Humans and our closest ancestors as well as other organisms have survived many years by living on or with each other to claim territories and preying on prey so they do not become one. At this time, there was a major force driving the power tussle, which was natural selection. Natural selection still plays a great role today, but with the emergence of tools and weapons some 1.7 million years ago, the rule book changed. Humans could hunt and dominate territories without considering natural selection in the field of play.
It was no longer a thing of the strongest eating the weak, or the one that was able to develop a defense mechanism to survive, it was a game of physics and the ability to use the principles of physics to one advantage shifted power and survival for humans. With weapons, history has been shaped on our planet and other planets themselves.
About 1.7 million years ago, the weapon Acheulean Handaxes became the first weapon to exist in our world, at least according to archaeologists and it showed up in Eastern Africa. Scientists believe that Homo Erectus and Homo heidelbergensis were the first to use these tools. These tools were made of stone and their edges were flaked off by harder rocks into shapes like picks and handaxes. These tools were used for hunting purposes, to kill and butcher animals.
In southern France, archeologists also found another set of tools known as ancient spear throwers. They were dug up and examined and it was there they found the tools dated back to over 17,000 years ago. The weapons helped hunters as they were similar to levers and were thrown to far distances for hunting. With the ability to throw tools, they didn't have to run for hours chasing animals just to feed, with spears, they were able to conserve energy and make more killings.
To make life better and easier, around the 3rd millennium BCE we began to domesticate horses but that wasn't all because we began to use the horses for a lot of things including transportation like the Horse Drawn Chariot in the Middle East and Asia. These chariots were used for a lot of things including carriage and warfare which made a lot of things easier.
Another tool that we have been using for many years which archeologists claim to be about 64,000 years ago is the bow and arrow. Humans created this for hunting but over time, different people from different regions began to create different variations such as composite bows made from animal bones, wood, and sinew. A lot of physics was considered during the creation of the different types of arrows to help conserve energy for the Archer and pack momentum into the arrow being shot.
In the history of humans, we have seen how simple and complex physics has helped us live and survive to date. From using simple stones to complex machines, we have shifted a little from completely relying on natural selection to shaping our longevity and survival.
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