This region was critical in the migration of humans out of Africa and into the rest of the world, serving as the gateway between Africa and Eurasia. Previously, it was thought humans appeared in Africa around 300,000 years ago and did not reach the Levant for more than 150,000 years. Experts speculate humans made this journey into the unknown along coastal routes, but the researchers behind the latest finding believe the seven human footprints (left, normal picture of the fossilised footprint. Right, digital map showing the elevation differences created by the print) changes this. They theorise that instead of following the ocean, humans may have taken inland routes and followed lakes and rivers.