Cultural and technological boom 50,000 years ago linked with less testosterone

By April Holloway

Archaeological findings around the world have revealed a cultural and technological boom around 50,000 years ago in which making art and advanced tools became widespread. A new study appearing in the journal  Current Anthropology  has found that human skulls changed in ways that indicate a lowering of testosterone levels at around the same time that culture was blossoming.

"The modern human behaviors of technological innovation, making art and rapid cultural exchange probably came at the same time that we developed a more cooperative temperament," said lead author Robert Cieri, a biology graduate student at the University of Utah who began this work as a senior at Duke University.

The study, which is based on measurements of more than 1,400 ancient and modern skulls, makes the argument that human society advanced when people started being nicer to each other, which entails having a little less testosterone in action.

Cieri compared the brow ridge, facial shape and interior volume of 13 modern human skulls older than 80,000 years, 41 skulls from 10,000 to 38,000 years ago, and a global sample of 1,367 20th century skulls from 30 different ethnic populations.

The trend that emerged was toward a reduction in the brow ridge and a shortening of the upper face, traits which generally reflect a reduction in the action of testosterone. What they can't tell from the bones is whether these humans had less testosterone in circulation, or fewer receptors for the hormone.

Left: ancient human skull with more pronounced brow ridge. Right: modern human skull

There are a lot of theories about why, after 150,000 years of existence, humans suddenly leapt forward in technology. Around 50,000 years ago, there is widespread evidence of producing bone and antler tools, heat-treated and flaked flint, projectile weapons, grindstones, fishing and birding equipment and a command of fire. Was this driven by a brain mutation, cooked foods, the advent of language or just population density?

The Duke University study argues that living together and cooperating put a premium on agreeableness and lowered aggression and that, in turn, led to changed faces and more cultural exchange.

"If prehistoric people began living closer together and passing down new technologies, they'd have to be tolerant of each other," Cieri said. "The key to our success is the ability to cooperate and get along and learn from one another."

Source: The above article is based on: "Society bloomed with gentler personalities and more feminine faces: Technology boom 50,000 years ago correlated with less testosterone”, provided by Science Daily .

By April Holloway

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-human-origins/cultural-and-technological-boom-50000-years-ago-linked-less