Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Monkeys can make stone tools, and it’s making us rethink human evolution

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Stone flakes were ancient tools that have been regarded as the handiwork of early humans, but a new study indicates this may not actually be the case.

Published in the journal Nature, the study reported on a small group of capuchin monkeys seen making small stone flakes.

It’s not apparent the monkeys realized they were making tools, but the study team said the observations should inspire caution when analyzing stone flakes and tying them to early humans.

Stone flakes are created by whacking two stones together, which causes one stone to break in a particular way. The resulting tool that is created can be used as a knife.

Archeologists have dated stone flakes to as far back as 3.3 million years ago and primitive human ancestors like Australopithecus or Kenyanthropus. However, the study team was able to film capuchin monkeys making these supposedly ancient tools.

Trying to Pinpoint Tool Use

Study team member Tomos Proffitt, a paleoanthropologist from Oxford University, told NPR he was expecting to see the monkey use rocks to crack open nuts.

“They crack open palm nuts all the time,” Proffitt said. “So we were looking for this.”

However, the team saw the monkeys cracking rocks against rocks.

“We saw this, doing this stone-on-stone percussion, and that was quite exciting looking at the material they produced,” Proffitt said, noting that the material was stone flakes.

“It was sort of a jaw-dropping moment,” he added.

The team’s excitement was tempered a bit, however, when they realized the monkeys didn’t appear to use the tools they had created.

“We hypothesize that it’s something to do with getting minerals from the quartz because they lick the dust, they ingest it,” Proffitt said.

In their report, the study team said their observations should cause field researchers use caution and avoid confusing monkey flakes with man-made ones. Proffitt said the flakes made by early humans are “more complex than what we see with the capuchins, though they share the same basic characteristics.”

He added that there are generally clues discovered along with ancient tools that indicate they were actually used. For instance, there might be cut-marks on nearby bones.

—–

Image credit: M.Haslam/Nature

The post Monkeys can make stone tools, and it’s making us rethink human evolution appeared first on Redorbit.

redOrbit.com
offers Science, Space, Technology, Health news, videos, images and reference information. For the latest science news, space news, technology news, health news visit redOrbit.com frequently. Learn something new every day.”


Source: http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113416264/monkey-human-tools-102016/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.