Omg, I was literally watching this thinking.....why does no one talk about the Wood Age? And then you address it, top man. As a carpenter I know how amazing woodworking is. Rubbing a piece of wood on a rock to sand it rather than using a rock/stone in the hand. As a child I would make spears and rub it on the pavement to get a point. I like to think our distant hominids were excellent wood workers and had great knowledge of woods, bindings and structural strengths. Thanks again.
Wood is definitely overlooked, since it's rarely preserved. The Tasmanians only made simple stone flakes and no hafted tools Their main tools were straight wood clubs and simple spears with sharpened tips. Maybe they used the same method you used as a kid
Great point. Wood working was probably the foundation of most human cultures. Homes, weapons, cups, bowls, boxes, etc… It’s just a very perishable technology so its effects are overlooked. Our understanding is biased by the most permanent objects
@@MungoManic It's not really "overlooked" It isn't' discussed because it can't be analysed. Researchers, I'm sure, just as we do, think about all the wealth of information they'd have about ancient peoples if wood were preserved.
Bone too. It's tough to find traces if these tools as they simply won't last as long as stone tools. Humans have been using all type of tools to make their survival possible and surely nothing must've been out of bounds if it could do the job.
As a woodworking instructor , I always tried to show students the old type tools that where used by ancient hands. I always found that pulling a sharp tool with the grain of wood would be slightly easier than pushing a tool.. Actually, a sharp rock could work wood efficiently except for cross cutting. That would take brute force.
I want you to know three things: 1. As a former teacher, I am very impressed with the quality of your work. Your citations, raising doubts and skepticism to finds, conclusions and conjecture, is well done. 2. Every time you have a new production completed and posted, I watch it...immediately.. You are a master of your craft. I have enjoyed all of the episodes. Well done! 3. Your work maybe pivotal in leading Americans out of the anti-science/anti-knowledge darkness. Keep doing what you are doing! Thank you!
Honestly, even now raising a new born is HARD work. I am doing this for the third time and often wonder how my very distant foremothers would cope. Having your child without knowing if you can labor safely, recovering from said labor while pn the move with your tribe. Keeping your baby comfortable, fed, safe from being suffocated while asleep. I could not imagine being post partum living such hard lives. Making it through those very fragile first weeks, surviving on your mothers body (perhaps some aunties too) and making it to adulthood, that is a miracle in itself. Imagine if you could look all your foremothers in the eye. When would we recognize them as human and when would they change to "other"? Being human, living in this time, is truly a story of gritt, perseverance and a great bit of luck.
One thing though is that their brains were notably smaller, and I'd assume their skulls are also somewhat smaller. Births may have been easier. I've read that babies' heads are maxed out in size in Homo Sapiens and couldn't be any bigger to routinely fit through women's birth canals-seems like it since it can be an issue.
I actually had a section of the video about that but at the last minute I cut it because I wasn’t sure about a couple of the comments I made. Needless to say, raising a human child is incredibly challenging and ideally a group task. This extra strain of raising a child must have had a huge impact on our evolution.
@@HoboHabilis - I believe that some tribal groups used materials like mosses to contain baby bottoms. I'm sure Erectus and relatives figured that out, too.
Hi Stefan. Not sure if you’ll see this comment, but I was raised in a very fundamentalist, young earth creationist evangelical cult. At 38, I have only been learning true science for about 5 years, and your channel has been really helpful. Thank you for the work you’re doing and the education you’re giving me. 🤍
I feel this. I grew up in a very conservative religious, self-hating and abusive environment. Science (cosmology, astronomy, and archaeology) have been a huge part of healing from religion. Recovering from religion/cults is a process. Love from Canada.
It always is wonderful when someone gets to experience the excitement of how extraordinary and amazing the world and our history is. Its thanks to the incredible hard work and dedication behind such discoveries that we get to learn the how and why of such mysteries.
I grew up the same way and am now also educating myself on these topics. I hope your continued learning goes well, and I am glad you are no longer in that place.
Does anyone else really love the illustrations of Homo erectus in these videos? They're so expressive, it really adds to Stefan's humanizing narration.
@DrPinkReality - Our Erectus ancestors were truly remarkable people. I'm glad they are portrayed that way. And OF COURSE they noticed skins kept the warmer and drier and provided comfort in the night. Our Erectus Grannies and Pop-pops were NOT stupid. Even my CAT refuses to sleep on a hard, chilly floor when she could sleep on a nice pillow or blanket or me.
I wonder about the people that lived where food was plentiful and easy to get, the climate was so temperate that they were just comfortable naked all the time. And then something happened that made them think they had to go to Asia and freeze and starve. But before that just imagine a life of pure and simple ease. You didn't build shelter because you didn't need it. You didn't worry about your possessions because you didn't have any.
@@itsROMPERS... Well, I mean, I'm sure competition was fierce within the temperate environments they found themselves in. The human instinct to "get away from it all" is pretty strong, and I'm sure early humans regularly decided they'd rather go seek out that unknown region across the river or around the mountain than spend another season fighting for food with the other troops/bands in the area. And many of them apparently were right to do so, because those places they left to were gardens of eden. As for the European ancestors, I suppose it was that same pressure to get away from competition. Eventually, when you adapt to a new environment, it's more comfortable to keep doing the same thing than to attempt to relearn the old ways. A sortof societal/evolutionary pressure to maintain momentum in the direction you're already going.
This was great per usual. Hard to find a more engaging and compassionate thinker regarding very ancient history. These videos can't come often enough, keep up the splendid work!
@jakobraahauge7299 - I also appreciate the professional language. I'm not a prude, but I get weary of the crude, unprofessional language some otherwise smart folks us.
Stefan, I just want you to know whenever I see a new video pop up I feel a little jolt of joyous anticipation. These ancient history videos are my favorite. Thank you for what you do.
