https://www.newscientist.com/article/2173021-some-monkeys-in-panama-may-have-just-stumbled-into-the-stone-age/

Close

Advertisement

 Skip to content
Sign in
Search the website [                    ]
[ ]

  * Events
  * Tours
  * Shop
  * Courses
  * Jobs

Subscribe now

Explore by section

  * News
  * Features
  * Newsletters
  * Podcasts
  * Video
  * Comment
  * Culture
  * Crosswords
  * |
  * This week's magazine

Explore by subject

  * Health
  * Space
  * Physics
  * Technology
  * Environment
  * Mind
  * Humans
  * Life
  * Mathematics
  * Chemistry
  * Earth
  * Society

Explore our products and services

  * Events
  * Tours
  * Shop
  * Courses
  * Jobs

Subscribe now
Subscribe now

Life

Some monkeys in Panama may have just stumbled into the Stone Age

By Colin Barras

2 July 2018 , updated 6 July 2018

      

New Scientist Default Image

The capuchins have been seen using rocks as tools

Description:Barrett et al

Another non-human primate has entered the Stone Age - the fourth type
known to have done so. One population of white-faced capuchins living
in Panama routinely use stones to smash open nuts and shellfish.

Other nearby populations don't make use of stone tools, which might
suggest that primates - perhaps including our ancestors - stumble
into the stone age by chance.

Chimpanzees in west Africa, macaques in Thailand and several species
of tufted, strongly built capuchin monkeys living in South America
use stone...

Article amended on 6 July 2018

We clarified Brendan Barrett's affiliation

Advertisement

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you
up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on
unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account

Advertisement

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

 

Life

Colonies of single-celled creatures could explain how embryos evolved

News

Subscriber-only

 

Life

Tiny nematode worms can grow enormous mouths and become cannibals

News

Free

 

Life

'Peaceful' male bonobos may actually be more aggressive than chimps

News

Free

 

Life

A bacterium has evolved into a new cellular structure inside algae

News

Free

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

1

A new understanding of tinnitus and deafness could help reverse both

2

Intel reveals world's biggest 'brain-inspired' neuromorphic computer

3

The man reinventing economics with chaos theory and complexity
science

4

We live in a cosmic void so empty that it breaks the laws of
cosmology

5

Ancient marine reptile found on UK beach may be the largest ever

6

AI made from living human brain cells performs speech recognition

7

Early humans spread as far north as Siberia 400,000 years ago

8

What is cloud seeding and did it cause the floods in Dubai?

9

Fossil snake discovered in India may have been the largest ever

10

Are you languishing in life? Here's how to find your purpose again

Advertisement

Download the app

Download on the apple apps store Download on Google play

Find us on social media

  * Find us on Instagram Instagram
  * Find us on Facebook Facebook
  * Find us on X / Twitter X / Twitter
  * Find us on Tiktok Tiktok
  * Find us on LinkedIn LinkedIn

Subscriptions

  * Subscriber benefits
  * Gift
  * Student & graduate
  * Educational
  * Corporate

Support

  * Help
  * About us
  * Advertise
  * Write for us

Tools

  * Events
  * Science Jobs
  * CoLab
  * Syndication
  * RSS feeds

Legal and privacy

  * Contact us
  * Privacy policy
  * Cookie policy
  * Terms & conditions
  * Cookie Settings

(c) Copyright New Scientist Ltd.

Back to the top