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Ancient Humans Built Wooden Structures 476,000 Years Ago

2/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University report that at Kalambo Falls in Zambia, early humans constructed wooden structures about 476,000 years ago.
They found well-preserved wood artifacts, including logs shaped to interlock.
The findings challenge the view that early hominins were not inventive, suggesting they, possibly Homo heidelbergensis, could plan and manipulate materials, and the study was published in the journal Nature.

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Story summary

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University report that at Kalambo Falls in Zambia, early humans constructed wooden structures about 476,000 years ago.
They found well-preserved wood artifacts, including logs shaped to interlock.
The findings challenge the view that early hominins were not inventive, suggesting they, possibly Homo heidelbergensis, could plan and manipulate materials, and the study was published in the journal Nature.