0:09
as the Ice Age Drew to a close the world
0:12
was on the cusp of dramatic
0:14
transformation and so too were the
0:16
humans who had roamed it for
0:18
Millennia by the time of the younger
0:20
dasas humans had spread far and wide
0:24
from the icy Tundras of the Americas to
0:26
The sunbaked Plains of Australia carving
0:29
out live across every corner of the
0:34
Earth this sudden harsh cold snap posed
0:38
a new set of challenges for these
0:39
resilient hunter gatherers far from
0:42
stalling human progress the younger dras
0:45
ignited new strategies forcing early
0:48
societies to innovate and adapt as the
0:50
world's Landscapes shifted so too did
0:53
the Dynamics of human
0:57
survival from the icy reindeer hunts of
0:59
Northern Europe to the Strategic fishing
1:02
in the southern regions the end of the
1:04
Ice Age tested human Ingenuity like
1:06
never before this critical period not
1:09
only shaped the way humans interacted
1:11
with their environments but also paved
1:13
the way for the rise of Agriculture and
1:15
complex societies that would define the
1:26
scene the last glacial period also
1:29
called The White celion in Northwest
1:31
Europe occurred between
1:34
115,000 and 11,700 years ago it was
1:38
marked by significant climate changes
1:41
with temperatures swinging between cold
1:43
stadial and warmer interstadial periods
1:47
these fluctuations were recorded in ice
1:49
cores from Greenland and sediments from
1:52
the North Atlantic Ocean there were also
1:55
abrupt intense cold events known as
1:58
Hinrich events during this time these
2:00
shifts in climate impacted animal
2:02
populations and humans altering
2:05
migration routs causing some species to
2:08
evolve in isolation and leading to
2:10
higher Extinction rates during the
2:18
RI the coldest phase of this period
2:21
called the last glacial maximum happened
2:24
between 26 and 19,000 years ago during
2:28
this time the Earth's ice sheets were at
2:30
their largest sea levels were about 120
2:33
M lower than today and the global
2:36
climate was generally colder and drier
2:39
greenhouse gas levels especially carbon
2:41
dioxide and methane were much lower
2:44
contributing to the cooling the drop in
2:46
temperatures ranging from 4 to 10° lower
2:48
than pre-industrial levels was mainly
2:50
due to the reduced carbon dioxide and
2:52
the massive ice sheets other factors
2:55
like dust and vegetation changes also
2:57
played a role in this cooling after the
2:59
the end of the last glacial maximum
3:02
Humanity had successfully colonized most
3:04
of the Earth's habitable regions
3:06
showcasing remarkable adaptability and
3:11
Ingenuity in Eurasia dense populations
3:14
thrived in Europe Asia and the Middle
3:16
East the Fertile Crescent was on the
3:19
verge of transformative agricultural
3:21
developments with evidence of early
3:23
plant cultivation and animal
3:25
domestication technological and cultural
3:27
Innovations spread widely fa facilitated
3:31
interaction in Europe the landscape
3:34
during the last glacial maximum was
3:36
dominated by Tundra and step cold
3:38
environments where animals like horses
3:41
reindeer and mammoths thrived human
3:44
populations who had arrived in Europe
3:46
around 45,000 years ago were
3:48
concentrated in areas with more
3:50
favorable climates like Southwest France
3:53
and the Iberian Peninsula where they
3:56
survived the last glacial maximum in
3:58
refuges after the ice began to retreat
4:00
around 19,000 years ago humans expanded
4:04
and gave rise to cultures like the
4:09
magdalenian in South Asia communities
4:11
along river systems like the indis and
4:14
Ganges thrived utilizing abundant
4:16
resources and engaging in early forms of
4:19
plant and animal management East Asia
4:22
saw the development of increasingly
4:24
complex societies particularly in
4:27
regions like the yellow and yangi River
4:30
which would later become centers of
4:34
innovation in Southeast Asia humans
4:36
adapted to dense forests and Coastal
4:38
environments relying on fishing hunting
4:42
and foraging Island populations such as
4:45
those in what is now Indonesia and the
4:47
