Bigfoot And Fire Question?

[Guest insanity42]

You're correct, but they are two different anatomical features with different functions. The third metacarpal styloid process is what really enables us to grip a small tool, such as a stone tool, and apply direct force or hammering with that tool.

There was a recent discovery of an east African hominin with this feature, that pushed back the earliest date for its appearance by 600,000 years to about 1.42 May.

Carol V. Ward, et al., Early Pleistocene third metacarpal from Kenya and the evolution of modern look hand morphology. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 111:1 pages 121-124. January 2014

[Woodslore]

Is tool use really that connected to having thumbs? I mean otters use rocks to open claims, some birds do similar, couldn't that be tools use? I am just curious. I know other primates have been noticed using tools as well so why not.

[Guest insanity42]

What I am referring to is the construction of other complex tools. Some sort of basic tool usage is not uncommon, even with non-primates, but often the tool is not greatly modified. Chimpanzees may strip a branch of leaves and small twigs to make a reach tool to get insects. It's been documented that they will break branches and chew the ends to make crude hand-held spears to hunt small monkeys. However, they can't do the knapping needed to make a stone arrow/spear head or sharp obsidian blade. That type of precise application of gripped force seems dependent on the third metacarpal styloid process, as probably are many of the primitive fire starting methods.

[Woodslore]

Okay I see what you are getting at more clearly now. Thank you for helping to clear that up. I have read reports before of Sasquatch in B.C Canada being seen with a spear like tool or a crude club. Though never heard of Sasquatch or Sasquatch like creature (in North America) with a knapt tool. Though there have been reports of Sasquatch taking and braiding roots into "gifts". Though I am not sure where I stand on that idea or theory. Though if Sasquatch is indeed half as intelligent as people claim than I would not be surprised if a very crude knapt tool could be possibly made by them. It is an interesting subject, again thank you for clearing this up.

[Guest insanity42]

Sure, it is a specific feature for a specific function, and not having it doesn't exclude basic tool usage.

I think understanding some of these differences is important, as just having hands and a brain doesn't equate to being able to make the previously described tools. There are some other anatomical requirements. Many non-human primates do not have the same fine motor control of the hand muscles as humans. Capuchins and squirrel monkeys have very similar hands, but a difference in their motor cortex allows the capuchin to move their fingers indepedently while the squirrel monkey cannot.

[Guest WesT]

It's difficult to recognize tools that we ourselves cannot physically use.

[SWWASAS]

Here is a good description of early man tool use with reference to chimpanzees.   http://www.livescience.com/7968-human-evolution-origin-tool.html   There is also some evidence that early man may have used unmodified tools before modifying rocks for tools.   There is of course some arguments about how long ago that was because a bunch of rocks lying around does not necessarily mean they were used.     That seems to be where BF is stuck development wise.    Modified rock tools started occurring about 2.5 million years ago.  

Edited June 8, 2015 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Guest DWA]

There is one report of a bigfoot playing with fire embers; it's a 19th-century report and I am aware of no others.

 

Fire, no fire, tent, no tent, house, no house, etc. ... don't think it matters.  Almost nothing will attract an animal that is not used to humans being in the space you are occupying.  What makes them curious is continued occupancy; and I think NAWAC is finding that out in Area X.

[SWWASAS]

I know some regular campers in BF country in Idaho that have reported BF playing with their fire when they go to bed.    They hear footsteps around camp and often the fire will flare up.   Probably when the BF throw pine cones into it.     Frequent fire use requires the ability to use complex tools to start one.    Either friction methods or sparking.    Friction methods with humans are probably the result of development of the bow and arrow.     They figured out that by wrapping the bow string around the friction stick they could generate sufficient friction to make embers.   If BF never had a need for bow and arrow, then use of a bow for lighting fires would never have been discovered.     Sparking requires flint and steel or iron.   While flint and iron is naturally occurring,  iron is only found in certain areas of the country and not commonly found in the PNW.    Again,  lack of exposure to sparking materials might have prevented BF from ever finding out how to make fire.    Certainly the months of damp weather in the PNW are not conducive to either maintaining a naturally occurring fire for months at a time with regular use, or using friction methods to make fire.     You need very dry tinder to make a fire with friction or sparking.   Dry tinder is not something easy to get in the PNW in the wet months. 

[Guest WesT]

2.5Myrs for stone. I wonder how long for wood?

Edited June 8, 2015 by WesT

[Guest]

As ART1972 stated earlier in this thread, BFF has a collection of some early century newspaper clippings containing some extraordinary findings. Besides what is contained here on the forum I found maybe another half dozen suggesting some evidence of primitive tools or weaponry and evidence of fire in some rare instances either from eye witness accounts or things people discovered in close proximity to where they had their encounter with Bigfoot. I'm not here to say it is so, I am simply saying this is what people have reported from very early on.