Response to Comment on Evidence of humans in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum

Madsen et al. question the reliability of calibrated radiocarbon ages associated with human footprints discovered recently in White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA. On the basis of the geologic, hydrologic, stratigraphic, and chronologic evidence, we maintain that the ages are robust and conclude that the footprints date to between similar to 23,000 and 21,000 years ago.

Automated summary

In this study, Madsen et al. raise concerns about the reliability of radiocarbon dating associated with human footprints discovered in White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA. However, based on geological, hydrological, stratigraphic, and chronologic evidence, the authors argue that the calibrated ages are robust and suggest that the footprints date back to approximately 23,000 to 21,000 years ago.