Philippines demonstrated early Maritime
4:50
skills facilitating trade and cultural
4:55
region in Australia and Oceana humans
4:58
had established themselves tens of
5:00
thousands of years earlier adapting to
5:02
Unique challenges in Aid deserts and
5:06
ecosystems in the Americas humans had
5:09
spread widely across North and South
5:11
America navigating diverse environments
5:14
from Icy Tundras to Tropical
5:16
forests distinct cultures emerged such
5:19
as the Clovis in North America and those
5:22
associated with fishtail points in South
5:24
America reflecting Advanced tool making
5:26
and survival strategies these early
5:29
popul utilized both megap and smaller
5:32
game while adapting to changing
5:36
climates globally migration patterns
5:38
during this period were shaped by
5:40
Coastal routes river valleys and land
5:43
bridges like beringia which connected
5:45
Siberia to Alaska as the Ice Age ended
5:48
melting glaciers raised sea levels
5:51
altering Landscapes and creating new
5:53
barriers this period marked the dawn of
5:55
the holos scene and set the stage for
5:57
the Neolithic Revolution Usher ing in
6:00
agriculture permanent settlements and
6:06
societies the younger dras was a sudden
6:08
cold period that lasted about 12,900 to
6:12
11,700 years ago it interrupted the
6:16
warming Trend at the end of the last ice
6:18
age and has been studied more than any
6:20
other climate event in history while
6:22
many theories focus on a dramatic event
6:25
like a massive flood to explain its
6:27
origin some scientists are AR that the
6:30
younger dras was just a natural part of
6:32
the sequence of events during the
6:34
transition from glacial to warmer
6:37
periods one key feature of the younger
6:40
dras is that it resembles other cold
6:42
spells in Earth's history called donard
6:45
esar events these events happened during
6:48
ice ages and were caused by disruptions
6:51
in the Atlantic Ocean circulation during
6:53
the younger Dyas fresh water may have
6:56
pulled on the ocean's surface leading to
6:58
the formation of thick sea ice but
7:01
vaster changes in climate meant that
7:03
fresh water May no longer be obtainable
7:05
most water resources on the planet have
7:11
out this sea ice blocked heat from
7:14
escaping the ocean shifted wind patterns
7:17
and reflected sunlight away thereby
7:19
creating freezing and Siberian likee
7:21
Winters in the North Atlantic region
7:24
this cooling affected weather patterns
7:26
far away weakening the Asian Monsoon and
7:29
shifting tropical rain belts
7:35
Southward a popular Theory suggests that
7:38
the younger dras was triggered by a
7:40
massive release of fresh water from Lake
7:42
agasse a large glacial lake in North
7:45
America this fresh water could have
7:47
slowed or stopped the ocean currents
7:50
that normally move warm water North
7:52
leading to rapid cooling evidence
7:55
supporting this idea includes a
7:57
significant drop in the lak's water
7:58
level and changes in Ocean chemistry
8:01
around the time the younger dras
8:06
began however this theory has faced
8:08
challenges scientists haven't found
8:11
clear physical evidence of flood waters
8:13
flowing from the lake and the timing of
8:15
the Lakes drainage is uncertain some
8:17
researchers think the cooling might have
8:19
been caused by a Slowdown in ice melting
8:21
rather than a massive flood additionally
8:24
ice core records from Greenland show
8:26
that the start of the younger dras was
8:28
not as abrupt as other climate shifts
8:31
suggesting it might not have been caused
8:37
catastrophe interestingly while the
8:39
younger dras began with a gradual
8:41
cooling its end was extremely fast
8:45
temperatures jumped back to warmer
8:47
conditions in just 1 to 3
8:49
years this sudden end remains a mystery
8:53
and highlights how complex and dynamic
8:55
earth's climate can be
9:02
the younger dras was not an isolated or
9:04
unusual event but rather a critical part
9:07
of the natural sequence that ended the
9:09
last ice age Antarctic Ice cores reveal
9:12
that during the deglaciation warming and
9:15
Rising carbon dioxide levels stalled
9:18
during a period called the Antarctic
9:20
