A study published Wednesday argued that early humans hid inside of lava tube caves in Saudi Arabia for up to 10,000 years.
In what is described as a first-of-its-kind study, published in the journal PLOS One, researchers found that ancient humans housed themselves and their livestock inside caves made from volcanic activity on and off for potentially up to 10,000 years. Satellite and fossil data suggest that those living on the Arabian Peninsula were not always faced with desert conditions.
The region went through periods of lush greenery and the formation of lakes, which likely drew humans and animals from all over Africa and western Asia to the region, Nature described. Most of the artifacts of our past in Saudi Arabia have been destroyed by weathering and scorching heat. But more recent discoveries are filling out our understanding of our ancestors from the region.
“Humans and…
