But recently, new DNA studies came up with unexpected results that gave the story a strange twist.
Thor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian explorer and a man who liked adventures. He had a theory that ancient people from South America had once sailed way across the Pacific Ocean to Polynesia. Such voyages would explain a very curious fact: plants such as the sweet potato and the bottle gourd have grown in Polynesia since prehistoric times but are native to the Americas. The experts told Heyerdahl he was crazy. But Heyerdahl was stubborn.
1. Scientists discovered DNA from ancient plants in Polynesia.
2. Heyerdahl’s theory was proven wrong by new research.
3. Heyerdahl believed that ancient South Americans could sail across the Pacific.
4. The sweet potato is found in Polynesia and was not grown there.
The correct answer is: 3. Heyerdahl believed that ancient South Americans could sail across the Pacific.
Explanation: Thor Heyerdahl proposed the theory that ancient peoples from South America made voyages across the Pacific Ocean to reach Polynesia. This belief was based on the presence of certain plants, like the sweet potato, in Polynesia that are native to the Americas. The text highlights Heyerdahl’s confidence in his theory despite skepticism from experts, emphasizing his conviction about the possibility of such oceanic travel.