Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference

Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference

Stone tools are deliberately made by the hands of hominins, like these worked on by the author. John K. MurrayHave you ever found yourself in a museum’s gallery of human origins, staring at a glass case full of rocks labeled “stone tools,” muttering under your breath, “How do they know it’s not just any old rock?” At first glance, it might seem impossible to decipher. But as an experimental archaeologist with over a decade of experience studying…

Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference - Tech and Science Post

Have you ever found yourself in a museum’s gallery of human origins, staring at a glass case full of rocks labeled “stone tools,” muttering under your breath, “How do they know it’s not just any old rock?” At first glance, it might seem impossible to decipher. But as an experimental archaeologist with over a decade of experience studying and manufacturing stone tools, I can say that there are telltale signs that a rock has been modified by human…