cold reversal which lasted from
9:23
14,500 to 12,900 years
9:27
ago this stalled state needed a major
9:30
event to restart the climate transition
9:32
and the younger dry as fulfilled that
9:38
role the younger dras shared many
9:40
similarities with an earlier cold phase
9:42
known as the mystery interval between
9:45
17,500 and 14,500 years ago both periods
9:50
coincided with warming and carbon
9:52
dioxide releases in Antarctica caused by
9:54
upwelling in the Southern Ocean this
9:56
process brought nutrient-rich deep sea
9:59
water to the surface releasing carbon
10:01
dioxide into the atmosphere and altering
10:04
ocean Chemistry by mixing older carbon
10:06
depleted water with surface
10:11
waters evidence from Marine records
10:13
supports this connection sediments show
10:16
disruptions in Ocean circulation with
10:18
unusual chemical ratios in the North
10:20
Atlantic and Central American Waters
10:22
during both the younger dras and the
10:24
Mystery interval these disruptions
10:26
likely contributed to Cooling in the
10:28
northern hemisphere affecting Global
10:30
Climate patterns and slowing the overall
10:36
trend on land further Evidence links
10:38
these two events cave records in China
10:41
show weaker Monsoon rains during both
10:43
periods while normally dry caves in
10:45
Brazil grew stalagmites reflecting
10:47
changes in rainfall Coastal sediments
10:49
off Brazil show spikes in River debris
10:52
and pollen records in Florida reveal
10:54
shifts to cooler drier conditions with
10:56
more pine trees these Regional clim CL
10:59
changes highlight the global impact of
11:01
both the younger dras and the Mystery
11:05
interval unlike smaller shorter climate
11:08
shifts like danard urker events the
11:10
younger dras and the Mystery interval
11:12
were part of larger scale disruptions
11:15
linked to the end of the Ice Age this
11:17
suggests the younger dasas was not a
11:19
random anomaly but an essential part of
11:22
the Earth's transition out of glacial
11:25
conditions the climate patterns observed
11:27
during the younger dry ass are not
11:29
unique to the last glacial termination
11:32
similar sequences have occurred in
11:34
previous transitions from glacial to
11:37
periods for example around
11:41
129,000 to 120,000 years ago during the
11:44
transition to the Eman interglacial
11:47
there was a brief warming event similar
11:49
to the bowling allerod phase the
11:52
transition that occurred approximately
11:54
243,000 to 230,000 years ago leading to
11:58
a warmer inter aial period provides an
12:00
even clearer example with equivalence to
12:03
the mystery interval the bowling allerod
12:05
warming phase and the younger dest cold
12:08
phase these intervals spanning several
12:11
thousand years illustrate that such cold
12:13
reversals are recurring features in the
12:18
process evidence from Chinese
12:20
stalagmites and Antarctic Ice cores
12:23
supports this conclusion weak Asian
12:25
Monsoon periods during terminations were
12:28
tied to old conditions in the North
12:30
Atlantic which influenced Southern Ocean
12:32
warming and carbon dioxide release these
12:35
processes contributed significantly to
12:37
The Climate transitions in southern
12:39
latitudes and the melting of ice sheets
12:41
in the northern hemisphere reinforcing
12:44
that such patterns are a natural part of
12:46
glacial terminations the data show that
12:48
weak monsoons and Associated cold
12:50
periods were either prolonged during
12:52
slow deglaciations or shorter during
12:55
rapid transitions these intervals seem
12:57
to be driven by changes in Northern
12:59
solar insulation and interconnected
13:02
climatic systems rather than isolated
13:04
catastrophic events for instance
13:07
Heinrich events involving massive
13:09
discharges of icebergs acted as periodic
13:12
drivers for these transitions but were
13:14
not sole determinant of the younger dras
13:17
while some argue that a one-time
13:19
catastrophic event such as a flood or
13:21
extraterrestrial impact might have
13:24
triggered the younger dras this view is
13:26
unnecessary when considering the broader
13:28
cont text of the last four
13:30
