Archaic Hominins Were Seafarers

Evidence from Flores (≥800,000 years ago) and Mediterranean islands like Crete and the Cyclades shows archaic hominins reached landmasses that always required open‑ocean crossings of 15–19 km, often against strong currents. This contradicts the 'reluctant seafarers' or castaway-only view and implies intentional watercraft and planning long before Homo sapiens. — It shifts technological and cognitive timelines for our lineage, reshaping how the public and scholars think about migration, innovation, and the origins of complex behavior.