We may be witnessing the moment when our ancestors first defied a hostile world, using the same tools in the same place for nearly 300,000 years despite the chaos of shifting climates.
Picture early humans carefully shaping stone tools over a span of nearly 300,000 years, all while facing frequent wildfires, severe droughts, and major environmental changes. A new study reveals compelling evidence of a long-lasting technological tradition from Kenya’s Turkana Basin.
At the Namorotukunan Site, an international team of researchers discovered one of the most extensive and ancient records of early Oldowan stone tools ever found, dating between roughly 2.75 and 2.44 million years ago. These tools, essentially the earliest multi-purpose “Swiss Army knives” created by hominins, show that our ancestors were not merely enduring harsh conditions but flourishing amid one of the most unstable climates in Earth’s history.
“This site reveals an extraordinary story of cultural continuity,” said lead author David R. Braun, a professor of anthropology at the George Washington University. He is also affiliated with the Max Planck Institute. “What we’re seeing isn’t a one-off innovation—it’s a long-standing technological tradition.”
“Our findings suggest that tool use may have been a more generalized adaptation among our primate ancestors,” adds Susana Carvalho, director of science at the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique and senior author of the study.
