First, I’ll admit that in true FR fashion I didn’t click through and read the entire article, but...
My reading of this excerpt is that scientists have created a replica which is based on guesses and which is in no way verifiable, and now they are going to extrapolate from their guesses and use this “re-creation” to “learn” more about the culture of these early humans? I need to get a job like this... one where I can make up any old story and have it taken as truth. Wait! That’s American politics, isn’t it?!!
To the contrary, the scientists first determined the time period which was made fairly easy because a layer of volcanic ash separated the material being studied from more recent dirt and fossils. They then collected fossils including animal bones and plant fossils and particularly pollen. There were a lot of stone tools the edges of which retain traces of what the users were processing. It’s forensic sciences applied to an ancient site.