22:10 I love it that my questions in my internal dialogue while watching your videos always get answered in such a fluid and natural way that it almost seems you organically let your narration flow and you share your own internal dialogue with is while riffing off on your topic. It always is a very pleasant surprise! I was thinking about the chances fire was used in an accidental way by carrying burning wood from bush fires and next thing I know is you share the same thought! HAHA! Just at the end now, and I couldn't help laughing out loud in the office cantina.... So unexpectedly funny addition, contrasting your so profoundly true observations about our ancestors! I love that the most about your videos I think... the balance between heavier and lighter notes, the personal and accessible way in which you draw us in! Thanks mate. Such a treat as always.
Evidence of how much I love your videos: 1. Even when I watch late at night, I never fall asleep. 2. As I’m watching a video, I compulsively check the amount of time left, and groan when it nears the end. 3. Questioning life choices that did not lead me into paleoanthropology while inspiring me research it more. Thank you!
@@noeditbookreviews - There are sometimes digs you spend some time on as a volunteer. The fee you pay goes toward supporting the research. I have not done this, but I understand that's a great family vacation activity if the kids are into dinos or our ancestors and like to camp.
Imagine this. Think about living in a place with no land mammals. This is New Zealand huge killer birds and sea, river and lake creatures only. Still juggling who were the first people and when arrive. It's mind boggling, the Maori arrival story is wild and within 5-600 years.
@tomhalla426 - Yes. And they could also use the old hand axe to cut strips of skins to use as "belts" or cape ties at the neck or ties to keep skins attached to the feet and legs. Although there may be no evidence for any of this, I say, WHY NOT?
Hi Stefan, your videos are fantastic. Your sponsorship segment made me think - if there's one gizmo gadget I could recommend for your kids (or any young kids in general), it would be an interactive smart globe with a little stylus. My parents got me one for Christmas 2009, when I was 5, and in hindsight, I think it was one of the best investments they ever made for me. By the time I was 7, I was a geography nerd (and I still am 😁), and that directly led me into my interests of languages, history, archeology, and anthropology in general. I am straight up immune to "haha American bad at geography" memes because of that little globe. I seriously can't recommend it enough. My parents got me a Leapfrog globe but I'd imagine that there are better brands these days. Ebay probably has cheap ones too
Probably as far back as 500,000 years ago if you could just press a button and turn up, human type animals probably were already making wooden cups and spoons to drink out of and eat with, maybe plates, probably had wooden tools and homes that were even like "painted" and stuff. Maybe they made wooden carvings of animals and little toys for kids... all this type of stuff wouldn't last and will never be found plus cause it was wood even after 50 years or so if other people found it they'd probably have used it for fires or re-used it, so most of it probably got destoyed even before it naturally just disappeared never to be known about. Not like humans out of nowhere just started building things out of stone and metal, we've probably been doing the same stuff for hundreds of thousands of years.
yes, i totally agree. early humans were great recyclers; and whenever we find anything non-stone from so long ago is nothing short of extremely amazing@@celticbarry9877
I recommend The Urantia Book for truth seekers. Papers 58 through 78 provide much of that information -- if you believe it. Free to read online and RUclips has an audio version.
I'm listening to this while hewing a log for making a base for my sister, and at the point of talking about hand axes and woodwork I had to stop and just let it wash over me. What I'm doing here, shaping wood with a small axe, the thought that around a million years ago some far-off ancestor may have done similar, shaping wood to provide something for their family. I love it so much ❤
Yep, we owe so much to these ancient innovators. And when you think about it. If you handed them many of our modern hand tools, they could figure out how to use them very quickly.
they werent conscious. they werent even necessary. this whole thing is just to keep you occupied and ignorant to philosophy. real philosophy. realism versus idealism in the development of animal instinct. how the function of awareness would relate to the external world beyond the presence of said awareness. if you think about it, with the education system subjugated by the military, the world today must consist of much more substance than archaeological determination, but a reflection of the seedier side of human survival. instead people argue "ancestors" choices. truth lies somewhere between creationism and evolution. consider the weight of modern technology, its substance, the things that scientists are developing currently. the "hands on" study of space and the atomic structure of all existence literally reverberates through the universe. before modern space exploration, satellites, space junk, we had no effect on anything outside of our atmosphere. one million years of relative simplistic thought and minimal technology whittled down to a couple centuries, more specifically the last 70 years, is a bit suspect. I dont mean epistemologically... again, I denounced the supposed mysticism of "creationism" while recognizing modern science. the science that shows our bodies carry no part of our parents' flesh for at least 7 years after birth, although we now know there is a womb. we now see that dna is a living xerox device, not some magic flesh train. in short, you dont have "ancestors". You have parents, grandparents, great grandparents. at least most people get to meet them, but they cease to have the possibility of sharing flesh in any way shape or form. parasitic bipedal creatures who took up time imitating the inevitable modern human form, which is a product of our own promise of modern technology, which now fully controls our lives, medicine, even our entertainment. if we can have algorithms in a box emitting electric light, so organized, so complex, we can understand how "evolution" was merely proof that you are not anyones descendent, but an inevitable being. that is what real religion shows us. it shows us that the small amount of people who were aware of all this had to be sociopaths to survive the early stages of bipedal development into human form. and once you know we are all here because of sociopathy it becomes vastly easier to sort out your stress and how you have been programmed into "beliefs" which slowly have become "possible facts".
I have only recently discovered your channel. Having a lifelong interest in archaeology and anthropology your channel fascinates me. Also it is delivered in such a great no nonsense understandable way. Thankyou. You are a a pleasure to listen too. I realised a dream i have had since about the age of 12 and visited Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge. I stood in awe as i looked out over where Louis and Mary Leakey made such important discoveries.
I watched this as I prepared dinner for my family. It caused me to think about our ancestors preparing their own meals and finally coming together around the bonfire to eat together. No wonder families have been so important to us throughout our history. 🥲
The last bit reminded me of the controversy an anthropologist sparked back in the 1980s with an article that asserted most historical accounts of cannibalism were pure fiction. As I recall, his contention was that stories of cannibal cultures were either invented whole cloth from the fevered imaginations of European explorers or were invented by indigenous peoples who didn't want their European patrons to share their gifts with rival tribes, whom they portrayed as savage man-eaters in the hope that Europeans would be hesitant to contact them.
