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Behavioural biology

Stones that could cause ripples

Monkeys have been observed pounding stones and unintentionally forming sharp-edged, tool-like fragments. This deliberate breakage raises questions about the evolution of intentional stone modification. See Letter p.85

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Figure 1: Capuchin monkeys can deliberately break stones.

T. Falótico

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Correspondence to Hélène Roche.

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Behavioural biology: Archaeology meets primate technology

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Roche, H. Stones that could cause ripples. Nature 539, 34–35 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19484

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