Early humans were much smarter than thought

Early apelike species of humans that lived in Africa over 1.8 million years ago was much smarter than thought, say scientists who found that human-like ways of thinking predated the evolution of Neanderthals.
Researchers used highly advanced brain imaging technology to observe modern humans crafting ancient tools.
They showed that human-like cognition appeared at the emergence of Homo erectus, an early apelike species of human first found in Africa whose evolution predates Neanderthals by nearly 600,000 years.
"This is a significant result because it's commonly thought our most modern forms of cognition only appeared very recently in terms of human evolutionary history," said Shelby S Putt, a postdoctoral researcher at Indiana University in the US.

"But these results suggest the transition from apelike to humanlike ways of thinking and behaving arose surprisingly early," said Putt.
The findings are based upon brain activity in modern individuals taught to create two types of ancient tools: simple Oldowan-era "flake tools" - little more than broken rocks with a jagged edge - and more complicated Acheulian-era hand axes, which resemble a large arrowhead.

Both are formed by smashing rocks together using a process known as "flintknapping."
Oldowan tools, which first appeared about 2.6 million years ago, are among the earliest used by humanity's ancestors. Acheulian-era tool use dates from 1.8 million to 100,000 years ago.

Putt said that neuroarchaeologists look to modern humans to understand how pre-human species evolved cognition since the act of thinking - unlike fossilized bones or ancient artifacts - leave no physical trace in the archaeological record.
Researchers used advanced functional near-infrared spectroscopy to observe brain activity in people as they learned to craft both types of tools with their hands.
In the study, 15 volunteers were taught to craft both types of tools through verbal instruction via videotape. An additional 16 volunteers were shown the same videos without sound to learn toolmaking through nonverbal observation.
The brain scans showed that visual attention and motor control were required to create the simpler Oldowan tools.

A much larger portion of the brain was engaged in the creation of the more complex Acheulian tools, including regions of the brain associated with the integration of visual, auditory and sensorimotor information; the guidance of visual working memory; and higher-order action planning.
"The fact that these more advanced forms of cognition were required to create Acheulean hand axes - but not simpler Oldowan tools - means the date for this more humanlike type of cognition can be pushed back to at least 1.8 million years ago, the earliest these tools are found in the archaeological record," Putt said.
"Strikingly, these parts of the brain are the same areas engaged in modern activities like playing the piano," he said.