Over 11,000 artefacts in Kakadu national park have been dated to between 65,000 and 80,000 years old, rewriting the consensus understanding of human occupation of Australia [This article explores the conclusions reached in a new study, and offers the opinion of this writer as to the possible interpretations of some of the associated scientific findings]. For the last decade, the debate has raged as to whether modern humans had resided on the Australian continent for 50,000 years or perhaps 60,000 years. The latest results stem from dating procedures carried out on over 11,000 artefacts from the Madjedbebe rock shelter. The…
