[drakythe]

Well, today I learned something! Thanks for the information, I guess I know which rabbit hole I'm going down today.

[throwup238]

Just edited to add two paper citations for the phytoliths and microwear studies. Have fun! It’s a deep rabbit hole largely ignored by popsci publications so there’s lots to explore.

[niwtsol]

As you seem knowledgeable of this topic and it is super interesting, any books you would recommend that gives a good broad overview of all of this?

[drakythe]

Thanks! I'll add them to my reading list for today. Its going to be interesting, I can already tell.

[wil421]

To put it into perspective, we did not invent fire.

[Sharlin]

Well, nobody did, because fire was likely used for tens or hundreds of thousands of years before anyone figured out how to make fire on demand.

[comprev]

So who's the fire starter - the twisted fire starter?

[accidentallfact]

I think a quite unexpected (but more common sense) picture begins to emerge:

1. Language already emerged with early hominins (paranthropus and such).

2. Habilis et al developed toolmaking to a level that carrying stuff around was of critical importance.

3. H. erectus emerged from walking, and brought technology to a "civilized" level.

4. Anything post erectus evolved for civilized society.

5. The destruction of soils in eurasia about 24000 BC

6. The destruction of soils in the Americas about 9500 BC

7. Old metallurgy age.

8. Tin bronze age.

9. Recorded history.