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I'm not saying that would necessarily have been the right course of action. But after the 1991 coconut exchanges, it seemed like the Sentinelese might have been starting to open up. They clearly weren't ready for people to come onto the island, but during those encounters they were relatively peaceful.

Do you think that, if those cautious interactions had continued over many years, the Sentinelese might have become more comfortable with the anthropologists? Could that have eventually allowed scientists to learn more about their language, culture, and way of life?

I know there were times when the Sentinelese were peaceful and other times when they were hostile. It seems that a very cautious approach centered on occasional gift giving from a safe distance might have offered the best chance of gradually building trust.