terminations the younger dras caused
13:33
significant changes in plants and
13:34
animals especially in the northern
13:36
hemisphere this has led researchers to
13:38
question whether human populations also
13:41
declined or reorganized during this time
13:43
some studies suggest that the younger
13:45
dras may have led to changes in
13:47
population size how humans used
13:49
resources like stone for tools and
13:52
patterns of human activity climate
13:54
shifts like the younger dras can greatly
13:57
impact ecosystems and human societies
14:00
for early humans these changes could
14:02
have affected food availability possibly
14:05
leading to population bottlenecks
14:07
conflicts or even disease outbreaks an
14:10
example of a similar but smaller scale
14:12
event is the little Ice Age 1300 to 1800
14:16
which caused crop failures and social
14:18
unrest in some areas however during the
14:20
younger dasas humans were still hunter
14:22
gatherers and not yet farming or living
14:24
in complex societies making their
14:26
responses to climate changes different
14:29
studying the younger dasas helps us
14:31
understand how early humans adapted to
14:33
major climate changes which is essential
14:35
for understanding human history and the
14:37
impact of future climate changes the
14:40
younger dras played a pivotal role in
14:42
the development of agriculture in
14:43
Southwest Asia particularly in the
14:45
Levant during this time the environment
14:47
became harsher disrupting the
14:49
established patterns of life for human
14:51
groups who had previously thrived during
14:53
the warmer and wetter late glacial
14:55
period this environmental stress acted
14:58
as a significant Catalyst for the
15:00
transition from a hunter gatherer
15:01
lifestyle to an agricultural one as the
15:05
climate turned drier the vast forests
15:07
and open Forest step zones that hunter
15:09
gatherers relied on shrank reducing
15:12
access to the Abundant plant and animal
15:15
resources in places like Abu hrera there
15:18
is evidence that people adapted by
15:20
modifying their plant Gathering
15:21
techniques in response to these changes
15:24
while hunting especially of species like
15:27
the Persian gazelle remained relative ly
15:29
stable the availability of wild plants
15:31
began to dwindle which put pressure on
15:33
people to find new sources of food this
15:36
stress likely prompted the
15:38
experimentation with domesticating
15:40
plants and animals setting the stage for
15:43
agriculture furthermore the cultural
15:45
impact of the younger dras cannot be
15:47
overstated in areas like the nofian
15:49
Heartland larger more sedentary
15:52
settlements with Advanced tools were
15:54
abandoned as environmental conditions
15:56
worsened as food became scarcer and more
15:59
difficult to obtain in the traditional
16:01
ways people had to adapt by becoming
16:03
more mobile resembling Lifestyles from
16:05
earlier harsher periods this Mobility
16:08
was likely a response to the diminishing
16:10
wild resources driving the need to
16:12
explore and experiment with new forms of
16:17
cultivation while the younger dras
16:19
itself may not have been the sole cause
16:21
of the shift to agriculture it certainly
16:23
acted as a powerful trigger the climatic
16:26
deterioration forced groups to re think
16:29
their subsistent strategies particularly
16:32
in the face of shrinking wild resources
16:34
in combination with other factors such
16:36
as population growth and the increasing
16:38
Trend toward sedentary life the
16:40
challenges posed by the younger dras
16:43
push societies toward farming as a more
16:45
reliable and sustainable way to meet
16:47
their food needs now thus the younger
16:50
dras played a crucial role in promoting
16:53
the development of Agriculture the
16:55
environmental stress it caused
16:57
particularly the scarcity of wild plant
16:59
and animal resources acted as a catalyst
17:02
that led human groups in the Levant to
17:04
seek out new innovative solutions to
17:08
populations this transition to farming
17:10
marked a key moment in human history
17:13
setting the foundation for the
17:14
