Modern human gripping capabilities evolved 500,000 years ago, finds Study

London: A trove of prehistoric stone tools shows that strong, precise gripping capabilities evolved in early humans at least 500,000 years ago, a study has found.

Without the ability to perform highly forceful precision grips, our ancestors would not have been able to produce advanced types of stone tool like spear points, researchers said.

The research is the first to link a stone tool production technique known as 'platform preparation' to the biology of human hands.

The technique involves preparing a striking area on a tool to remove specific stone flakes and shape the tool into a pre-conceived design.

Platform preparation is essential for making many different types of advanced prehistoric stone tool, with the earliest known occurrence observed at the 500,000-year-old site of Boxgrove in West Sussex in the UK.

The study, led by Alastair Key of University of Kent in the UK, investigated how hands are used during the production of different types of early stone

technology.