Dr. David Gwynn

Well, exactly right. These were diverse landscapes. You've got everything from vast grasslands to deep forest and forests that vary tremendously in terms of the nature of the vegetation. You've got boreal forests, you've got deciduous forests, you've got, as you go further south, of course, you're getting into tropical stuff.

And so one of the key things that's really important that we still haven't quite got our finger on is the whole issue of landscape learning. How do you figure out what to do if nobody's been there before, if the landscape is unfamiliar to you? How do you identify resources that will help you, that will cure you, that might hurt you, or that might even try and kill you, right?

And so one of the key things that's really important that we still haven't quite got our finger on is the whole issue of landscape learning. How do you figure out what to do if nobody's been there before, if the landscape is unfamiliar to you? How do you identify resources that will help you, that will cure you, that might hurt you, or that might even try and kill you, right?

And so one of the key things that's really important that we still haven't quite got our finger on is the whole issue of landscape learning. How do you figure out what to do if nobody's been there before, if the landscape is unfamiliar to you? How do you identify resources that will help you, that will cure you, that might hurt you, or that might even try and kill you, right?

You've got to learn about the geography. You've got to do wayfinding. How do you move out across that landscape and make your way back? you've got to figure out the climate and the weather. And there's a distinction between the two, of course, right? Weather is what you see outside. It's what's going to come tomorrow, what may be here next week. Climate are those larger trends.

You've got to learn about the geography. You've got to do wayfinding. How do you move out across that landscape and make your way back? you've got to figure out the climate and the weather. And there's a distinction between the two, of course, right? Weather is what you see outside. It's what's going to come tomorrow, what may be here next week. Climate are those larger trends.

You've got to learn about the geography. You've got to do wayfinding. How do you move out across that landscape and make your way back? you've got to figure out the climate and the weather. And there's a distinction between the two, of course, right? Weather is what you see outside. It's what's going to come tomorrow, what may be here next week. Climate are those larger trends.

And so if you are somewhere in the Northern Plains and it's fall of the year, and you don't know that winters can be pretty darn harsh in that environment, this could not work out well for you, right? So there's going to be a strong incentive to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible, about as large an area as possible as you can.

And so if you are somewhere in the Northern Plains and it's fall of the year, and you don't know that winters can be pretty darn harsh in that environment, this could not work out well for you, right? So there's going to be a strong incentive to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible, about as large an area as possible as you can.

And so if you are somewhere in the Northern Plains and it's fall of the year, and you don't know that winters can be pretty darn harsh in that environment, this could not work out well for you, right? So there's going to be a strong incentive to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible, about as large an area as possible as you can.

On the other hand, there has to be a compromise because if you're just running willy-nilly around this entirely new landscape, you're not going to learn enough about what's going on in places with particular resources, right? You need to figure out, well, how do the animals in this locale, how do the animals on this landscape, in this kind of environmental setting, how do they behave?

On the other hand, there has to be a compromise because if you're just running willy-nilly around this entirely new landscape, you're not going to learn enough about what's going on in places with particular resources, right? You need to figure out, well, how do the animals in this locale, how do the animals on this landscape, in this kind of environmental setting, how do they behave?

On the other hand, there has to be a compromise because if you're just running willy-nilly around this entirely new landscape, you're not going to learn enough about what's going on in places with particular resources, right? You need to figure out, well, how do the animals in this locale, how do the animals on this landscape, in this kind of environmental setting, how do they behave?

How do they behave at different seasons? How do they behave when there's young? How do they behave when there's other predators around? Because you've got to figure out enough to be a successful hunter-gatherer. So there's this sort of tension there.

How do they behave at different seasons? How do they behave when there's young? How do they behave when there's other predators around? Because you've got to figure out enough to be a successful hunter-gatherer. So there's this sort of tension there.

How do they behave at different seasons? How do they behave when there's young? How do they behave when there's other predators around? Because you've got to figure out enough to be a successful hunter-gatherer. So there's this sort of tension there.

between wanting to go as far as you can, as fast as you can, to learn as much as you can, and pulling in the opposite direction, the need to stay and observe, stay and experiment, right? You've got plants in front of you. They have really lovely little red berries. Do you eat them? Well, no, actually you give them to your younger brother and make him eat them.

between wanting to go as far as you can, as fast as you can, to learn as much as you can, and pulling in the opposite direction, the need to stay and observe, stay and experiment, right? You've got plants in front of you. They have really lovely little red berries. Do you eat them? Well, no, actually you give them to your younger brother and make him eat them.

between wanting to go as far as you can, as fast as you can, to learn as much as you can, and pulling in the opposite direction, the need to stay and observe, stay and experiment, right? You've got plants in front of you. They have really lovely little red berries. Do you eat them? Well, no, actually you give them to your younger brother and make him eat them.

And then if he gets violently ill, you know, this is not a good thing. The whole process of adapting to a new landscape Finding your way around, finding your way back, learning about it is really fascinating. And that's one of the really interesting things that has great potential in terms of the DNA.