Paige P., journalist

Imagine embarking on a risky journey, braving the harsh cold of the latest Ice Age on foot, with a toddler in one arm, surrounded by enormous mammoths and giant sloths. This is exactly what scientists think one young woman and a child experienced over 10,000 years ago, in what is now White Sands National Park in New Mexico. After finding this 1.5 kilometer long trail of fossilized human footprints, the longest that has ever been found from the ice age (427 total footprints to be exact,) scientists were able to analyze 90 specifically. Looking for distinct patterns, measurements, and other details, they uncovered the setting and situation that likely took place there during this time. Due to the remarkable length of the tracks, scientists were able to uncover many specific details of the young woman’s journey.