Technologies

Oldest fossil footprints in North America are teaching us about early humans

The footprints were found in 2009, but a recent analysis of seeds trapped in them reveals their age.

Fossil footprints found in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park in 2009 now prove that humans were walking across North America around 23,000 years ago. A recent analysis of seeds trapped in the fossils helped scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey date the footprints, which may help prove when people first arrived in the Americas. The analysis is explained in a study published this week in the journal Science.

Scientists believe ancient humans came to the Americas via a land bridge, now submerged, that once connected current Siberia to Alaska. But the exact date the earliest humans made it here is still unknown, and scientific estimates vary.

These fossils help narrow it down, indicating that the prints were made sometime between 22,800 and 21,130 years ago. That upends a previous theory that early humans didn’t make it south of Canada until glaciers melted between 16,000 and 13,500 years ago.

Before the seeds helped date these footprints, the oldest print known in the Americas was found in Chile in 2011, and was only (only!) 15,600 years old.

David Bustos, a resource program manager at White Sands National Park, was the first to spot the prints in 2009.

«We knew they were old, but we had no way to date the prints before we discovered some with (tiny seeds from aquatic plants) on top,» he told the Associated Press.

The footprints are so fragile, researchers had to be careful examining them.

«The only way we can save them is to record them — to take a lot of photos and make 3D models,» Bustos said.

The size of the footprints indicates most were probably made by children and teenagers.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 29, #552

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for March 29 No. 552.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

I immediately spotted the yellow group answers, but thought, no, that’s too easy. Spoiler: It was just that easy. If you’re struggling with today’s Connections: Sports Edition, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Hitting.

Green group hint: Texas teams.

Blue group hint: Goal!

Purple group hint: Play ball!

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Parts of a cycle.

Green group: Houston sports team, in singular form.

Blue group: Former U.S. women’s national team soccer players.

Purple group: Ends in an MLB team in singular form.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is parts of a cycle. The four answers are double, home run, single and triple.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Houston sports team, in singular form. The four answers are Astro, Cougar, Rocket and Texan.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is former U.S. women’s national team soccer players. The four answers are Foudy, Hamm, Lilly and Solo.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends in an MLB team in singular form. The four answers are comet (Met), international (National), stranger (Ranger) and stray (Ray).

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, March 29

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 29.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword was a little tricky. The fishing clue, 6-Across, stumped me for a while, but it eventually made sense. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Prepare for a weekend getaway
Answer: PACK

5A clue: So-called «king of summer fabrics»
Answer: LINEN

6A clue: Go fishing
Answer: ANGLE

7A clue: «Cut» command, on a keyboard
Answer: CTRLX

8A clue: ___ Ma, 3-Down player who has performed for nine U.S. presidents
Answer: YOYO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Kind of bean in a burrito
Answer: PINTO

2D clue: More than a little irritated
Answer: ANGRY

3D clue: See 8-Across
Answer: CELLO

4D clue: Building toy brand
Answer: KNEX

5D clue: Like many wedding veils
Answer: LACY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for March 29, #1022

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 1,022 for Sunday, March 29.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a fun one. You might recognize the four green group words right away. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: You might spot these while driving around.

Green group hint: Everyone boogie!

Blue group hint: Certain silent letter.

Purple group hint: Zuckerberg is one.