agricultural societies that would shape
17:16
the future of the region during the
17:19
younger dasas human populations across
17:21
North America experienced a significant
17:24
drop or major changes in how and where
17:27
they lived this Cooling period disrupted
17:30
earlier warming Trends leading to
17:32
challenges for the people living during
17:34
that time evidence suggests that many
17:36
communities shrank in size moved to
17:39
different areas or adopted new ways of
17:42
surviving in response to the colder
17:44
climate in North America spear points
17:46
used for hunting reveal how people
17:48
adapted during this period before the
17:51
younger dras people used a tool type
17:53
known as Clovis points as the climate
17:56
cooled these tools were replaced by more
17:58
more advanced designs like fome and
18:01
Redstone points over time simpler tools
18:05
replace these reflecting how people
18:07
adapted to changing conditions however
18:09
the number of tools and evidence of
18:11
human activity during this time dropped
18:13
sharply suggesting fewer people or
18:16
significant changes in their way of life
18:19
in some regions like the southeastern
18:21
United States the decline in population
18:23
or activity was particularly steep with
18:26
fewer tools found at important Stone
18:29
that had been heavily used before this
18:32
suggests that either fewer people lived
18:34
in these areas or they relied Less on
18:36
these sites during the younger dasas in
18:39
Alaska there was an even more dramatic
18:41
shift evidence of human activity
18:44
completely vanished for about 200 years
18:47
at the start of this period
18:49
interestingly after several hundred
18:50
years populations began to recover even
18:53
though the climate remained cold this
18:56
shows that people found new ways to
18:58
adapt such as moving to more favorable
19:00
areas changing their survival strategies
19:03
or forming new communities in other
19:05
parts of the world similar patterns were
19:07
observed but not everywhere was affected
19:10
the same way for example the Middle East
19:12
Saw its population grow during this time
19:14
possibly serving as a refuge for people
19:16
fleeing harsher climates later around
19:19
9,000 years ago during another period of
19:22
climate change called the almal
19:25
populations declined again but the
19:26
reasons for this drop are less clear
19:29
despite these challenges human
19:31
populations eventually recovered showing
19:34
their ability to adapt to changing
19:35
climates and environments during the
19:38
late glacial warming humans began
19:40
returning to Northern Central and
19:41
Northern Europe regions that had been
19:43
abandoned during the Ice Age radiocarbon
19:46
dating shows that resettlement started
19:48
early in this warming period and people
19:50
lived in or returned to these areas
19:52
repeatedly as the climate warmed forests
19:54
grew in northern Europe allowing hunter
19:56
gatherers to spread into areas like
19:58
Southern Scandinavia where they adapted
20:00
to forested environments these early
20:03
humans used small portable shelters and
20:06
stone tools such as arrowheads and
20:08
scrapers they hunted various animals
20:10
including red deer in the South and
20:12
moose in the north unlike earlier
20:14
cultures they produced fewer bone tools
20:16
and artwork their ability to adapt to
20:19
changing environments with new tools and
20:21
strategies help them survive in
20:23
different Landscapes around 11,000 Years
20:26
BC the eruption of the lot SE volcano in
20:30
central Germany spread volcanic ash
20:32
across Central Europe the eruption had
20:35
little long-term impact and hunter
20:37
gatherers quickly returned to the region
20:39
continuing their way of life
20:41
archaeological evidence from these sites
20:43
shows that their tools and hunting
20:45
methods remain the same during the late
20:47
glacial warming two groups of hunter
20:50
gatherers emerged one in the South using
20:52
smaller tools and another in the north
20:55
using larger specialized tools suited
20:59
Landscapes this distinction highlights
21:02
how people adapted differently to
21:04
