The Beginning of Intelligence

Intelligence is exhibited through sophisticated behaviour, which can be respresented in many ways. Culture, language, and other social behaviours are some examples. But when looking for the first examples of human intelligence, sophisticated behaviour can only be found in ancient artifacts and ruins.

Scientists believe, based on perforated shells held at the Natural History Museum in London, that modern thought originated about 100,000 years ago. The shells, which were found at Skhul in Israel sometime in the 1930s, and are the earliest known example of jewellery. Sites in Africa and the Middle East have also provided evidence in the form of cave paintings and bone tools. These cases of intelligence can also illustrate the development of our technology, as in the tools and mehods used.

Intelligence and technology may have origins dating from 100,000 years or longer, but the last 200 years (or so) have seen the most progress. Hopefully, our rampant technological advancement will help us to improve our own intelligence, rather than transferring it to what technology allows us to create.