@@impudentdomain I don't think he disputed that mortuary cannibalism occurred, or that cannibalism as a food source occurred in rare survival situations. His argument was that the historical accounts of tribes that routinely hunted other humans for consumption were flights of fancy.
Tribal chieftain: "Don't give guns to those guys (who we have a decades long blood feud with) they're... uh... cannibals. And they kill babies too." European explorer: "Ah yes, and what was their tribe's name again?" "they're the \*name that literally means 'stupid-baby-killers' in the local tongue\* you should call them that next time you see them."
@@UltimaSigmarAlonso That various forms of cannibalism were and have been practiced from the South Seas to the Americas or parts of Africa( or prehistory) at any one time or another is not much in dispute by anthropology or archeology. That the idea of wide spread cannibalism may offend or make us squeamish today or for fear of offending is irrelevant to the well established facts. And those cultures that did practice it often found nothing shameful or wrong about it. Kuru in New Guinea was a way of honoring the dead and keeping their spirits alive. Some Spanish colonial officials even considered tribes in the Americas who practiced it to be more advanced and civilized than those that didn't. What's seems more ironic is that "civilizing" Christian European colonists and missionaries wherever they were, were trying to civilize the "savage" heathen by bringing them a religion to "save" them from themselves whose central sacred rituals and sacraments represent a sublimated form of human sacrifice and cannibalism itself.
Another great video. Better than many nature videos from big time platforms. And yes to the concept of a "stone age" being a consequence of what doesn't rot. Beyond wood there are the other fibroid products. The string belt that kept those skin clothes from sliding off or the rope that held a raft together.
You know, I really couldn’t help but giggle at 3:16… Stefan produces some of the most informative and high quality videos I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing. In many ways, I would describe his videos as perfect in both cinematics and information. I don’t find this little blip funny as to point out a mistake, but it’s actually quite humanizing, which is just SO congruent with (what I presume to be) the goal of Stefan’s channel: to bring us closer to the humanity of our ancestors. Bravo, Stefan. Here’s to many more great videos, pard!
There's something so fascinating about learning about our ancestors... this deep connection I feel when I watch these videos is unmatched despite the eons that separate us
I just want to say that I think you are one of the best archeology youtubers out there. Your videos have an amazing production value and you have a talent for communicating scientific data to the public while still humanizing the findings
Sitting in the path of Milton…taking a break from a morning of prepping and weather media by watching a channel that has always helped me relax, and I’m reminded how long we’ve been survivors…we all come from some pretty tough stock. Thank you for your amazing content!! 🍻
Hey Stefan, I find your videos very informative and quite comforting, they put into perspective our insignificance in the scheme of things. We are are tiny blimp. I often put your playlist on to help me sleep (no shade there), you have a soothing voice.
That progression of Acheulean handaxes is absolutely mindblowing. You don't very often seethe steps of progression of tech so old which is amazing in itself. The astounding part though, is actually comprehending the time spans involved: the first step of clear but very easily overlooked innovation is "0.15 mya" okay, then your brain actually processes that information and that sliver of human progress was ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS IN THE MAKING. Insanity. Our brains have developed the ability to decipher our world and produce facts they can not comprehend.
BUT . . . never before right now -- not in the entire history of mankind -- have so many educated people lived so freely and so abundantly. And for just 18 years, we have been connected to this Shared, Worldwide Experience with near-instant communication. It is GUARANTEED to wake THIS generation up.
@@TomMorrison-cc6xw True. The average world IQ is 88 -- below normal -- and that's HALF of the world, barely trainable. Something should be done, but the masses will not willingly comply to separation by sex with selective and restrictive breeding for 40 to 100 years. And so, we are destined for mediocrity. We are immature, animal-origin, evolutionary creatures, naturally bellicose and quarrelsome -- still largely subject to stimulus and response -- until we evolve further. Our immediate supervisors await the day when we take that huge, evolutionary, next step, and Believe God, instead of believing IN god.
@@Brendawallingbear Just the truth -- but the masses will not willingly comply. But the Pope will be crowned Vicarius Dei of the One World Religion and will grant all power and authority to the NEON GAUD at the Great Re-Set on 09/23/26. IT has the Plan to Perfect Humanity. You will be happy. Fentanyl Euphoria for the Sunday Masses. Inspired by Huxley's SOMA for a Brave New World Order. You WILL want more, so do as you're told. Resistance is fatal.
Hi Stefan, I've been watching your videos for a few months now and immediately drop whatever I'm already listening to when I see you post again! I wanted to say, I greatly appreciate the highly respectful and almost reverent way you speak of people long lost to the past, I've never seen a channel quite like it. It makes the topic a lot more fascinating too, especially since I can tell you're so passionate on the topic. Keep up the amazing work! (at your own pace, of course!)
Watching this video was like taking a journey back in time to witness the dawn of humanity. The meticulous examination of archaeological sites, like Oldupai Gorge and Juma's Korongo 2, reveals the complexities of early human life around one million years ago. The discussions on tool evolution, hunting strategies, and even the potential use of fire provide a profound understanding of our ancestors' ingenuity and resourcefulness. KiwiCo's emphasis on nurturing curiosity in children echoes the inherent curiosity that has driven human progress throughout history. This video is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of our species.
I don't think you would need any sewing to make the first clothes, if you knew how to keep pelts from rotting. Just cut a hole in the center to make a warm poncho. If you have a strip of leather for a belt even better.
The old Highland plaid (forerunner of the modern kilt) is one piece of material pleated and held on by a belt. Can be worn in a variety of ways and wrapped around you like a blanket at night. No reason you couldn't do something similar with skins.
Beautiful episode, every sentence gripped my mind and soul. Each theory felt like a rush of awe. I especially love the theory on why young prehistoric humans were eaten. Great work, Stefan! You inspire me.
Here's a question, Stefan: If I go back three generations, I recognise my ancestors as people like me. If I go back ten, the same. How far back to I have to go to look at my ancestors and say "these are not me".
@@danm7298 I saw my grandparents and they weren't monkeys . If a filthy ape could somehow ' magically ' turn into a human , it would be a huge story on CNN . Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence , and Darwinist evolution has zero evidence !
