A study published in PLOS ONE investigates how early hominins in Ethiopia, between 1.6- 1.0 million years ago, selected rocks for toolmaking, revealing their cognitive and adaptive capabilities. The study examined the engineering properties of raw materials at the Melka Wakena site using advanced imaging and robotic experiments. The findings demonstrate that early humans made informed decisions based on factors like durability and efficiency, providing new insights into the technological behaviors of early Pleistocene toolmakers.