Archaeologists Admit Serious Error - Ancient Tools Dated From Millions of Years Ago were Made by Monkeys(accidentally) Not Humans Ancestors

[Beggar for the Spirit]

"Stone ‘tools’ may not have been made by human ancestors, research finds"

https://cosmosmagazine.com/palaeontology/stone-tools-may-not-have-been-made-by-human-ancestors-research-finds

Monkey business forces a rethink on human evolution, reports paleoanthropologist Darren Curnoe.

 

When did a human-like mind first emerge, setting its owner on a path distinct to that of other apes?

We paleoanthropologists have long looked to tool use as the marker – particularly the appearance of a cutting tool known as a flake. It now seems we were wrong.

 

Recent research published in Nature by a team led by Tomos Proffitt at the University of Oxford shows that capuchin monkeys regularly produce sharp-edged flakes indistinguishable from those made by early hominins.

 

As it turns out, no. The flakes are produced by accident when the monkeys smash rocks together. Nonetheless, the capuchins have thrown a spanner in the works for archaeologists. Since the flakes they make are not tools at all, we can no longer assume the flakes found in the archaeological record are tools either.

 

So what these clever monkeys show us is that, if we find ancient flakes, we can no longer assume they were a tool made by a human ancestor.

The discovery of flakes at the Lomekwi archeological site in Kenya, which dates to 3.3 million years ago, led researchers to propose in 2015 that early humans appeared about 700,000 years earlier than previously thought. Now, however, without other evidence, such as cut marks on bones, we can no longer assume the flakes are evidence of a human presence.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Beggar for the Spirit

[tekmantwo]

3 minutes ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

 we can no longer assume the flakes are evidence of a human presence.

Silly hoomans, when are they gonna learn?....

 

One thing about this quote tho: In my life span so far it has been my misfortune to meet a number of flakes...

 

As near as I could tell,  they were all human. ..

[Beggar for the Spirit]

That was a good one Tim 

I never thought about this, I guess I also have met a number of flakes, but they were always frosted 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Beggar for the Spirit

[Zebra555]

Funny, my flakes always seem to be corn

 

[carlos]

9 hours ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

Recent research published in Nature by a team led by Tomos Proffitt at the University of Oxford shows that capuchin monkeys regularly produce sharp-edged flakes indistinguishable from those made by early hominins.

Fascinating!

[CHecker]

Groan button, we seriously need a groan button, for Tim at least!

[Thomas Walker]

“We'll be saying a big hello to all intelligent lifeforms everywhere... and to everyone else out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together, guys.” ― Douglas Adams

[Tortuga]

Well, I'll be a monkeys uncle...no matter how flaky he is....

[tekmantwo]

7 hours ago, bagwell1987 said:

Groan button, we seriously need a groan button, for Tim at least!

Hey!...

I resemble that remark...lol

 

sniff** I didn't think it was that bad....*sniff...

[CHecker]

9 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

Hey!...

I resemble that remark...lol

 

sniff** I didn't think it was that bad....*sniff...

Not that you're that bad MB, it's that you're that good! Wish I was quick witted like some of you. By the time I think of something witty 2 pages have gone by, kinda looses it zing by then.

[Tortuga]

1 minute ago, bagwell1987 said:

Not that you're that bad MB, it's that you're that good! Wish I was quick witted like some of you. By the time I think of something witty 2 pages have gone by, kinda looses it zing by then.

Mom was witty and she passed it on to Tim and I, however since we split her wit it makes us half wits....

[CHecker]

See...see!!This is what I'm talkin' about! You had this typed up in 1 minute!!

Asking self: Is there a class teaching witticisms?

[Alexa]

To all, my teacher back then cant figure out how to explain how magnificent this as the early tools but the creator is monkey, the tools are amazing but confusing too

I dont know its stone tools, i was wrong

[tekmantwo]

6 hours ago, bagwell1987 said:

See...see!!This is what I'm talkin' about! You had this typed up in 1 minute!!

Asking self: Is there a class teaching witticisms?

Would this not be it?

[Omoyeme]

On 4/9/2017 at 3:49 AM, Beggar for the Spirit said:

As it turns out, no. The flakes are produced by accident when the monkeys smash rocks together.

Moral of the story: "Monkey see..monkey do!"