<p>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.</p><br><p>This episode traces the entire weapons journey through Ancient History; sharp rocks, hand axes, spears, atlatls, and bows and arrows.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Key takeaways:</p><ul><li>Technology and humans co-evolved - every tool invention was matched by physical, intellectual, and social updates</li><li>Marginal advantages compound into existential differences over time - other hominids were wiped out as only sapiens remained</li><li>Wisdom takes time to catch up with out power</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Discover how ancient innovation patterns still shape the future of technology today.</p><br><p><br></p><p>ABOUT</p><br><p>How 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.</p><br><p>Written, edited, recorded, produced by Sam Webster Harris.</p><br><p>Website: <a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/change-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ChangeTheWorldPod.com</a></p><br><p>Patreon:<strong> </strong><a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/Patreon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patreon.com/ChangeTheWorldPod</a></p><br><p>Help from:</p><p>👩‍🎨 Design - Francisca Correia (<a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/FranciscaLI" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available to hire</a>)</p><p>🧙‍♂️ Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (<a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/Jeremy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available to hire</a>)</p><br><p><br></p><p>BOOKS</p><p><a href="https://iGmlPi.short.gy/Dunbar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Human Story - Robin Dunbar</a></p><p>How humans evolved away from apes and developed tools.</p><br><p><a href="https://iGmlPi.short.gy/Stone-tools" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stone Tools in Human Evolution - John J. Shea</a></p><p>How our stone tools evolved over 3 millions years.</p><br><p><br></p><p>CHAPTERS</p><p>00:00&nbsp;Magical Powers</p><p>02:10 Introduction to Stone Age Weapons</p><p>04:28 1 - THE OLDOWAN FLAKE (~3 MYA)</p><p>07:07 Evolution feedback loop</p><p>08:18 Human obsession with time saving</p><p>09:08 Status flexing</p><p>10:01 2 - ACHEULEAN HAND AXE (~1.7MYA)</p><p>10:55 Why did we care about beauty?</p><p>12:08 Status games</p><p>13:00 Brain growth and imagination</p><p>14:40 3 - SWEAT AND PERSISTENCE HUNTING (~1.5MYA)</p><p>17:59 4 - HAFTED SPEARS (~500,000BC)</p><p>20:52 Steps to make a Hafted Spear</p><p>22:24 Co evolution of shoulder throwing</p><p>23:37 Teamwork and language co-evolution</p><p>24:47 Leadership qualities</p><p>26:06 5 - ATLATL / SPEAR LAUNCHER (~100,000-50,000BC)</p><p>28:40 How an Atlatl works</p><p>30:12 Accuracy over strength</p><p>30:30 Timeline of Atlatl development</p><p>31:15 6 - BOW AND ARROW (~64,000BC)</p><p>33:06 How to make a bow and arrow</p><p>34:33 The First great invention?</p><p>35:50 Yes my sister shot the headmaster...</p><p>36:40 Hunting with archery</p><p>38:55 Evolution compared to Neanderthals</p><p>41:30 HUMANITY - THE GREAT FILTER</p><p>42:18 Australian Extinction event</p><p>43:34 Europe - Neanderthal Extinction</p><p>44:46 The Conquest of America - Pleistocene Blitzkrieg</p><p>46:11 The Rise of Human Conflict</p><p>47:58 MODERN LESSONS AND FUTURE WEAPONS</p><p>49:07 Algorithms</p><p>51:58 Supply Chains</p><p>52:55 Cognitive Warfare</p><p>54:13 Teamwork</p><p>56:02 ROUNDUP</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation

How To Change The World | Sam Webster Harris

[~64,000BCE] - The Bow & Arrow: A Brief History of Stone Age Weapon Technologies and Their Impact on Humanity

OCT 15, 202559 MIN
How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation

[~64,000BCE] - The Bow & Arrow: A Brief History of Stone Age Weapon Technologies and Their Impact on Humanity

OCT 15, 202559 MIN

Description

<p>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.</p><br><p>This episode traces the entire weapons journey through Ancient History; sharp rocks, hand axes, spears, atlatls, and bows and arrows.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>Key takeaways:</p><ul><li>Technology and humans co-evolved - every tool invention was matched by physical, intellectual, and social updates</li><li>Marginal advantages compound into existential differences over time - other hominids were wiped out as only sapiens remained</li><li>Wisdom takes time to catch up with out power</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Discover how ancient innovation patterns still shape the future of technology today.</p><br><p><br></p><p>ABOUT</p><br><p>How 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.</p><br><p>Written, edited, recorded, produced by Sam Webster Harris.</p><br><p>Website: <a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/change-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ChangeTheWorldPod.com</a></p><br><p>Patreon:<strong> </strong><a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/Patreon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patreon.com/ChangeTheWorldPod</a></p><br><p>Help from:</p><p>👩‍🎨 Design - Francisca Correia (<a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/FranciscaLI" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available to hire</a>)</p><p>🧙‍♂️ Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (<a href="https://igmlpi.short.gy/Jeremy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">available to hire</a>)</p><br><p><br></p><p>BOOKS</p><p><a href="https://iGmlPi.short.gy/Dunbar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Human Story - Robin Dunbar</a></p><p>How humans evolved away from apes and developed tools.</p><br><p><a href="https://iGmlPi.short.gy/Stone-tools" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stone Tools in Human Evolution - John J. Shea</a></p><p>How our stone tools evolved over 3 millions years.</p><br><p><br></p><p>CHAPTERS</p><p>00:00&nbsp;Magical Powers</p><p>02:10 Introduction to Stone Age Weapons</p><p>04:28 1 - THE OLDOWAN FLAKE (~3 MYA)</p><p>07:07 Evolution feedback loop</p><p>08:18 Human obsession with time saving</p><p>09:08 Status flexing</p><p>10:01 2 - ACHEULEAN HAND AXE (~1.7MYA)</p><p>10:55 Why did we care about beauty?</p><p>12:08 Status games</p><p>13:00 Brain growth and imagination</p><p>14:40 3 - SWEAT AND PERSISTENCE HUNTING (~1.5MYA)</p><p>17:59 4 - HAFTED SPEARS (~500,000BC)</p><p>20:52 Steps to make a Hafted Spear</p><p>22:24 Co evolution of shoulder throwing</p><p>23:37 Teamwork and language co-evolution</p><p>24:47 Leadership qualities</p><p>26:06 5 - ATLATL / SPEAR LAUNCHER (~100,000-50,000BC)</p><p>28:40 How an Atlatl works</p><p>30:12 Accuracy over strength</p><p>30:30 Timeline of Atlatl development</p><p>31:15 6 - BOW AND ARROW (~64,000BC)</p><p>33:06 How to make a bow and arrow</p><p>34:33 The First great invention?</p><p>35:50 Yes my sister shot the headmaster...</p><p>36:40 Hunting with archery</p><p>38:55 Evolution compared to Neanderthals</p><p>41:30 HUMANITY - THE GREAT FILTER</p><p>42:18 Australian Extinction event</p><p>43:34 Europe - Neanderthal Extinction</p><p>44:46 The Conquest of America - Pleistocene Blitzkrieg</p><p>46:11 The Rise of Human Conflict</p><p>47:58 MODERN LESSONS AND FUTURE WEAPONS</p><p>49:07 Algorithms</p><p>51:58 Supply Chains</p><p>52:55 Cognitive Warfare</p><p>54:13 Teamwork</p><p>56:02 ROUNDUP</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>