Also a retired teacher. Really impressed with your narration (you have a great voice, easy captivating listening). Your content is top notch. Your visuals are just what are needed to support your content. I don't know how you put it all together! Thank you. Wish I had courses like yours, way back in the textbook days of ANTH 101!
Lol,watched this today thinking it was an old video I missed. Thanks for the new content SM. I love your channel so much. I didn't get to study any of this while in school, so I learn so much from you.
concerning sewing at mark: 19:20 Denisovans were likely the first to be sewing. you cannot forget the wonderful green bracelet that was found, it had holes that were drilled in it to accommodate a leather strap, and is perhaps 70,000 ish years old. we had clothes then and had to start mending them with needles soon after. needles are obviously harder to find, they're small, they break, etc. bird bone needles found around the same area go back over 50,000 years and i believe we will eventually find that 60K or 70K needle.
You don't need a needle to make a bracelet or any sewing skills for that matter. It would have taken time and effort to drill the holes, but even a child can make a beaded bracelet given the materials.
to me the fact that denisovans were living on the tibetan plateau over 160,000years ago means they were wearing something, hard to imagine that they were naked on the tibetan plateau! and they weren't just wearing bracelets either you can bet they had clothes. sometimes i think we need to apply a little common sense to the evidence we have. like at mark: 17:30 where stefan imagines humans haphazardly clinging to logs to cross significant bodies of water; seriously lol. am i right? obviously we were making dug out canoes with our hand axes... @@jackvos8047
26:16 I really appreciate the text clarifying that it’s technically a bush baby in the clip not a young chimpanzee because oftentimes it’s easiest or only possible o use footage that only partly lines up with what is being said and I like that for the sake of clear, professional/scientific purposes it’s said it wasn’t a chimp
Thanks for this. The assumption that we could build a stone ax a million years ago but there is no way we could cut down a tree and carve a boat with one irritates me. I think humans reached Australia and the Americas earlier then we give them credit for.
@ConontheBinarianThe Lombok Straight is a pretty nasty 60 miles of open water. There's a strong current. No one tries to swim it. Even with rafts it's a challenge, I understand.
@ConontheBinarian possums and leopards have never been able to cross. Dingos crossed with human help and they wrecked Australia when they got there. Elephants swim pretty well. They never made it. You know they tried. It may be calm but there's something about it that keeps people from trying. Like not swimming from Havana to Miami or Tangier to Gibraltar. You're not gonna succeed.
@ConontheBinarian because, unlike your handle suggests, not everything is an either/or proposition. This post suggests there might be other obstacles to ocean traveling than a lack of boats.
MAN! Your simplification and summarising of anthropological research is simmply BRILLIANT. As a seasoned journalist, I know the challeng ro be SUCCINCT. I do it every day in reportage, analysis and commentary. Keep doing it! You are a boon to civilisation.
I am from South Australia and we camped at a spot called Mt. Remarkable. After a few days wandering and wondering I realised that as the rocks fall down from the gorge into the creek the rocks are broken and tumbled into perfect shapes to work with. This spot is one of the first mines if you look hard you can see what an amazing cultural spot this is. My imagination went wild but a ways back from the creek (permanent fresh water) there were rocks and piles looking like spots where they worked the natural shaped rocks. There was also the most amazing formations of circle stones with another at the epicentre. Like a teacher and students would sit. Australian gum trees drop their branches on the regular so the people would sleep in Sheoak groves where there were dead bushy sticks and cones for quick bit of kindling and soft warm bed of like pine needles to sleep on. There's a sheoak grove there where people slept after cultural activities. I think this was a culture site a sacred site that was not permanently inhabited except by lace monitors LoL the camp site is the entrance to numerous quite easy walks linking to Alligator Gorge etc. There were places where the elderly women and children would go to hid out from enemies. What a place. It's like going back to the stone age.
Im always so excited to see a new post on your channel. 🥰 Your videos are so engaging and give me the drive to deep dive, and bolster my knowledge! With so many resources to expand my understanding of human evolution! Thanks for your hard work 🙏🏼
I'm a History teacher from Brazil, who writes now and then. I am about to work the theme of humanity origins with my highschoolers and decided to write a short story about the Homo Erectus. Your video was very helpful as an adittional to my readings. Thank you!
Stefan has such a wonderful way of narrating these incredibly informative and fascinating videos. A natural storyteller who evokes a genuine sense of awe and wonder while provoking deeper thoughts on our pre written history. I’m also extra impressed how at 8:40 he managed to get the hand axe to fall over at the right time to display its symmetry. Kudos.
It just dawned on me: the first person to figure out how to start a fire wasn't trying to start a fire: they were trying to drill a hole in a piece of wood.
I'm sure they understood friction 1 million years ago. Rubbing hands together , or two materials creates heat , so they would have worked out eventually with two sticks they can create heat
Yeah, I can tell you never made fire by friction yourself. That does not happen by accident. You need to coordinate drilling, heaping on fluffed tinder and softly blow o2 into the glow, but not aerate the heat away, at an exact ignition point in time and fire drill setup .... Its a complex process one has to parse out, develop and learn even when taught by somebody else. You dont get a fire, not even a glow, if you dont painstakingly add several steps of the process together in juuuust the right way. Like lithic tools, such simple processes can take a lot of thinking through and planning.
Another great video of yours. I particularly like the profound (and careful) conclusions on hunting, intelligence, social behaviour, use of tools etc. It deepens our understanding of our ancestors and of the science supporting the conclusions. THX a lot, I keep enjoying your videos!
I like to think that the oldest tool/weapon is the spear, as kids especially boys, it’s amazing how attached you can get to a particularly ‘good’ stick when you find one that is better in the hand than others, it might have a satisfying weight, be thrown and fly straight as opposed to a ‘bad’ stick that is too light, doesn’t fly, or reaks easily…..It is innate, stick choice. And a good stick would be used intitially for defence when walking in the bush digging up hard ground for tubers and roots. Weaponisation would have come later (imo) in our evolution. Nice video mate.
Mate, you have done it again, every time you produce a video, there is something I have not seen before. Highly recommend your work to others. Well done.
