The Stone Age Institute Hidden away in the woods on the outskirts of Bloomington, this famed institute, the brainchild of husband-and-wife scientists, is a focal point for archaeological research on human origins.

At a noisy reception in the cavernous library of the Stone Age Institute, Nicholas Toth, co-founder of the institute, is explaining to a guest the tortuous logistics of extracting core samples from 250 meters below the surface of an ancient lake bed in . A week later, scientists from 10 universities will gather in this same library for a conference on the find- ings from the unprecedented drilling project. Tonight’s reception, however, isn’t for the scientists. The guest of hon- or is Kenny Aronoff, one of rock music’s most successful drummers, an old friend and adviser to the Stone Age Institute. Toth hands his wine glass to Kathy Schick, his wife and partner in research and life, and straps on a Fender Telecaster guitar. Then the institute’s house band, with Aronoff sitting in, launches into a 1960’s rock standard. Jam sessions are regular occurrences at the Stone Age Institute. Schick is recording the event on video, and the guest is left to wonder: Can these people really be doing serious science when they’re obviously having so much fun? 

By Peter Dorfman • Photography by Tyagan Miller The Great Library on the main floor of The Stone Age Institute.

110 Bloom | April/May 2017 | magbloom.com magbloom.com | April/May 2017 | Bloom 111 The answer is yes. Toth and Schick are ten- changes in Earth’s climate during man’s universities,” Schick explains. She and Toth “Everything you see here is paid for,” Who are Kathy and Nick? (beginning opposite page, l-r) ured Indiana University professors. Their early prehistory. That core sampling from had experienced those vagaries firsthand. Toth says. “We’ve never had to take a loan Toth and Schick make friends easily, and Founders, co-directors, and spouses Nicholas Toth and brainchild, the Stone Age Institute, located the East African lake bed will give archaeol- After grad school, they were postdocs from for anything, never incurred any debt.” they move comfortably in elite donor Kathy Schick; exterior of the on 30 rural acres on the outskirts of Bloom- ogists the first continuous record of climate 1982 until 1986 at the Institute of Human circles. A tour of the institute and its accou- Stone Age Institute, featuring ington, is an internationally renowned focal changes over the last 2.5 million years in the Origins, also in Berkeley. They worked with its Where the money comes from trements could convince a visitor that its the stone tower; interior hallway leading to the library; point for archaeological research on human region where human beings first emerged. founder, , whose team had Along with the science, the Stone Age founders came from money themselves. But ancient stone tools. origins. More specifically, the institute stud- The core sample will fuel geochemical discovered the famous early hominid fossil Institute is a case study in successful fun- they didn’t. Both Schick and Toth are from ies the origins of technology, beginning with analysis and yield data for scientists in mul- nicknamed “Lucy” in . Johanson had draising. In late 2015, the institute landed middle-class Ohio families. the development of stone tools. tiple disciplines for years to come. established a private nonprofit institution—an its largest funding to date—a $3.2 million “When I was 6 years old, my father died,” Scientists study from The Stone Age Institute is allied with early model for Toth and Schick. research grant from the John Templeton Toth recalls. “As my mother was sorting out physical evidence—fossil remnants of early IU, where Toth and Schick maintain faculty “UC Berkeley was an intellectual play- Foundation in Philadelphia. The three-year her business, we stayed with various uncles hominids (human-like, upright-walking positions. But it is an autonomous, nonprofit ground,” Schick recalls. “You could study grant funds research into the evolution of and aunts, and one of my uncles worked on human cognition in four countries. But the railroad. He was the family naturalist. what sustains the institute is continuing He had hiked a lot in Texas and he had a col- Toth and Schick have been able to capture the imaginations of some important donor funding, mostly through the patient lection of projectile points [such as a spear, people, who may never previously have given much thought to stone tools. cultivation of philanthropic contacts. dart, or arrow], which I thought were the “Virtually all of our donors are people coolest things I’d ever seen. He subscribed we’ve known between 10 and 30 years,” Toth to National Geographic, and I read an article creatures, only some of which are direct 501(c)(3) entity, built entirely with donor with some of the biggest names in the field. says. “We rarely raise money cold. It’s really on the Leakeys at . I decided, ancestors of Homo sapiens) and the animals funding. It’s the ultimate realization of its But toward the end of our time there, a lot based on long-term relationships and trust. at 6 years old, that I was going to become an they hunted, as well as artifacts like stone founders’ vision—to establish “one of the of them were retiring or moving to other People see over the years what you’re trying archaeologist. I guess I never grew up.” and bone tools. But also is major places in the world to do Stone Age fields of science. That really led us to ask to