For 50 years our picture of prehistoric America has rested on the premise that the earliest inhabitants of the Americas were east Asians of mongoloid stock, the ancestors of today's Native Americans. But the discovery of the Kennewick Man, along with several other startling finds in recent years, has thrown that once widely accepted idea into question and revolutionized the science of paleo-anthropology. It has also embroiled scientists in a bitter conflict with Native American groups who want the scientific study of early Americans halted. NOVA is following the efforts of paleo- anthropologists working to decode the story in the bones of people who died 10,000 years ago. Viewers dine at some of New York's finest restaurants, sample typical New York fare like pizza and bagels, and explore everything from Ellis Island to Coney Island to the island of Manhattan.
Viewers visit trendy shops and cutting-edge art galleries in SoHo.
And in Central Park, they enjoy a respite from the frantic but enthusiastic beat of the city that never sleeps. Friday January 26 2001. All Rights Reserved. A Service of Brigham Young University.