Humans
Stone tools are considered the first form of technology devised by ancient humans – but they might not have been invented from scratch
Natural processes can turn stones like these chert “balls”, found in a field in Oman, into sharp flakes
Michelle R. Bebber and Metin I. Eren
When ancient humans first invented stone tools, they may have been trying to emulate naturally formed sharp stones, meaning they would not have needed a huge leap of inspiration.
“What our hypothesis does is, it really turns the origin of technology entirely on its head,” says Metin Eren at Kent State University in Ohio. Instead of imagining a sharp tool and then figuring out…
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
