Greg Laden has a post on Oldowan style tool technology and how that might have impacted human evolution. He describes some experimental work:
In a series of experiments some years ago, started by Glynn Isaac, we had many dozen Harvard Undergraduates, who had no prior exposure to stone tool manufacture, bang rocks together (in isolation) for the sole purpose of making sharp edged pieces. All of them managed to replicate most of the products in a typical Oldowan industry in just several minutes. The collection of any dozen or so of these students' produce includes all of the Oldowan "tool" forms.
To which Lilian Nattel comments:
I'm glad to know that even Harvard students can make stone tools. Just in case civilization collapses.
Why do you say "even Harvard students" Lilian? Seems to me that is the reason why Harvard is rated the top University and why Ivy League education is so expensive.
It has to be to prepare you for every possible contingency humans are likely to face.
But is there actually such a thing as civilization collapsing?
ReplyDeleteYes, that explains it.
ReplyDelete