do. And every donor is a different story.” First in his family to go to college, Toth concerned with the evolution of intellect ,” Toth says. ourselves whether we could build a more Gordon Getty, son of oil magnate J. Paul did his early graduate work at Oxford and behavior. The institute’s scientists work stable platform.” Getty, is a key donor. “Gordon’s two major University in England. “My tutor there in closely with anthropologists and cognitive A stable base for research That platform resides in a museum- interests in life are human evolution and archaeology, Derek Roe, was working with psychologists who study modern cultures But it also reflects an insight Toth and Schick like edifice at the end of a winding, gated opera,” Toth explains. “We’ve had his mu- Mary Leakey at Olduvai Gorge, analyzing and the behavior of modern humans and came to in the 1980s as graduate students driveway. Visitors enter through an impos- sic performed at the music school, as well stone tools,” Toth says. “So I had connec- primates, from which the behaviors of our at the University of California at Berkeley: ing stone turret. Embedded in the entry- as at the institute. Gordon was the honor- tions with East Africa.” ancient ancestors can be inferred. While university research teams come and way floor is an exhibit showing what an ary chairman of the Leakey Foundation He met Schick in 1976 when he returned go, knowledge lasts. early hominid camp might look like when in San Francisco, which supports human from Oxford, on an archaeological dig in Ohio. Climate over 2.5 million years “We wanted a fertile, stable base for re- unearthed in the field. The award-winning evolutionary studies, so that was a natural Schick also had a middle-class upbring- Some of the institute’s most far-reaching search in this field that wouldn’t be subject to building, designed by Mary Krupinski and connection. He first visited us when we ing. “My father was an engraver,” she says. contributions to archaeology may come the whims and vagaries of different admin- Dawn Gray of Kirkwood Design Studio in were digging in Spain with our professor, “I was fascinated with the craft aspect of from its recent investigations into the istrations, different departments, different Bloomington, was completed in 2003. back in the 80s.” what he was doing, but he died when I was

112 Bloom | April/May 2017 | magbloom.com magbloom.com | April/May 2017 | Bloom 113 moving to new areas—that enabled brain the sharpest material in the world. Of course, evolution,” he explains. “Every species has they weren’t wearing a lot of clothing. They as large a brain as it can afford, based on its clearly were very good at this. We don’t know diet and metabolic system. If humans could how many bled to death in the process.” reduce their gut size by having a higher- It has long been known that other spe- quality diet, rich in protein from meats, we cies—crows, parrots, and various primates— focused on Africa. But in 1986, when the time don’t ever remember giving Nick and Kathy could devote more energy toward the brain. use found objects in simple ways to obtain came to look for tenure-track faculty positions, advice,” the drummer says, “but I’m ready, The brain represents 2 percent of your body food. But it’s a more recent discovery that it was IU that came through for both of them. bags packed, and I’ll be there like a Navy weight but about 20 percent of your caloric primates like chimpanzees can learn to By 1988, Toth and Schick had established SEAL, if they ever need any.” expenditure. It’s a very expensive organ, so make tools. In an attempt to posit how early their focus on the evolutionary significance Other advisers include Fritz Maytag, we needed a good reason to evolve it.” hominids could have acquired the capabil- of technology. They secured funding for the of the washing machine family; Jean Auel, That larger, more sophisticated brain ity, Toth and Schick have taught apes to Center for Research into the Anthropologi- author of the popular Clan of the Cave Bear enabled language and social cooperation, and make stone tools. cal Foundations of Technology (CRAFT), series of novels; and Seymour Duncan, in- a greater capacity to adapt to new circum- About five years ago, having built a where some of the elements that formed the ventor and manufacturer of one of the most stances. “What evolution really selects for are substantial body of knowledge about human Stone Age Institute’s mission jelled. CRAFT widely used electric guitar pickups. The late the benefits of having this enriched diet, but evolution and stone technologies, Toth originally was located in a small house just CBS Evening News anchor, Walter Cronkite, tools are the means to the end,” Toth adds. and Schick gathered their colleagues and off the IU campus, but is now incorporated was also an advisory board member. Because the early hominids left no record asked them what the institute could do for (top) Schick and Toth at 10.” In college she studied paleoanthropolo- within the institute. Toth and Schick have been able to cap- of how they made tools, anthropologists an encore—what contribution would yield Yosemite National Park gy—looking at the evolution of the brain and The Stone Age Institute opened its doors ture the imaginations of some important rely on so-called “actualistic studies,” using the greatest volume of data for the great- in 1977, shortly after culture. Through a master’s program at Kent in 2003. Schick and Toth have built it by people, who