The Joe Walker Podcast Robert Boyd & Peter Richerson — How Ice Age Climate Chaos Made Humans Cultural Animals
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Aug 13, 2024 
Robert Boyd, an anthropologist known for the Dual-Inheritance Theory, and Peter Richerson, an expert at the crossroads of culture and genetics, delve into how culture has shaped human evolution. They discuss the significant role of tool use among early hominins in cognitive development. The duo highlights how cultural practices influenced genetic evolution, especially in farming and urban transitions. They also explore the unexpected effects of climate on brain size and the implications of cultural dynamics in modern communities, sparking a fascinating dialogue on human adaptability.
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Oldest Tools
- The oldest tools, simpler than Oldowan, date back 3.3 million years at Lomekwi.
- Australopiths likely made them by flinging stones, not sophisticated napping.
Australopithecine Culture
- Cumulative cultural evolution in Australopithecines is debated, as their simple tools could be individually learned.
- Their smaller brains and the sporadic tool use suggest a less developed cultural transmission.
Hand Use Mystery
- Australopithecines' dexterous hands, despite limited tool evidence, raise questions about their use.
- One theory suggests they carried sticks and stones for defense in open savannas against predators.