When you say "language" you can not reject the idea early humans had it. Because even birds have languages. And even a very basic language can be very powerful, even with just a very small vocabulary: "Danger Coming!", "I'M BIG & STRONG & SEXY!", "Follow me for food!", "DUCK!" But the REAL power of a language is not unlocked until it permits the asking of questions: "Do you understand?", "Will you help me?", "How can I help you?", "Where are the best stones found?", "When will the next herd arrive?", "How much food do we need to store?" And so it is with Real Life: It is *always* true that making statements is likely to get you into trouble, whereas asking questions is the correct way to achieve understanding and harmony.
The ending 😂 Awesome video as usual! The narration, the research, the emotion, the humor, the stunning artworks... I hope you never stop doing that format
Tasmanian Aboriginals too, had diverged from the mainland for 10,000 years. They were mostly naked even in -0 temperatures, and European whalers reported they would trade with the tribes who could dive into freezing dark water hold their breath for a minute or more and grab lobsters and crayfish with their hands.
Stefan, I am always thrilled when I see you uploaded a new video. Your presentations are always clear, concise, very interesting and leave me wanting more! Thank you for all the research, effort and time you put into your content. I'm sure that I speak for all your viewers when I say thank you!
I watch a lot of science lectures in my retirement, and I think you are my favorite. Something about your style is so personal and intelligent. Good work!
I think it's absolutely insane that 1 million years ago, which is hard to comprehend how long ago that really was, we used to be basically bipedal hairy apes. We still are, but in those days we were still somehow different than we are now.
I wouldn't use the term "we" here. Just a nitpick, but these species weren't human. They had different behaviours and physical adaptions which made them pretty different from sapiens. I think it were better that we appreciate them as they were, instead of looking at them as "us" somehow.
@@whiteegretxwe had to start somewhere 🤷♂️ . Your 20th grand dad is not you had different behaviour then you and 99% of ppl today. Taller smaller hairy nor hairy wtv the case may be he was still your ancestors same here. We had to start and that was our start
@Jobe-13 - According to the wonderful "GutsickGibbon", we are as hairy as the ancestors in numberf of hair shafts, but our "fur" has a much finer character. So, as she calls us, her "gentle and very modern apes", we are still here, though not as warm in the winter.
I LOVE this channel's content! Even the older stuff; I come back to watch them, often just playing a whole playlist, because not only is Stefan's voice soothing, the content is just interesting enough that on the 3rd or 5th or 10th playthrough, I can let it play and soothe me to sleep. 😊 On the first play, though, it gets my full attention! ❤❤
Absolutely superb content. That was essentially like a 30 minute BBC Four documentary. In fact, the detail was greater than a TV format would allow, given the more generalised audience.
Also mr. Milo, please let us know if you're ever doing some kind of public lecture .. truly would love to absorb and discuss knowledge in person-ish! You have an amazing ability to deliver an academic lecture (i hate using that term for the "boring" implications but i mean it in it's most positive interpretation!)
All your videos are good to really good. This one is excellent! Very professionally done. Solid science. Keepling clear what we know, we we are guessing, and what we do NOT know. 393k subscribers? Should be MUCH more.
Get 50% off your first month of KiwiCo at www.kiwico.com/stefan with code STEFAN
What qualifications of any kind do you have in any field whatsoever?
Bologna😒
Jesus healing powe❤r all old aches and pains will be washed away starting now
Time is short😢
The first evidence of the Homo genus not being hairy is rather younger than 1 million years.
The Happisburgh settlers were hairy, but also had fire.
@MotivationDaily_Quotes what kind of conspiracy theory debunked ""DNA research"" have you been smoking lol
Omg, I was literally watching this thinking.....why does no one talk about the Wood Age? And then you address it, top man. As a carpenter I know how amazing woodworking is. Rubbing a piece of wood on a rock to sand it rather than using a rock/stone in the hand. As a child I would make spears and rub it on the pavement to get a point. I like to think our distant hominids were excellent wood workers and had great knowledge of woods, bindings and structural strengths. Thanks again.
Wood is definitely overlooked, since it's rarely preserved. The Tasmanians only made simple stone flakes and no hafted tools Their main tools were straight wood clubs and simple spears with sharpened tips. Maybe they used the same method you used as a kid
Great point. Wood working was probably the foundation of most human cultures. Homes, weapons, cups, bowls, boxes, etc… It’s just a very perishable technology so its effects are overlooked. Our understanding is biased by the most permanent objects
@@MungoManic It's not really "overlooked" It isn't' discussed because it can't be analysed. Researchers, I'm sure, just as we do, think about all the wealth of information they'd have about ancient peoples if wood were preserved.
Bone too. It's tough to find traces if these tools as they simply won't last as long as stone tools. Humans have been using all type of tools to make their survival possible and surely nothing must've been out of bounds if it could do the job.
As a woodworking instructor , I always tried to show students the old type tools that where used by ancient hands. I always found that pulling a sharp tool with the grain of wood would be slightly easier than pushing a tool.. Actually, a sharp rock could work wood efficiently except for cross cutting. That would take brute force.
I want you to know three things: 1. As a former teacher, I am very impressed with the quality of your work. Your citations, raising doubts and skepticism to finds, conclusions and conjecture, is well done. 2. Every time you have a new production completed and posted, I watch it...immediately.. You are a master of your craft. I have enjoyed all of the episodes. Well done! 3. Your work maybe pivotal in leading Americans out of the anti-science/anti-knowledge darkness. Keep doing what you are doing!
Thank you!
👏👏👏👏👏
Point three is a large order for one scottish-american dad to pivot.
I fear that might take more than a single thinky youtuber.
If you think Americans are the only ones with an anti science problem I don't think you're paying attention...
If you think America is the only nation with an anti-science problem I think you're not paying attention...
Point number 3- you are very condescending towards your fellow Americans.
