Anthropologist Dr. Ferreira argues that early Pacific Islanders deliberately navigated to and settled remote islands rather than drifting there by accident, as some scholars have proposed.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support Dr. Ferreira's argument?
- A
Early Pacific Islanders cultivated crops similar to those of southeast Asia.
- Bcheck_circle
Computer simulations of ocean currents show that drifting vessels rarely reach the most isolated Pacific islands, while reconstructed sailing voyages routinely do.
- C
Modern Pacific Islander communities have rich oral traditions.
- D
Some Pacific islands lie thousands of kilometers from the nearest large landmass.
Explanation
A pits the drift and deliberate-voyage hypotheses against each other in simulation, with results supporting deliberate navigation. B, C, and D are background facts.