Neurological studies show overlapping brain areas for stone tool making and speaking.

Evidence

Recently, scientists have looked at what happens neurologically when a stone tool is being made. … They have used modern hospital scanners to see which bits of the brain are activated as knappers work their stone. … Surprisingly, the areas of the modern brain that you use when you’re making a handaxe overlap considerably with those you use when you speak. … It now seems very likely that if you can shape a stone you can shape a sentence. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 97

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 97
• XREF: connects to: Using tools led to the survival and proliferation of larger-brained humans. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 84; Making stone tools likely relates to learning speech. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 96