2023-03-17 04:30:14

Not unique to humans, research has found that monk

According to a report by smart technology enthusiasts, an article published in Science on March 10th showed that a study conducted in Thailand found that when long tailed macaques hit oil palm nuts with stones, they produced fragments very similar to tools made by early human ancestors. These fragments have sharp edges and tips that look like they have been carefully designed and processed. This laboratory and field observation, conducted jointly by Oxford University and the Horse Gang Wildlife Reserve in Thailand, found that when a long-tailed macaque uses a circular or flat hard rock as a hammer and a flat hard rock as a clamp, pressure is generated between the two contact points, causing fragments to break off on the hammer or clamp. These fragments, known as "hammering surfaces" and "spalling," have the characteristics of tools that archaeologists used to identify early human ancestors who consciously created them. This study has important implications for understanding the behavioral and cognitive differences between humans and non human primates. It shows that although both long-tailed macaques and early human ancestors used the same tapping technique, their goals and results were different. "Early human ancestors used to create sharp tools to cut, peel, or pierce food or other objects, while long tailed macaques were just trying to open nuts.". In addition, this study also revealed that the long-tailed macaque has a high degree of flexibility and adaptability in using stone tools. They can select rocks with appropriate size, shape, hardness, and other characteristics as hammers or pliers according to different situations, and can adjust parameters such as striking force, angle, and frequency to achieve the best results. They can also find suitable rocks in different locations and transport them to places where they are needed. These abilities indicate that the long-tailed macaque has a strong learning and inheritance ability in using stone tools, possibly through observation and imitation of other companions or relatives.

Not unique to humans, research has found that monkeys intentionally make tools