April 2018 PMID 29707640

Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America.

David Bustos, Jackson Jakeway, Tommy M Urban, Vance T Holliday, Brendan Fenerty, David A Raichlen, Marcin Budka, Sally C Reynolds, Bruce D Allen, David W Love, Vincent L Santucci, Daniel Odess, Patrick Willey, H Gregory McDonald, Matthew R Bennett

Mentions

33
Peak: 6 in Apr 2018
across 8 sources since Apr 2018

Extended reach

225,313
potential audience

Total likes

4,549

Video views

133,983

Mentions per month

Apr 2018 – Dec 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter14 posts
  • News8 articles
  • Blogs3 articles
  • Bluesky2 posts
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Facebook2 posts
  • LinkedIn1 posts
  • Reddit1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Participants express strong support and curiosity about how these footprints reveal evidence of human-hunting behaviors, highlighting the discovery's importance with phrases like 'rare find' and referencing specific studies. The tone reflects both fascination and appreciation for the significance of this behavioral insight, contributing to a sense of advancing knowledge on human interactions during the Pleistocene.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the significance of the research, referencing prior findings and emphasizing the importance of the discovery.

InterestHigh interest

Participants demonstrate high interest, frequently mentioning the evolutionary and archaeological implications, and using enthusiastic language.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts often include detailed references to the original research and related studies, showing thoughtful analysis and active participation.

ImpactModerate impact

The discussions suggest the findings could alter understanding of human-prehistoric interactions, indicating moderate to high impact in the field.

Abstract in brief

  • The study presents rare footprint evidence from White Sands, New Mexico, showing interactions between humans and giant ground sloths during the late Pleistocene, with both species' tracks being made at the same time.
  • The sloth footprints indicate defensive behaviors, such as evasion, suggesting an active encounter with humans, who likely engaged in stalking or hunting the sloths.
  • These findings provide behavioral insights into predator-prey dynamics, implying that humans may have been harassing or hunting these now-extinct sloths during that period.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Sturgeon's Law
@Sturgeons_Law · X

There was also this paper a few years ago that claimed to find evidence of humans hunting giant sloths in New Mexico. https://t.co/YNSUEIfgbS

Jul 13, 2023 · 45 likes · 2 shares · 39,714 followers View post →
MU-Peter Shimon
@mu-peter.bsky.social · Bluesky

Ancient human playground found inside sloth footprints? Fossilized tracks of a giant ground sloth are stamped with tiny human feet Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America

Oct 21, 2025 · 13 likes · 5 shares View post →
Dr Sally C. Reynolds #FossilStoriesWhiteSandsNP
@SallyR_ISLHE · X

The original paper showcasing co-association of sloth and humans here: https://t.co/wp4CZaOiqI Bustos, D., et al 2018. Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America. Science advances, 4(4), p.eaar7621.

Apr 25, 2020 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 10,767 followers View post →
Mokurai
@mokurai.bsky.social · Bluesky

‪MU-Peter Shimon

Oct 21, 2025 · 3 likes View post →
Dinosaur Journey
@DinosaurJourney · X

Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America https://t.co/xZdpGT46EQ

Oct 16, 2020 · 2 likes · 798 followers View post →
Fumoto Iwao
@ifumoto · X

@DrKanakoT @Rsider https://t.co/8no0f7PeJX

May 7, 2022 · 2 likes · 75 followers View post →

All mentions

Mokurai
@mokurai.bsky.social · Bluesky

‪MU-Peter Shimon

Oct 21, 2025 · 3 likes View post →
MU-Peter Shimon
@mu-peter.bsky.social · Bluesky

Ancient human playground found inside sloth footprints? Fossilized tracks of a giant ground sloth are stamped with tiny human feet Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America

Oct 21, 2025 · 13 likes · 5 shares View post →
Fritz Lansinger
@lansinger80485 · X

https://t.co/sv5OBuGQw2

Aug 24, 2025 · 177 followers View post →
JACKR0UGE
@JACKR0UGE · X

RT @Sturgeons_Law: There was also this paper a few years ago that claimed to find evidence of humans hunting giant sloths in New Mexico. h…

Jul 14, 2023 · 2 shares · 606 followers View post →
clarkjosephf.bsky.social
@clarkjosephf · X

RT @Sturgeons_Law: There was also this paper a few years ago that claimed to find evidence of humans hunting giant sloths in New Mexico. h…

Jul 13, 2023 · 2 shares · 2,104 followers View post →
Sturgeon's Law
@Sturgeons_Law · X

There was also this paper a few years ago that claimed to find evidence of humans hunting giant sloths in New Mexico. https://t.co/YNSUEIfgbS

Jul 13, 2023 · 45 likes · 2 shares · 39,714 followers View post →
Tucker Goodrich
@TuckerGoodrich · X

@PeterFaberSP @jerryteixeira @Alan_Couzens @doctorinigo @EndurancePlanet Some are certainly easier than others! https://t.co/nihqyji1Xr

Jan 19, 2023 · 28,306 followers View post →
Fumoto Iwao
@ifumoto · X

@DrKanakoT @Rsider https://t.co/8no0f7PeJX

May 7, 2022 · 2 likes · 75 followers View post →
hewiak, from Mastodon
@hewiak · X

https://t.co/yKVVJ9BgG1 "We have evidence for: (i) sloth and human tracks in close spatial association, (ii) superimposed human and sloth tracks with geological evidence that suggests temporal association,"

