>2. Why does there appear to be a major chasm between the cognitive capabilities of our hominin ancestors and the cognitive capabilities of modern scientists, a

>2. Why does there appear to be a major chasm between the cognitive capabilities of our hominin ancestors and the cognitive capabilities of modern scientists, artists and philosophers? There is no reason to claim such chasm exists, not without evidence that is not provided in the article. There does appear to be a chasm in cognitive achievements which is a different thing altogether. Put like that the chasm does not extend to "hominin ancestors", by the examples in the article it goes back "just" to Song dynasty China.