Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How—and when—did people first come to the American continents? As researchers have worked to construct and test new models for the initial peopling of the Americas, they have increasingly incorporated ancient DNA evidence, which reveals a complex story of migrations, isolation, and adaptation.
In this talk, geneticist and bestselling author Jennifer Raff examines the strengths and weaknesses of these different models, paying special attention to findings that have emerged within the last two years. We will root our discussion in the context of the history of the discipline of anthropology: its colonial origins, and current challenges, and discuss ways to confront the legacy of harm it has caused Indigenous peoples.
This lecture was presented in partnership by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Leakey Foundation on October 21, 2024.
Sponsored by:
The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Camilla and George Smith
The Joan and Arnold Travis Education Fund
How—and when—did people first come to the American continents? As researchers have worked to construct and test new models for the initial peopling of the Americas, they have increasingly incorporated ancient DNA evidence, which reveals a complex story of migrations, isolation, and adaptation.
In this talk, geneticist and bestselling author Jennifer Raff examines the strengths and weaknesses of these different models, paying special attention to findings that have emerged within the last two years. We will root our discussion in the context of the history of the discipline of anthropology: its colonial origins, and current challenges, and discuss ways to confront the legacy of harm it has caused Indigenous peoples.
This lecture was presented in partnership by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Leakey Foundation on October 21, 2024.
Sponsored by:
The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Camilla and George Smith
The Joan and Arnold Travis Education Fund
