NOVA Season 32 Episode 6 America's Stone Age Explorers

Using evidence based on archaeology, host David Pogue investigates America's prehistoric past from over 13,000 years ago and questions widely held theories. In the episode, "America's Stone Age Explorers," Pogue covers the history of the Clovis people, hunter-gatherers who were believed to be the first people to settle in North America some 13,000 years ago. The theory was that these individuals were the only people on the continent for thousands of years until other groups migrated from Asia and came into contact with them.

However, new evidence has challenged this belief and altered the way we approach the history of America's earliest inhabitants. Pogue examines archaeological findings that support the possibility of multiple waves of migration that took place before and after the arrival of the Clovis people. This evidence suggests that there were early humans in America that predate the Clovis culture by thousands of years.

Pogue travels to key archaeological sites in the country, such as the Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania, where artifacts dating back more than 16,000 years have been discovered. He speaks with archaeologists who have spent their careers excavating sites and analyzing the ancient tools and projectile points found there.

The episode also explores some of the challenges and biases archaeologists face when conducting research. Pogue examines how certain discoveries have been suppressed and overlooked because of preconceived notions about the capability of early humans in America.

Viewers of “America's Stone Age Explorers” will gain insight into America's ancient past and the intricacies of archaeological research. The episode challenges the conventional wisdom of the earliest human settlements in America and raises thought-provoking questions about how humans traveled and established populations in a new and foreign land thousands of years ago. Nova season 32 episode 6 will leave viewers awed and educated about the earliest humans who made America their home.