John Hawks Critiques Human Migration Hypotheses

Last week I noted the publication of a new study on human migration patterns. It uses analysis of DNA to reconstruct the appearance of sequential "founder populations," first in Africa, then in the Middle East, then Europe, then Asia, and the Americas. Read it here. In the same post I noted an alternative model that had Asia colonized before Europe.

Now John Hawks weighs in on the migration study. He has read the paper itself and finds it far less impressive than media accounts would have it. He notes practical and theoretical problems with the methodology used and discusses alternative interpretations and hypotheses. It's an instructive critique and well worth the time to read it.

Check it out here.