In a remarkable archaeological discovery, scientists have recently uncovered the remnants of a massive forgotten colony off the coast of Australia, shedding light on a once-thriving civilization that may have housed hundreds of thousands of people.
The discovery, made on the northwest shelf of Sahul, near the northern region of Kimberley, is poised to rewrite the history of human settlement in the region.
Researchers, detailed in a study published in Quaternary Science Reviews, stumbled upon this submerged treasure trove that connects to New Guinea.
The drowned landmass, dating back to the Late Pleistocene period, holds the key to understanding a chapter in human history that spans an astonishing 2.5 million years.
The landmass, now submerged, encompassed an area of almost 647,000 square kilometres—surpassing the size of the United Kingdom by more than 1.6 times.
Previously believed to be a desolate expanse, the shelf revealed itself to be teeming with viable fresh and saltwater lakes, rivers, and streams, along with a substantial inland sea. This diverse aquatic ecosystem could have sustained a population ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 individuals.
Additionally, there is speculation that the shelf might have functioned as a connecting land bridge, allowing people to traverse onto Australia before it assumed its present status as a vast island.
