Ancient people carried a wild potato across the American Southwest

More than 10,000 years ago, people living in the southwestern United States carried a wild ancestor of the modern potato across long distances. According to a study published January 21, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One, this movement likely helped the plant spread beyond its original habitat. The research was led by Lisbeth Louderback of the University of Utah, U.S., along with her colleagues.

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