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Why do humans like sparkly things?
Timothy Bessonette
Wesson, Mississippi, US
For thousands of generations, humans have walked this Earth, adapting to every environment.
One common thread among all prehistoric humans was the dependency they developed on lithic materials – ones made from rocks or minerals. Much of their lives would have revolved around searching for and utilising these materials.
Many of the stones (quartz, obsidian and lots of other microcrystallines) ideal for turning into tools would have glistened. The ability to identify these materials would have been paramount to the survival of our species.
The use of these stone tools…
