Part 3/9:
The Polynesian expansion across Oceania serves as a microcosm to frame our understanding of potential alien behaviors. Thousands of years ago, Polynesians embarked on voyages across the Pacific Ocean, a treacherous sea dotted with tiny islands—most of which were either inhospitable or lacked sufficient resources to support large populations. The practice of colonizing lands far and wide often led to a sustainable culture on more habitable islands while leaving some regions, like the isolated Pitcairn Islands, to eventually dwindle due to resource depletion.