▁migr ated ▁to ▁North ▁America ▁during ▁the ▁Last ▁Gla cial ▁Max imum . ▁ ▁Last ▁Gla cial ▁Max imum ▁ ▁E uras ia ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ago , ▁approximately ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁Ne ander th al ▁ext inction , ▁the ▁Last ▁Gla cial ▁Max imum ▁forced ▁northern ▁hem is phere ▁inhabitants ▁to ▁migr ate ▁to ▁several ▁sh el ters ▁( ref ug ia ) ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁this ▁period . ▁The ▁resulting ▁populations ▁are ▁pres umed ▁to ▁have ▁res ided ▁in ▁such ▁ref ug es ▁during ▁the ▁L GM ▁to ▁ultimately ▁re occup y ▁Europe , ▁where ▁arch a ic ▁historical ▁populations ▁are ▁considered ▁their ▁descend ants . ▁The ▁composition ▁of ▁European ▁populations ▁was ▁later ▁alter ed ▁by ▁further ▁migr ations , ▁not ably ▁the ▁Ne ol ith ic ▁expansion ▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁and ▁still ▁later ▁the ▁Chal col ith ic ▁population ▁movements ▁associated ▁with ▁Ind o - Europe an ▁expansion . ▁A ▁Pale ol ith ic ▁site ▁on ▁the ▁Y ana ▁River , ▁Si ber ia , ▁at ▁ 7 1 ° N , ▁lies ▁well ▁above ▁the ▁Ar ctic ▁Circle ▁and ▁dates ▁to ▁ 2 7 , 0 0 0 ▁radi oc ar bon ▁years ▁before ▁present , ▁during ▁gla cial ▁times . ▁This ▁site ▁shows ▁that ▁people ▁adapted ▁to ▁this ▁har sh , ▁high - lat itude , ▁Late ▁Ple ist oc ene ▁environment ▁much ▁earlier ▁than ▁previously ▁thought . ▁ ▁Amer icas