may never previously have modern circumstances to infer things about est number of researchers. “That’s how they wed. Courtesy photo (above) With drummer State University, she became a supervisor instinct, and they credit good advice from given much thought to stone tools. the past. In other words, scientists develop we wound up doing the coring project at Kenny Aronoff.Courtesy on the Ohio dig. their advisers, especially Henry Corning, theories about how early man made stone Olduvai,” Schick says. photo (top, right) Schick, “Nick was passing through on his way to scion of the family who built the town of tools by experimentally making stone tools. walking by the cast of a The tool-diet-brain connection skeleton donning a hat Berkeley, but we found we had common inter- Corning, New York. The Cornings provided “Our core thesis is that tools have played The popular image of a laboriously The importance of Olduvai Gorge from Ethiopia. (opposite ests,” she remembers. “So I applied and also early funding for John D. Rockefeller’s a crucial role in the evolution of human sharpened stone axe is only partly accu- Olduvai Gorge, near the Ngorongoro Crater in page) Casts of skulls. got accepted to Berkeley, and we launched our oil exploration in Texas. Henry Corning, cognition,” Toth says. “That’s why we focus rate. Early hominids typically started with Tanzania, is one of the most famous paleoan- joint careers.” They married a year later. a Harvard-trained sculptor and venture primarily on the stone technologies. Stone a large stone core, breaking off smaller, thropological sites in the world. Many of the They spent much of their honeymoon on capitalist, joined Toth and Schick on the tools are relatively indestructible, unlike sharp flakes. The tool—what was used to most important hominid fossils and artifacts a dig in East Africa. “For the first couple of institute’s governing board. “Henry was an bones and other materials. So they give us dismember a scavenged or killed animal, for were discovered there. What has been lack- years, about half was spent in a tent,” Toth important visionary,” Toth says. “We would the most complete story that we’re ever go- example—was the flake, not the core. ing, however, is a clear understanding of the says. “We’ve done almost all of our field not have this place without him.” ing to have about our ancestral past. Tools An important lesson from actualistic stud- climate in which the early hominids lived. work together.” The institute also has a larger and make us human in a lot of ways.” ies is that you can get hurt making stone tools. “We know some of the environmental more casual advisory board made up of There’s a counterintuitive notion in what “By about 1.5 million years ago, hominids history from analyzing the exposed outcrops The Stone Age Institute colleagues, mentors, and friends, some of Toth is suggesting: Stone tools didn’t result are knocking off big flakes from boulders, in the Gorge area where it’s eroded and you starts at IU whom have no obvious connection with from human brain evolution. They enabled it. and that’s really quite dangerous,” Toth says. can see sedimentary sequences,” Toth says. At the time, Berkeley was the premier place in the research but inspire the founders in “Tools allow you to increase diet “Sometimes they’re even doing this with “But drilling for core samples can give you a the United States to study other ways. Kenny Aronoff is a member. “I breadth, exploiting new types of foods, obsidian—volcanic glass—and that’s about detailed, continuous climate history from

114 Bloom | April/May 2017 | magbloom.com magbloom.com | April/May 2017 | Bloom 115 The institute’s website now features about a dozen songs—most intended to be educational. The vocalist on most of them is Grammy-winning Bloomington singer- songwriter Carrie Newcomer, a longtime friend and advisory board member. “Adviser is a bit of an honorary title,” Newcomer says. “I’ve been very supportive of Nick and Kathy’s educational outreach, and I’ve attended their conferences and traveled with them. They’ve created a won- derful entwining of art and science.” “Poor Carrie,” Schick says. “She’s so wonderful. She always throws herself into the song. But we have her singing these tongue-twister words—like cyanobacteria, (top) The band, jamming, (l-r) Rami Halperin, guitar; stromatolite, Ngorongoro.” Tom Schoenemann, drums; The science education efforts are Toth, guitar; Schick, congas; light-hearted, but behind them is a serious Toth and Schick gathered their colleagues and asked them what the Yasmine Ariel, vocals; Reina Wong, guitar. The band is purpose. “Go in to a bookstore now, and institute could do for an encore—what contribution would yield the greatest “fluid,” says Toth. (right) Toth the New Age section is twice the size of the with his prized 1930’s “frying science section,” Toth observes. “What does volume of data for the greatest number of researchers. pan”—the first commercial electric guitar ever made. He that say about us as a society, that so many the sediments. You can do dozens of grassland to woodland and back over time, has about 50 guitars in his people are turning their backs on the idea of analyses to figure out climatic and paleoen- and we can see whether they are affecting collection. Courtesy photos making judgments based on hard evidence? vironmental change.” the evolution of animals and humans, or Evolution is the basic principle of life. But Using oil industry technology, the insti- changes