Credit:
Kaifu et al., 2025/CC-By-ND
During a 30-hour experimental voyage, the crew of a dugout canoe was ordered by their captain to rest, allowing the boat to drift freely. This fortunate pause helped position them closer to Yonaguni Island. By the 40-hour mark, the silhouette of the island came into view, and over the next five hours, the crew skillfully navigated the powerful tidal currents along the coast until reaching their designated landing site on Nama Beach. The experiment was deemed a success, bolstered by numerical simulations indicating the feasibility of similar journeys from various points in both contemporary and Late-Pleistocene eras.
While it proved challenging to accurately replicate Paleolithic conditions in today’s ocean environment, the crew first detected the island due to its artificial lighting. At that stage, they had already established a navigational course. Additionally, escort ships were present to ensure the crew’s safety, providing fresh water twice throughout the expedition. However, these vessels did not contribute to navigation or decision-making; their influence is considered to be negligible. The crew’s modern comprehension of local geography afforded them some advantage in planning their navigation—even though they made the trip without relying on compasses, GPS, or watches.
“Scientists attempt to reconstruct the processes of past human migrations, but it is often difficult to assess their real challenges,” stated Kaifu. “A significant takeaway from this project is that our Paleolithic ancestors were formidable adventurers. Much like us today, they faced strategic challenges to progress. For instance, ancient Polynesians navigated nearly the entire Pacific without maps, relying on various signs from the ocean, such as visible landforms, celestial bodies, swells, and wind patterns. Our journey helped us rediscover some of those techniques.”
Reference: “Traversing the Kuroshio: Paleolithic migration across one of the world’s strongest ocean currents,” Science Advances, 2025. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adv5508.
Reference: “Palaeolithic seafaring in East Asia: an experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis,” Science Advances, 2025. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adv5507.