Honestly, even now raising a new born is HARD work. I am doing this for the third time and often wonder how my very distant foremothers would cope. Having your child without knowing if you can labor safely, recovering from said labor while pn the move with your tribe. Keeping your baby comfortable, fed, safe from being suffocated while asleep. I could not imagine being post partum living such hard lives. Making it through those very fragile first weeks, surviving on your mothers body (perhaps some aunties too) and making it to adulthood, that is a miracle in itself. Imagine if you could look all your foremothers in the eye. When would we recognize them as human and when would they change to "other"? Being human, living in this time, is truly a story of gritt, perseverance and a great bit of luck.
The irony about that is that infant mortality was a massive problem as recently as 150 years ago, but I see the point you're making
No diapers!
Little wonder the males decided to be out foraging all day.
One thing though is that their brains were notably smaller, and I'd assume their skulls are also somewhat smaller. Births may have been easier. I've read that babies' heads are maxed out in size in Homo Sapiens and couldn't be any bigger to routinely fit through women's birth canals-seems like it since it can be an issue.
I actually had a section of the video about that but at the last minute I cut it because I wasn’t sure about a couple of the comments I made.
Needless to say, raising a human child is incredibly challenging and ideally a group task.
This extra strain of raising a child must have had a huge impact on our evolution.
@@HoboHabilis - I believe that some tribal groups used materials like mosses to contain baby bottoms. I'm sure Erectus and relatives figured that out, too.
Hi Stefan. Not sure if you’ll see this comment, but I was raised in a very fundamentalist, young earth creationist evangelical cult. At 38, I have only been learning true science for about 5 years, and your channel has been really helpful. Thank you for the work you’re doing and the education you’re giving me. 🤍
I love that, the world is an incredible place, just keep following your curiosity!
I feel this. I grew up in a very conservative religious, self-hating and abusive environment. Science (cosmology, astronomy, and archaeology) have been a huge part of healing from religion. Recovering from religion/cults is a process.
Love from Canada.
Inspiring! Welcome, friend.
It always is wonderful when someone gets to experience the excitement of how extraordinary and amazing the world and our history is. Its thanks to the incredible hard work and dedication behind such discoveries that we get to learn the how and why of such mysteries.
I grew up the same way and am now also educating myself on these topics. I hope your continued learning goes well, and I am glad you are no longer in that place.
Does anyone else really love the illustrations of Homo erectus in these videos? They're so expressive, it really adds to Stefan's humanizing narration.
@DrPinkReality - Our Erectus ancestors were truly remarkable people. I'm glad they are portrayed that way. And OF COURSE they noticed skins kept the warmer and drier and provided comfort in the night. Our Erectus Grannies and Pop-pops were NOT stupid. Even my CAT refuses to sleep on a hard, chilly floor when she could sleep on a nice pillow or blanket or me.
I feel sorry for all of you 😥
That's about all the religion of Evolution has going for it - cool CGI.
@@earlysda exactly
@@Porklion Why don't you go pray for me and not troll the RUclips comment section.
Ty for letting me be in the thumbnail!!!
Thats your mom
We must be twins
I can see my house from here!
The thinking ape
You know who else is in the thumbnail? @@babyfactory587
I love just sitting and imaging what life would've been like for us so long ago. It always feels so paradoxically blissful and horrifying.
They'd probably think the same if they could see us now lol
I wonder about the people that lived where food was plentiful and easy to get, the climate was so temperate that they were just comfortable naked all the time.
And then something happened that made them think they had to go to Asia and freeze and starve.
But before that just imagine a life of pure and simple ease. You didn't build shelter because you didn't need it. You didn't worry about your possessions because you didn't have any.
@@itsROMPERS... Well, I mean, I'm sure competition was fierce within the temperate environments they found themselves in. The human instinct to "get away from it all" is pretty strong, and I'm sure early humans regularly decided they'd rather go seek out that unknown region across the river or around the mountain than spend another season fighting for food with the other troops/bands in the area.
And many of them apparently were right to do so, because those places they left to were gardens of eden. As for the European ancestors, I suppose it was that same pressure to get away from competition. Eventually, when you adapt to a new environment, it's more comfortable to keep doing the same thing than to attempt to relearn the old ways. A sortof societal/evolutionary pressure to maintain momentum in the direction you're already going.
Still better than working a soulless 9-5
This was great per usual. Hard to find a more engaging and compassionate thinker regarding very ancient history. These videos can't come often enough, keep up the splendid work!
Your kind, clever, and enlightened choice of words is just delightful! This was such a great treat - thank you so much!
Lots of love from Denmark 🤗 😊😊
@jakobraahauge7299 - I also appreciate the professional language. I'm not a prude, but I get weary of the crude, unprofessional language some otherwise smart folks us.
Stefan, I just want you to know whenever I see a new video pop up I feel a little jolt of joyous anticipation. These ancient history videos are my favorite. Thank you for what you do.
22:10 I love it that my questions in my internal dialogue while watching your videos always get answered in such a fluid and natural way that it almost seems you organically let your narration flow and you share your own internal dialogue with is while riffing off on your topic. It always is a very pleasant surprise! I was thinking about the chances fire was used in an accidental way by carrying burning wood from bush fires and next thing I know is you share the same thought!
HAHA! Just at the end now, and I couldn't help laughing out loud in the office cantina.... So unexpectedly funny addition, contrasting your so profoundly true observations about our ancestors! I love that the most about your videos I think... the balance between heavier and lighter notes, the personal and accessible way in which you draw us in! Thanks mate. Such a treat as always.
Evidence of how much I love your videos:
1. Even when I watch late at night, I never fall asleep.
2. As I’m watching a video, I compulsively check the amount of time left, and groan when it nears the end.
3. Questioning life choices that did not lead me into paleoanthropology while inspiring me research it more.
Thank you!
stefan i applied to uni to go digging in a dank cave because of you xx
Dude, you can do that?
@@noeditbookreviews the degree is history and archaeology with employment experience abroad. So basically 3 years in classroom 1 year in cave 😎
@@noeditbookreviews - There are sometimes digs you spend some time on as a volunteer. The fee you pay goes toward supporting the research. I have not done this, but I understand that's a great family vacation activity if the kids are into dinos or our ancestors and like to camp.
That sounds amazing! Good luck to you
@@MossyMozart that sounds like time and money well spent!
