Caveman vs. ...

Do you think we are the smartest generation of humans that ever lived on earth? Let's set some restrictions first. 

• Collective human intelligence per capita is being measured here (so that the effects Galileo's of history and your dumb friend Becky are averaged out)
• 'Smartness' is an individual's ability to apply the tools available to them to improve their standard of living (using a fire to keep your warm = using a computer to earn you a 6-figure salary by programming)
• The trait of adaptability to your environment is weighted highly

When you think of a caveman, do you picture a quasi-human monkey-breed scratching his head while banging a clunky oblong club against any object of curiosity? I do. And the word dummy reverberates through my mind as this scene plays out. I blame the TV I watched growing up for this caricature. But think about this: would you do any better if you were living in their time? Without microscopes and DNA testing to investigate the objects of your curiosity, wouldn't you resort to banging your clunky club against it too? Would they do any better if they were living in our time? Let's admit, cavemen were innovatively resourceful. The things they managed with their clubs, spears and fires; imagine what they could do with a physics lab. Or, would they emulate our dumbest moments and glue their eyeballs to Netflix for a whole weekend too?

It just feels to me like I wouldn't be able to survive if I was in their time, and that they may use the tools I have available better than me if they were in my time. So, who's the monkey-breed here?