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Researchers successfully replicated a Paleolithic voyage across the Kuroshio Current from Taiwan to Yonaguni Island using a dugout canoe. The 45-hour journey, detailed in Science Advances, supports the theory that early humans reached the Ryukyu Islands thousands of years ago using similar technology. Previous attempts using rafts failed. The successful voyage demonstrates the advanced navigational skills and boat-building capabilities of Paleolithic peoples, challenging perceptions of their technological limitations.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.