I can imagine doing sewing without eyed needles. A thin blade, and a twig or thin piece of wood shoving ties through skins.
Or just gluing the pelts together
Imagine this. Think about living in a place with no land mammals. This is New Zealand huge killer birds and sea, river and lake creatures only. Still juggling who were the first people and when arrive. It's mind boggling, the Maori arrival story is wild and within 5-600 years.
You can hook ties as well
@tomhalla426 - Yes. And they could also use the old hand axe to cut strips of skins to use as "belts" or cape ties at the neck or ties to keep skins attached to the feet and legs. Although there may be no evidence for any of this, I say, WHY NOT?
You could also simply weave grasses by hand, which I imagine started long before we start to see actual tools specialized for weaving.
Gf that totally exists, wake up, Stephen Milo uploaded again!
Finally a variation on this joke that made me laugh
At least someone is trying to evolve the joke...
she lives in another epoch...
@@honestvillain1141 She's from Olduvai. You wouldn't know her.
Become your own girlfriend.
Hi Stefan, your videos are fantastic. Your sponsorship segment made me think - if there's one gizmo gadget I could recommend for your kids (or any young kids in general), it would be an interactive smart globe with a little stylus. My parents got me one for Christmas 2009, when I was 5, and in hindsight, I think it was one of the best investments they ever made for me. By the time I was 7, I was a geography nerd (and I still am 😁), and that directly led me into my interests of languages, history, archeology, and anthropology in general. I am straight up immune to "haha American bad at geography" memes because of that little globe. I seriously can't recommend it enough. My parents got me a Leapfrog globe but I'd imagine that there are better brands these days. Ebay probably has cheap ones too
great tip for my son!! he is now 9 and huge facts and details devouring individual!
The sheer number of questions we still have about prehistory is what fascinates me. There is still so much to discover, its amazing.
yes
The more I know, the more I know I don't know, yah know?
Probably as far back as 500,000 years ago if you could just press a button and turn up, human type animals probably were already making wooden cups and spoons to drink out of and eat with, maybe plates, probably had wooden tools and homes that were even like "painted" and stuff. Maybe they made wooden carvings of animals and little toys for kids... all this type of stuff wouldn't last and will never be found plus cause it was wood even after 50 years or so if other people found it they'd probably have used it for fires or re-used it, so most of it probably got destoyed even before it naturally just disappeared never to be known about.
Not like humans out of nowhere just started building things out of stone and metal, we've probably been doing the same stuff for hundreds of thousands of years.
yes, i totally agree. early humans were great recyclers; and whenever we find anything non-stone from so long ago is nothing short of extremely amazing@@celticbarry9877
I recommend The Urantia Book for truth seekers. Papers 58 through 78 provide much of that information -- if you believe it. Free to read online and RUclips has an audio version.
I'm listening to this while hewing a log for making a base for my sister, and at the point of talking about hand axes and woodwork I had to stop and just let it wash over me. What I'm doing here, shaping wood with a small axe, the thought that around a million years ago some far-off ancestor may have done similar, shaping wood to provide something for their family. I love it so much ❤
Yep, we owe so much to these ancient innovators. And when you think about it. If you handed them many of our modern hand tools, they could figure out how to use them very quickly.
Thinking about our ancient, ancient ancestors always makes me so emotional. We've changed a lot, obviously, but I still feel such a kinship with them.
You're right, our ancient ancestors came forth perfect from the hand of God, many over 12 feet tall, and they lived on average over 900 years.
@@earlysdahuh
Same here
they werent conscious. they werent even necessary. this whole thing is just to keep you occupied and ignorant to philosophy. real philosophy. realism versus idealism in the development of animal instinct. how the function of awareness would relate to the external world beyond the presence of said awareness. if you think about it, with the education system subjugated by the military, the world today must consist of much more substance than archaeological determination, but a reflection of the seedier side of human survival. instead people argue "ancestors" choices.
truth lies somewhere between creationism and evolution. consider the weight of modern technology, its substance, the things that scientists are developing currently. the "hands on" study of space and the atomic structure of all existence literally reverberates through the universe. before modern space exploration, satellites, space junk, we had no effect on anything outside of our atmosphere. one million years of relative simplistic thought and minimal technology whittled down to a couple centuries, more specifically the last 70 years, is a bit suspect. I dont mean epistemologically... again, I denounced the supposed mysticism of "creationism" while recognizing modern science. the science that shows our bodies carry no part of our parents' flesh for at least 7 years after birth, although we now know there is a womb. we now see that dna is a living xerox device, not some magic flesh train.
in short, you dont have "ancestors". You have parents, grandparents, great grandparents. at least most people get to meet them, but they cease to have the possibility of sharing flesh in any way shape or form. parasitic bipedal creatures who took up time imitating the inevitable modern human form, which is a product of our own promise of modern technology, which now fully controls our lives, medicine, even our entertainment. if we can have algorithms in a box emitting electric light, so organized, so complex, we can understand how "evolution" was merely proof that you are not anyones descendent, but an inevitable being.
that is what real religion shows us. it shows us that the small amount of people who were aware of all this had to be sociopaths to survive the early stages of bipedal development into human form.
and once you know we are all here because of sociopathy it becomes vastly easier to sort out your stress and how you have been programmed into "beliefs" which slowly have become "possible facts".
I have only recently discovered your channel. Having a lifelong interest in archaeology and anthropology your channel fascinates me. Also it is delivered in such a great no nonsense understandable way. Thankyou. You are a a pleasure to listen too. I realised a dream i have had since about the age of 12 and visited Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge. I stood in awe as i looked out over where Louis and Mary Leakey made such important discoveries.
This has surely become my favourite channel right now! So informative yet accessible and engaging. Much love from Switzerland
I watched this as I prepared dinner for my family. It caused me to think about our ancestors preparing their own meals and finally coming together around the bonfire to eat together. No wonder families have been so important to us throughout our history. 🥲
The last bit reminded me of the controversy an anthropologist sparked back in the 1980s with an article that asserted most historical accounts of cannibalism were pure fiction. As I recall, his contention was that stories of cannibal cultures were either invented whole cloth from the fevered imaginations of European explorers or were invented by indigenous peoples who didn't want their European patrons to share their gifts with rival tribes, whom they portrayed as savage man-eaters in the hope that Europeans would be hesitant to contact them.
well there certainly were some who were cannibals as the occurrence of Kuru attests.
