Under the Microscope (IMAGE) Arizona State University Caption This image is of two parallel cut marks made by stone tools cutting into tissues on the rib of a cow-sized or larger ungulate, some 3.4 million years ago. It was taken by Arizona State University paleoanthropologist Curtis Marean. “I snapped a photograph of that image old style – a Nikon D70 camera on a microscope photo tube. The image captures one action in a set of actions that stands at the origin point of humanity. Here is the remnant of that act, a remnant that spans an amount of time that is almost unimaginable, yet manages to connect us all to the beginnings of humanity. I love the image for that visceral power,” said Marean. Credit Dikika Research Project Usage Restrictions With credit and used only with coverage of this discovery. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.