In this thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Eleanor Scerri, an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute, and Dr. Manuel Will, a lecturer at the University of Tübingen, challenge the popular notion of a sudden cognitive revolution in humans. They present evidence of a gradual development of cognitive abilities during Africa's Middle Stone Age. They also explore early personal ornamentation using marine shells, the significance of ochre in human culture, and the diverse pathways of cognitive evolution, urging a reassessment of our understanding of human history.
