A journalist retraces humanity’s journey out of Africa—on foot
The Economist tries “slow journalism” with Paul Salopek
In 2013 Paul Salopek, an American journalist, began a trek around the planet. His aim was to follow Homo sapiens’ first migration, out of Africa, across the Middle East and Asia, by boat to Alaska, then down to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of the Americas, the place humans arrived last, around 8000BC. He called it the “Out of Eden” walk. He guessed it would take seven years. Eleven years later, he is still walking.
This article appeared in the Christmas Specials section of the print edition under the headline “Around the world in 50 million paces”
Christmas Specials December 21st 2024
- A journalist retraces humanity’s journey out of Africa—on foot
- How much happiness does money buy?
- How the axolotl rose from obscurity to global stardom
- A Bible-bashing, gun-toting governor holds lessons for today
- The incredible story of Afghanistan's exiled women’s cricket team
- A chart that shows everything that has ever existed
- Inside the RSS, the world’s most powerful volunteer group
- How better data could lead to better sex
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