Ancient Tasmanians used fire to shape their environment
A new study published in Science Advances reveals that over 41,000 years ago, the first inhabitants of Tasmania used fire to manage and modify the landscape. This research provides the earliest record of humans using fire to shape the Tasmanian environment, predating previous estimates by 2,000 years. Analysis of ancient mud revealed a sudden increase in charcoal around 41,600 years ago, coinciding with a change in vegetation. This increase in charcoal suggests that Tasmanian Aborigines used fire to clear forests, creating open spaces for subsistence and cultural activities. The researchers studied ancient mud taken from islands in the Bass Strait, which is part of Tasmania today but would have been part of the land bridge connecting Australia and Tasmania during the last ice age. From:...