Sep 30, 2021 · 1 like · 262 followers View post →
Himanshu Bhagat
@PhD_Isotopes · X

Kudos to David Bustos for this rare find in 2009, and for showing perseverance to see this through. https://t.co/c9iflLUPXF

Sep 25, 2021 · 147 followers View post →
( ( ( ( ( ( S h i p ☸️ w r i g h t ) ) ) ) ) )
@ForAllTheMarblz · X

@FeathCyndi @LakotaMan1 https://t.co/eUviHXwU1G

Sep 24, 2021 · 305 followers View post →
( ( ( ( ( ( S h i p ☸️ w r i g h t ) ) ) ) ) )
@ForAllTheMarblz · X

@jplieurance @LakotaMan1 And here's the source material cited in the above article: https://t.co/eUviHXwU1G 2/2

Sep 24, 2021 · 305 followers View post →
FrecklesXX20
@FrecklesXX20 · X

RT @DinosaurJourney: Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America https://t.co/xZdpGT46EQ

Oct 16, 2020 · 6,478 followers View post →
Dinosaur Journey
@DinosaurJourney · X

Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America https://t.co/xZdpGT46EQ

Oct 16, 2020 · 2 likes · 798 followers View post →
Dr. Alton Dooley
@AltonDooley · X

RT @SallyR_ISLHE: The original paper showcasing co-association of sloth and humans here: https://t.co/wp4CZaOiqI Bustos, D., et al 2018. Fo…

Apr 25, 2020 · 2 shares · 1,107 followers View post →
Dr Sally C. Reynolds #FossilStoriesWhiteSandsNP
@SallyR_ISLHE · X

The original paper showcasing co-association of sloth and humans here: https://t.co/wp4CZaOiqI Bustos, D., et al 2018. Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America. Science advances, 4(4), p.eaar7621.

Apr 25, 2020 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 10,767 followers View post →
The Carson-City Ichnolites | Science
News

/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 · Abstract. Silvia A. Aramayo,; Teresa Manera de Bianco,; Nerea V. Bastianelli,; Ricardo N. Melchor,. Pehuen Co: Updated taxonomic ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
Bennett Et Al. 2021 Scie SM | PDF | Radiocarbon Dating
News

Sci. Adv. 4, eaar7621 (2018). doi:10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Medline 17. T. M. Urban, M. R. Bennett, D. Bustos, S. W. Manning, S. C. Reynolds, M. Belvedere, D ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
Unresolved: Persistent Problems With The White Sands Locality 2 ...
News

“Evidence for doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Late Pleistocene Hydrologic and Climatic Change from Buylaert, J.-P., A. S. Murray, A. C. Gebhardt, R. Sohbati ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
geomatics-05-00067 | PDF | Length
News

Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America. Sci. Adv. 2018, 4, eaar7621. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
это интересно: Ученые обнаружили огромные тоннели, которые ...
Facebook

... 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621). Тоннели не проходят вдоль русел рек, не имеют признаков добычи полезных ископаемых и не похожи на обычные пещеры ...

Dec 14, 2025 View →
The Anthropocene Came Early for Megatherium, the Giant Ground ...
LinkedIn

... 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 [2] Gustavo G Politis, Et.al (March 6, 2019). Campo Laborde: A Late Pleistocene giant ground sloth kill and ...

Jan 7, 2025 View →
What behaviors/interactions of Pleistocene animals do you think are ...
Reddit

There is some evidence for Ground Sloths doing the "T-pose of death" as you call it. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar7621.

Aug 17, 2022 View →
Palaeos - #Paleonoticias Descubren un conjunto de huellas que ...
Facebook

... 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/4/eaar7621 Ilustración de Alex McClelland. - Roberto. | Facebook. Log in ...

May 9, 2018 View →
Fossil footprints show humans stalked giant ground sloth - Futurity
Blogs

The findings appear in Science Advances. Source: University of Arizona · Original Study DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Related. 'Dueling dinosaurs ...

May 3, 2018 View →
Люди охотились на гигантских ленивцев во время Ледникового ...
Blogs

doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Подпишитесь на наш канал в Telegram. ❤️ ⋯. Метки. Homo Sapiens Ископаемые. Арсений ...

Apr 27, 2018 View →
Faultierjagd am Ende der Eiszeit? - Fossile Fußabdrücke ...
News

(Science Advances, 2018; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621). (Science Advances, 27.04.2018 – NPO). 27. April 2018. Keine Meldungen mehr verpassen ...

Apr 27, 2018 View →
Over 10,000 years ago, weapons at White Sands were aimed at ...
Blogs

Science Advances, 2018. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 (About DOIs).

Apr 26, 2018 View →
How to hunt a giant sloth—according to ancient human footprints
News

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Journal information: Science Advances. Provided by The Conversation. + Explore further. Researcher IDs Ice Age ...

Apr 26, 2018 View →
Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth ...
News

Sci. Adv.4,eaar7621(2018).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. Export citation. Select the format you want to export the citation of this publication ...

Apr 25, 2018 View →
Footprints prove humans hunted giant sloths during the Ice Age
News

doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621. We are at a critical time and supporting climate journalism is more important than ever. Science News and our ...

Apr 25, 2018 View →