From Stone flakes to the Bow and Arrow. How Stone Age weapons innovation shaped humanity and triggered global extinction events. Three million years ago, we were semi-hairless apes hiding from lions. Today we're the apex predator of planet Earth.This episode traces the entire weapons journey through Ancient History; sharp rocks, hand axes, spears, atlatls, and bows and arrows.Learn how we became humans we know today as we outsourced biology to technology, trading muscle for tools, brute force for precision. We also changed socially as values of teamwork, trust and intelligence forged the mental models that would build civilization and transformed humanity forever.Key takeaways:Technology and humans co-evolved - every tool invention was matched by physical, intellectual, and social updatesMarginal advantages compound into existential differences over time - other hominids were wiped out as only sapiens remainedWisdom takes time to catch up with out powerDiscover how ancient innovation patterns still shape the future of technology today.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time.Written, edited, recorded, produced by Sam Webster Harris.Website: ChangeTheWorldPod.comPatreon: Patreon.com/ChangeTheWorldPodHelp from:👩‍🎨 Design - Francisca Correia (available to hire)🧙‍♂️ Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (available to hire)BOOKSThe Human Story - Robin DunbarHow humans evolved away from apes and developed tools.Stone Tools in Human Evolution - John J. SheaHow our stone tools evolved over 3 millions years.CHAPTERS00:00 Magical Powers02:10 Introduction to Stone Age Weapons04:28 1 - THE OLDOWAN FLAKE (~3 MYA)07:07 Evolution feedback loop08:18 Human obsession with time saving09:08 Status flexing10:01 2 - ACHEULEAN HAND AXE (~1.7MYA)10:55 Why did we care about beauty?12:08 Status games13:00 Brain growth and imagination14:40 3 - SWEAT AND PERSISTENCE HUNTING (~1.5MYA)17:59 4 - HAFTED SPEARS (~500,000BC)20:52 Steps to make a Hafted Spear22:24 Co evolution of shoulder throwing23:37 Teamwork and language co-evolution24:47 Leadership qualities26:06 5 - ATLATL / SPEAR LAUNCHER (~100,000-50,000BC)28:40 How an Atlatl works30:12 Accuracy over strength30:30 Timeline of Atlatl development31:15 6 - BOW AND ARROW (~64,000BC)33:06 How to make a bow and arrow34:33 The First great invention?35:50 Yes my sister shot the headmaster...36:40 Hunting with archery38:55 Evolution compared to Neanderthals41:30 HUMANITY - THE GREAT FILTER42:18 Australian Extinction event43:34 Europe - Neanderthal Extinction44:46 The Conquest of America - Pleistocene Blitzkrieg46:11 The Rise of Human Conflict47:58 MODERN LESSONS AND FUTURE WEAPONS49:07 Algorithms51:58 Supply Chains52:55 Cognitive Warfare54:13 Teamwork56:02 ROUNDUP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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