… is a wonderful BBC programme that has only just started and will continue throughout the year. Headed by the British Museum, its intention is to explain the history of humanity through objects. This morning I listened to the podcast about the Olduvai handaxe and was informed, educated and entertained all at the same time! That particular podcast would make a great audio text for class, by the way; it’s full of interesting interdisciplinary aspects and meaty sentences like “Does this chipped stone tool hold the secret of speech?”
On speech and stone: I learned a word this morning that I had probably assumed I knew, but turned out not to. Until today, I’d had no idea that this highly useful tool was called a handaxe. It was very pleasant to learn this, and the new word feels flinty and sharp in my vocabulary.

t be doing. I could probably come up with a few facts about them, such as that