Americas

The Americas, which are also collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with their associated islands, the Americas cover 8% of Earth's total surface area and 28.4% of its land area. The topography is dominated by the American Cordillera, a long chain of mountains that runs the length of the west coast. The flatter eastern side of the Americas is dominated by large river basins, such as the Amazon, St. Lawrence River–Great Lakes basin, Mississippi, and La Plata. Since the Americas extend 14,000 km from north to south, the climate and ecology vary widely, from the arctic tundra of Northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska, to the tropical rain forests in Central America and South America. Humans first settled the Americas from Asia between 42,000 and 17,000 years ago. A second migration of Na-Dene speakers followed later from Asia.

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Confirmed: New Mexico Footprints Rewrite Timeline of Humans in America Ancient seas left an expanse of rolling gypsum dunes known as White Sands in New Mexico, and within this surreal landscape lies evidence that humans have roamed the Americas for at least 20,000 years.

Earliest evidence of humans in the Americas confirmed

Ancient DNA Study Traces Incredible Journey of Dogs across Americas

Earliest evidence of humans in the Americas confirmed in new U of A study - EurekAlert!

Leprosy Was Lurking in The Americas Long Before Colonization, Study Finds

Leprosy was in the Americas long before the arrival of Europeans

Asians made humanity’s longest prehistoric migration and shaped the genetic landscape in the Americas, finds NTU Singapore-led study - EurekAlert!

Asians made humanity's longest prehistoric migration and shaped the genetic landscape in the Americas

Many TB cases may have gone undetected in prisons in Europe and the Americas during COVID-19 - EurekAlert!

Surprise X-class solar flare from emerging sunspot triggers radio blackouts across the Americas

Tropical forests in the Americas are struggling to keep pace with climate change

Study Confirms: Syphilis Was Active in The Americas Long Before Columbus

New Study Indicates That Syphilis Originated in the Americas Prior to the Arrival of Columbus

Syphilis originated in the Americas, ancient DNA shows, but European colonialism spread it widely

Syphilis had its roots in the Americas

Syphilis had its roots in the Americas - EurekAlert

Syphilis microbe circulated in the Americas thousands of years before European contact

How did humans and dogs become friends? Connections in the Americas began 12,000 years ago

How did humans and dogs become friends? Connections in the Americas began 12,000 years ago - EurekAlert

How did humans and dogs become friends? Connections in the Americas began 12,000 years ago - EurekAlert