How Humans First Crossed the Ocean 60,000 Years Ago | The First Ocean Explorers

60,000 years ago, with no maps and no compasses, our ancestors set out across open water and somehow reached the other side.

This documentary follows the first known human sea crossings, from Ice Age Southeast Asia (Sunda) through the island maze of Wallacea to Sahul, the ancient landmass that joined Australia and New Guinea. We explore the ancient geography, the mystery of the boats, how voyagers may have found their way, competing route theories, and the archaeological evidence at Madjedbebe and Jerimalai.

Visuals are AI historical reconstructions. No boats from these voyages survive, so every vessel shown is a hypothesis.