Ancient String Adds to Evidence of Early Human Relative's Abilities
2020-04-17
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1Scientists say Neanderthals used plant fibers to create string more 40,000 years ago.
2The string was discovered in France in an area where Neanderthals once hunted animals for food.
3The scientists said the discovery adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the mental abilities of our closest extinct human relatives.
4A report on the discovery appears this month in the publication Scientific Reports.
5The report describes a string made from three small pieces of plant fiber.
6The materials were tied together into what looks almost like a very thin rope.
7The researchers suspect it was likely part of a stone cutting tool that the Neanderthals may have used to remove skin from dead animals.
8The string was found 50 kilometers north of Avignon in southeastern France.
9It is thought to be between 42,000 and 52,000 years old.
10Around that time, early humans apparently hunted reindeer there during seasonal migrations.
11The string represents the latest evidence to dispute the widely held belief that Neanderthals were much less intelligent than modern humans, or Homo sapiens.
12The oldest sign of string-making by Homo sapiens dates to 19,000 years ago.
13It was found in Israel.
14"The cord, as well as fiber technology in general, is an example of an infinite use of infinite means," said Bruce Hardy, the lead author of the report.
15He is an anthropologist at Kenyon College in the American state of Ohio.
16Hardy added that strings and rope can be used in many ways, including tool making, as well as carrying things and capturing animals.
17"Fiber technology in general is foundational in our society - from strings and ropes to tie things together, clothing, and even twisted wires used as cables ... in ... modern buildings," Hardy said.
18He spoke to the Reuters news agency.
19The six-millimeter-long string seems to have been made from fibers from a conifer tree.
20It may have been used to tie a six-centimeter-long and four-centimeter-wide stone cutting tool to a handle.
21It may also have been part of a net or container that ended up under the tool.
22Other studies have shown that Neanderthals used complex group hunting methods.
23They also may have used spoken language, used color pigments for body painting, and may have buried their dead with flowers.
24They disappeared a few thousand years after Homo sapiens moved through Neanderthals' Eurasian homelands around 40,000 years ago.
25I'm Pete Musto.
1Scientists say Neanderthals used plant fibers to create string more 40,000 years ago. The string was discovered in France in an area where Neanderthals once hunted animals for food. 2The scientists said the discovery adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the mental abilities of our closest extinct human relatives. 3A report on the discovery appears this month in the publication Scientific Reports. 4The report describes a string made from three small pieces of plant fiber. The materials were tied together into what looks almost like a very thin rope. The researchers suspect it was likely part of a stone cutting tool that the Neanderthals may have used to remove skin from dead animals. 5The string was found 50 kilometers north of Avignon in southeastern France. It is thought to be between 42,000 and 52,000 years old. Around that time, early humans apparently hunted reindeer there during seasonal migrations. 6The string represents the latest evidence to dispute the widely held belief that Neanderthals were much less intelligent than modern humans, or Homo sapiens. The oldest sign of string-making by Homo sapiens dates to 19,000 years ago. It was found in Israel. 7"The cord, as well as fiber technology in general, is an example of an infinite use of infinite means," said Bruce Hardy, the lead author of the report. He is an anthropologist at Kenyon College in the American state of Ohio. 8Hardy added that strings and rope can be used in many ways, including tool making, as well as carrying things and capturing animals. 9"Fiber technology in general is foundational in our society - from strings and ropes to tie things together, clothing, and even twisted wires used as cables ... in ... modern buildings," Hardy said. He spoke to the Reuters news agency. 10The six-millimeter-long string seems to have been made from fibers from a conifer tree. It may have been used to tie a six-centimeter-long and four-centimeter-wide stone cutting tool to a handle. It may also have been part of a net or container that ended up under the tool. 11Other studies have shown that Neanderthals used complex group hunting methods. They also may have used spoken language, used color pigments for body painting, and may have buried their dead with flowers. They disappeared a few thousand years after Homo sapiens moved through Neanderthals' Eurasian homelands around 40,000 years ago. 12I'm Pete Musto. 13Will Dunham reported on this story for the Reuters news agency. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 14_______________________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16string - n. a long, thin piece of twisted thread that you use to attach things, tie things together, or hang things 17extinct - adj. no longer existing 18migration(s) - n. the act of moving from one area to another at different times of the year 19cord - n. a long, thin material that is usually thicker than a string but thinner than a rope 20infinite - adj. having no limits 21author - n. a person who has written something 22foundational - adj. of, relating to, or forming or serving as a base or foundation 23handle - n. a part of something that is designed to be held by your hand 24pigment(s) - n. a natural substance that gives color to animals and plants