000 years ago.
Title: Prehistoric Arabia Brought Early Humans from Africa
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Prehistoric Arabia Brought Early Humans from Africa' data-article-id='5867'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='15958'>New evidence suggests that the desert of the Arabian Peninsula once had water and plants that brought early humans and large animals from Africa.</span> <span data-start-time='15958' data-end-time='33854'>Until 10 years ago, scientists trying to rebuild the story of early human movements out of Africa knew little about the Arabian Peninsula.</span> <span data-start-time='33854' data-end-time='42354'>Much more is known about early human settlements in the Levant region. </span> <span data-start-time='42354' data-end-time='54708'>The Levant is the area that includes modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and parts of Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='54708' data-end-time='64167'>Archaeological research has been carried out there for more than one hundred years.</span> <span data-start-time='64167' data-end-time='78833'>But a recent study published in Nature suggests that the Arabian Peninsula may have served as a bridge between Africa and Eurasia.</span> <span data-start-time='78833' data-end-time='85417'>Michael Petraglia is one of the writers of the study. </span> <span data-start-time='85417' data-end-time='97813'>He is an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. </span> <span data-start-time='97813' data-end-time='110208'>The research team included scientists from Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Britain and other countries.</span> <span data-start-time='110208' data-end-time='123563'>He said, “Arabia has not been part of the story of early human migration because so little work was done there before.”</span> <span data-start-time='123563' data-end-time='130479'>Huw Groucutt is also based at the Max Planck Institute. </span> <span data-start-time='130479' data-end-time='145708'>He travels to archaeological places in the northern Arabian Peninsula where rolling sand dunes, or hills, extend as far as the eye can see.</span> <span data-start-time='145708' data-end-time='163479'>Scientists started to look closely for archeological remains in the region after satellite images showed signs of prehistoric lakes in the areas that are now desert. </span> <span data-start-time='163479' data-end-time='180104'>“We noticed color patterns made by ancient lakes sand dunes are kind of orange-colored, while ancient lakes are tinted white or gray,” said Groucutt.</span> <span data-start-time='180104' data-end-time='195000'>Over the past 10 years, archeologists have found stone tools from several periods of prehistoric settlement by early human groups. The oldest was from 400,000 years ago.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18036 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/what_is_a_peninsula.wav'>What is a peninsula?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/a_piece_of_land_almost_surrounded_by_water_or_projecting_out_into_a_body_of_water.wav'><span>a piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/an_instrument_for_writing_or_drawing_with_ink_typically_consisting_of_a_metal_nib_or_ball_or_a_nylon_tip_fitted_into_a_metal_or_plastic_holder.wav'><span>an instrument for writing or drawing with ink, typically consisting of a metal nib or ball, or a nylon tip, fitted into a metal or plastic holder</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/a_paste_of_ground_roasted_peanuts_usually_eaten_spread_on_bread.wav'><span>a paste of ground roasted peanuts, usually eaten spread on bread</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/an_antibiotic_or_group_of_antibiotics.wav'><span>an antibiotic or group of antibiotics</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18037 data-hint-location='64167' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/which_two_areas_does_the_study_suggest_the_arabian_peninsula_was_a_bridge_for.wav'>Which two areas does the study suggest the Arabian Peninsula was a bridge for?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Africa and Eurasia'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/africa_and_eurasia.wav'><span>Africa and Eurasia</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/africa_and_greenland.wav'><span>Africa and Greenland</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/ireland_and_england.wav'><span>Ireland and England</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/africa_and_india.wav'><span>Africa and India</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18038 data-hint-location='97813' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/the_research_team_included__blank__from_germany_saudi_arabia_australia_britain_and_other_countries.wav'>The research team included <span class='blank'>scientists</span> from Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Britain and other countries.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='scientists'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/tweezers.wav'><span>tweezers</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/kaleidoscopes.wav'><span>kaleidoscopes</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/scientists.wav'><span>scientists</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5313/recipes.wav'><span>recipes</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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