changing climates the younger dryas
21:06
which followed the warming period caused
21:09
dramatic climate shifts some areas
21:11
became colder again with permafrost
21:14
conditions reappearing in the north
21:16
while Southern areas stayed milder the
21:18
eruption of the katla volcano in Iceland
21:21
added to the environmental changes
21:23
causing erosion in some areas these
21:26
climatic shifts affected both wildlife
21:28
and human activity in the north reindeer
21:31
were hunted with specialized tools while
21:33
in the South Red Deer were still the
21:35
main food source people continued to
21:37
adapt by developing new tools such as
21:40
fishing hooks and early bows and arrows
21:42
to cope with the changing environment
21:44
during the younger dras humans across
21:46
Europe displayed remarkable resilience
21:48
and adaptability to harsh climatic
21:51
conditions they developed specialized
21:53
tools such as Stone points scrapers
21:55
fishing hooks and even boats to exploit
21:59
effectively in Europe the arens bergian
22:02
culture a prehistoric group lived during
22:04
the younger dras around 12,000 to 10,000
22:07
years ago this culture is known for its
22:10
distinctive tools such as tonged points
22:12
and its Reliance on Hunting large
22:14
mammals like Reindeer the arens bergian
22:16
groups are believed to have been highly
22:18
skilled in seasonal hunting relying on
22:21
migratory herds of reindeer that
22:22
traveled between winter and summer
22:24
grounds these groups likely used tools
22:26
made from reindeer antlers such as axes
22:29
and may have hunted in collaboration
22:31
with dogs which helped with hunting and
22:34
transportation the arensburg and
22:36
people's mobility and resourcefulness
22:38
allowed them to adapt to the harsh
22:40
climate of the younger dras strategic
22:43
hunting practices like reindeer drives
22:45
at store and sches Holstein and the use
22:48
of aquatic resources evidenced by
22:50
reindeer antler boat fragments highlight
22:53
their Ingenuity communities maximize
22:56
natural materials creating tools jewelry
22:59
and symbolic artifacts like the drilled
23:01
Muller necklace from remu shamps in
23:03
Belgium archaeological evidence such as
23:06
the systematic processing of reindeer
23:08
carcasses and diverse tool assemblages
23:10
from sites like carstein stelmor and ALT
23:13
doad underscores their resourcefulness
23:16
in enduring long Winters and adapting to
23:19
varied Landscapes these Innovations not
23:21
only ensured survival but also laid the
23:24
foundation for future cultural and
23:26
technological advancements its
23:36
challenges during the younger Drass
23:38
there was a possible population decline
23:40
in Japan however Pottery use which began
23:43
earlier persisted and resurged in the
23:46
holos scene reflecting continuity in
23:49
social networks and resource use hunter
23:51
gatherers adapted to environmental
23:53
changes by shifting to more specialized
23:55
foraging exploiting Aquatic Life and
23:57
plants and gradually moving toward
24:00
sedentary Lifestyles as evidenced by the
24:02
emergence of shell mittens and increased
24:04
Pottery Reliance younger dras was a
24:07
pivotal period marked by significant
24:09
climate disruptions that shaped both
24:11
natural ecosystems and human societies
24:15
as one of the most studied climate
24:16
events it exemplifies Earth's Dynamic
24:19
climate transitions during glacial
24:22
terminations its Global impacts such as
24:25
altered ocean circulation weakened Mons
24:29
and shifts in vegetation triggered
24:31
profound adaptations in human behavior
24:34
early hunter gatherers displayed
24:36
remarkable resilience developing new
24:38
tools strategies and social structures
24:40
to cope with harsh conditions this
24:42
period also acted as a catalyst for
24:45
transformative changes including the
24:47
Advent of agriculture in the Levant and
24:49
increased cultural Exchange in Europe
24:51
the younger dry ass underscores the
24:53
interplay between climatic shifts and
24:55
human Ingenuity offering critical
24:58
insights into how early societies
25:00
navigated environmental challenges