stone age tool making....

My readers may find this article on stone age tool making to be of interest. Brain-imaging modern people making Stone Age tools hints at evolution of human intelligence Anthropologists have long wondered about the evolution of human language and its relationship to enhanced brain size over the brain sizes of earlier man. The idea some have had was that language was the driving factor in the development of human intelligence. I and some others believe the development of man was a hand thing: That as our hands and brain co-evolved as a learning system, the capacity to communicate grew as a complementary system.

In the research described, subjects who had been taught to make stone tools were fitted with brain imaging technology called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). As the subjects made stone tools, the technology allowed researchers to observe which areas of the brain were active in the process. I hope my readers find this as fascinating as I do. I believe the research offers insight into an important question. "What role did the hand play in the development of human intelligence?" As we better understand the relationship between hand and brain, and how we evolved as human beings, a light is cast on the importance for us to learn all things, hands-on. Even literature is enhanced and made more real to us when we've done real things.

Today is a volunteer day at ESSA. Several of us will apply moldings at various places in the new building to help push us toward our opening day. We will complete machine room benches, clean once again, and build a plywood storage rack.

The image above is a test model plane made by one of my high school students. It did not fly very well, but it was so beautifully made that I thought a stand would be a nice thing. As a small gift in recognition of his good work, I made a stand for it so that he can display his work proudly on his desk.

Make, fix, create and increase the likelihood of others learning likewise.