in technology.” half of America still has doubts about it.” tute’s scientists drilled for core samples in One paper is in preparation for submission three different locations in the ancient lake to the journal Science, and several follow-up The future of the bed at Olduvai. From these cores, from as papers are anticipated. In all, Toth and Schick Stone Age Institute deep as 250 meters, they obtained continu- anticipate dozens of professional papers will Not having children, Toth and Schick have ous, finely resolved paleoenvironmental result from this work in the next several years. willed their entire estate to the Stone Age information going back 2.5 million years, Basic science is fundamental to the Book Club selection; it offered non-scien- scientists, the grant backs three graduate Institute. “We’re trying to build something filling in large gaps in the existing record. Stone Age Institute, but equally critical is its tists a plain-English overview of mankind’s fellowships at IU. And it funds community that has longevity, that will be here 200 (top) Schick and Dr. Jackson Schick and Toth had to contract with five role in science education. Toth and Schick, prehistory. While newer discoveries have outreach—workshops, exhibits, teacher years from now, still doing what we’re doing Njau of Indiana University separate companies and raise over $500,000 through IU via CRAFT and through the pushed back the earliest dates of that his- training, and student field trips. now,” Toth asserts. “Our big goal is a sub- Geological Sciences examine for the project. “We had a steep learning institute, have held numerous conferences tory, and newer tools such as DNA analysis stantial endowment, $20–$30 million, so a split core showing layered, pristine lake sediments curve—we had never done drilling before,” and educational events for the Bloomington have been added to the archaeologist’s And then there’s the music we can invest the money. The typical model interrupted by a major erup- Schick recalls. “We started drilling in Au- community. They sponsor two lecture series arsenal, the book remains a relevant record Search YouTube for “Zinjanthropus Blues” assumes 4.5 percent or 5 percent a year goes tion of volcanic ash (brown gust 2014, on the day we projected we would every year, one on human evolution, and one of what stone tools reveal about the dawn to get a sense of the way archaeologists for operational costs.” bands), dating to 1.8 million years ago. (top right) Toth start. Later, we were told that one of these on craftsmanship. of technology. amuse themselves while working in the Schick adds, “We want this research to and Schick in front of the projects typically requires six to eight years That, in fact, is how Toth and Schick met In 2010, the institute’s broader educa- field. Toth wrote the song decades ago on the continue, not just because it’s our passion, Olduvai drilling project field of planning. We did it in a year.” donor Fritz Maytag. Among Maytag’s many tional mission led to the creation of a vast way to a dig, camping with Schick in ’s but because it’s important for human soci- tent, with the very last core sample from the last bore- The cylindrical corings—7,500 pounds interests is beer; he’s the former owner of timeline that placed 100 key evolutionary Rift Valley. (Zinjanthropus was a “robust ety to realize that we’re very new at our role hole, representing a lava flow of material in all—had to be air-freighted to San Francisco’s Anchor Steam brewery. “We and technological advances in the context australopithecine,” an early hominid discov- in the world, and we are at a pivotal point of that occurred 2 million years the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis read that Fritz had brewed Sumerian beer of the history of the universe. The project, ered at Olduvai.) evolution. It’s very important for us to realize ago. (above) Core samples of the ancient Olduvai lake for a wide range of analyses. In late Novem- from 3,000 BC,” Toth says, “so we contacted “From the Big Bang to the World Wide Web,” During development of the Big Bang our place in this evolutionary succession. It’s sediments, in clear plastic ber 2016, the institute held a conference to him and asked if he would come out for a resulted in an exhibition at IU’s Mathers project, Tim Londergan, an IU physicist, vital for our survival.” tubes, ready to be shipped by discuss its findings and the scientific papers lecture. He stayed with us at our house. He’s Museum of World Cultures and remains showed Schick and Toth a video of a rap * air freight to a state-of-the- art analytical laboratory at that would arise from them. been an adviser for about 20 years.” available online at bigbangtowww.org. song about particle physics by science com- the University of Minnesota. “We already knew about large-scale Toth and Schick also write a lot for The Templeton grant funds archaeo- municator Katherine McAlpine. “That was Courtesy photos climatic shifts,” Toth says. “But we now have lay audiences. Their book, Making Silent logical fieldwork and educational outreach one of our major inspirations,” Toth says. much more detailed climatic information. Stones Speak, (Simon & Schuster, 1993) in , Tanzania, and the Republic of “Songs for science education really began We can see changes in vegetation going from was a Book-of-the-Month Club and History . In addition to the work of senior for us with the Big Bang project.”

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