The prehistoric road to modernity

In ScienceNOW Daily News (1 December 2008) an interesting short article by Michael Balter entitled "The Long Road to Modernity"  begins:

"Most experts agree that Homo sapiens arose in Africa about 200,000 years ago and had more brainpower than earlier hominid species. But it's a matter of debate whether modern humans got smarter in one big cognitive leap or gradually developed their greater intelligence. New dating of an important hominid site in Ethiopia suggests that the road to advanced cognition was long and winding."

Read the whole article here.

Sophisticated stone tools were found both above and below a volcanic layer
dated to 280,000 years ago (arrow).
(Credit: Paul Renne)