Handy Man—Part 1

The first bipedal critter to warrant the moniker handy man was the species Homo habilis (Latin for “handy man”). It prospered in Africa about two million years ago. They were called that because they were the first of our precursors to develop simple stone flake tools. These tools were a significant advance over the implements used by their forebears (mostly some sort of bludgeon), and allowed them to improve their diet, as well as better defend themselves on the savannas of Africa.

Homo habilis had a brain about half the size of ours, but that was a significant increase over the various ape-like species that preceded them. Habilis was the smartest ape of its time. (They lived concurrently with other closely-related species of bipedal apes.) Habilis—the toolmaker handyman—had not yet invented the formidable weapons that follow-on pre-humans would, so they still did not occupy the top predator slot in Africa. They remained occasional meals for fierce animals like lions and tigers. But their improving tools were on the way to making them dominant.

Handy man's succeeding species was Homo erectus, which later led directly to us. Homo erectus (“upright man”) further developed tools and even may have used fire to cook. It lived in groups that were the predecessor to bands of human hunter-gatherers.

This evolving process of our ancestors becoming increasingly skilled tool makers and weapons forgers led directly to Homo sapiens becoming the dominant species on planet Earth. These implements, conceived of by our growing brain and manipulated by our erect posture and very dexterous hands, made us the formidable critters we've become. There's been an increasingly rapid evolution of tools ever since—right up to our current sophisticated machines and robots of today. Our tools have made us top dog.

The first tools of Homo habilis were used to cut up meat, to break bones to get at the nourishing marrow, and thus diversify their diet beyond fruits and insects. When Homo erectus took the next step by manufacturing weapons, it could begin to assume the top predatory spot on the savanna. Spears and arrows enabled them to confront the fiercest animal.

Those early weapons were employed primarily for hunting, but they were also useful to attack or defend themselves from other roving bands of pre-humans—who were looked upon as alien critters that must be confronted and conquered. The tribal circle was very small and when another band was encountered, it was regarded to be as threatening as any other large predator.

Our weapons have continued to evolve and have become truly daunting. While our modern tools may have served us well, it's another story for our modern weapons. We now possess the power to inflict massive harm and kill many thousands of people at one blow... and we do. Our weapons of mass destruction—nuclear bombs, chemical weapons, drones, and similar armaments—can do damage far beyond what our ancestors could ever have imagined.

More on tools and weapons next time...