@@impudentdomain I don't think he disputed that mortuary cannibalism occurred, or that cannibalism as a food source occurred in rare survival situations. His argument was that the historical accounts of tribes that routinely hunted other humans for consumption were flights of fancy.
Tribal chieftain: "Don't give guns to those guys (who we have a decades long blood feud with) they're... uh... cannibals. And they kill babies too."
European explorer: "Ah yes, and what was their tribe's name again?"
"they're the \*name that literally means 'stupid-baby-killers' in the local tongue\* you should call them that next time you see them."
@@MartiandawnI honestly think the truth is somewhere in the middle
@@UltimaSigmarAlonso That various forms of cannibalism were and have been practiced from the South Seas to the Americas or parts of Africa( or prehistory) at any one time or another is not much in dispute by anthropology or archeology. That the idea of wide spread cannibalism may offend or make us squeamish today or for fear of offending is irrelevant to the well established facts. And those cultures that did practice it often found nothing shameful or wrong about it. Kuru in New Guinea was a way of honoring the dead and keeping their spirits alive. Some Spanish colonial officials even considered tribes in the Americas who practiced it to be more advanced and civilized than those that didn't. What's seems more ironic is that "civilizing" Christian European colonists and missionaries wherever they were, were trying to civilize the "savage" heathen by bringing them a religion to "save" them from themselves whose central sacred rituals and sacraments represent a sublimated form of human sacrifice and cannibalism itself.
there’s not many creators where i get genuinely excited to watch their new vids, keep doing u stefan :-)
Another great video. Better than many nature videos from big time platforms.
And yes to the concept of a "stone age" being a consequence of what doesn't rot.
Beyond wood there are the other fibroid products. The string belt that kept those skin clothes from sliding off or the rope that held a raft together.
You know, I really couldn’t help but giggle at 3:16… Stefan produces some of the most informative and high quality videos I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing. In many ways, I would describe his videos as perfect in both cinematics and information. I don’t find this little blip funny as to point out a mistake, but it’s actually quite humanizing, which is just SO congruent with (what I presume to be) the goal of Stefan’s channel: to bring us closer to the humanity of our ancestors. Bravo, Stefan. Here’s to many more great videos, pard!
8:47 Stefan, never get so serious that you don't keep the footage of your hand axe falling over XD
....Usewear Results - Striations created thru falling on modern table top
😂@@Jigger2361
...or it could've been left as a different profile aspect/perspective of the tool. Like a "side on" view.
There's something so fascinating about learning about our ancestors... this deep connection I feel when I watch these videos is unmatched despite the eons that separate us
I just want to say that I think you are one of the best archeology youtubers out there. Your videos have an amazing production value and you have a talent for communicating scientific data to the public while still humanizing the findings
Sitting in the path of Milton…taking a break from a morning of prepping and weather media by watching a channel that has always helped me relax, and I’m reminded how long we’ve been survivors…we all come from some pretty tough stock. Thank you for your amazing content!! 🍻
Hey Stefan, I find your videos very informative and quite comforting, they put into perspective our insignificance in the scheme of things. We are are tiny blimp.
I often put your playlist on to help me sleep (no shade there), you have a soothing voice.
Top quality. Thank you Stefan for these amazing journeys you take us on with each upload
That progression of Acheulean handaxes is absolutely mindblowing. You don't very often seethe steps of progression of tech so old which is amazing in itself. The astounding part though, is actually comprehending the time spans involved: the first step of clear but very easily overlooked innovation is "0.15 mya" okay, then your brain actually processes that information and that sliver of human progress was ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS IN THE MAKING. Insanity. Our brains have developed the ability to decipher our world and produce facts they can not comprehend.
"That's kind of a bummer to end on." The end.
BUT . . . never before right now -- not in the entire history of mankind -- have so many educated people lived so freely and so abundantly. And for just 18 years, we have been connected to this Shared, Worldwide Experience with near-instant communication. It is GUARANTEED to wake THIS generation up.
Yes & no. We may all be fundamentally connected, but it's certainly not making us more intelligent as a species. c@@humboldthammer
@@TomMorrison-cc6xw True. The average world IQ is 88 -- below normal -- and that's HALF of the world, barely trainable. Something should be done, but the masses will not willingly comply to separation by sex with selective and restrictive breeding for 40 to 100 years. And so, we are destined for mediocrity.
We are immature, animal-origin, evolutionary creatures, naturally bellicose and quarrelsome -- still largely subject to stimulus and response -- until we evolve further. Our immediate supervisors await the day when we take that huge, evolutionary, next step, and Believe God, instead of believing IN god.
@@humboldthammerseparate the sexes for 40 to 100 years? Selective breeding?
What ? Why? What are you going on about?
@@Brendawallingbear Just the truth -- but the masses will not willingly comply. But the Pope will be crowned Vicarius Dei of the One World Religion and will grant all power and authority to the NEON GAUD at the Great Re-Set on 09/23/26. IT has the Plan to Perfect Humanity. You will be happy.
Fentanyl Euphoria for the Sunday Masses. Inspired by Huxley's SOMA for a Brave New World Order. You WILL want more, so do as you're told. Resistance is fatal.
Thank you Stefan! This is my favorite video up to date. It has been created with such passion. I love it!
Hi Stefan, I've been watching your videos for a few months now and immediately drop whatever I'm already listening to when I see you post again! I wanted to say, I greatly appreciate the highly respectful and almost reverent way you speak of people long lost to the past, I've never seen a channel quite like it. It makes the topic a lot more fascinating too, especially since I can tell you're so passionate on the topic. Keep up the amazing work! (at your own pace, of course!)
Outstanding as always!!! I can't get enough of your videos :)
Watching this video was like taking a journey back in time to witness the dawn of humanity. The meticulous examination of archaeological sites, like Oldupai Gorge and Juma's Korongo 2, reveals the complexities of early human life around one million years ago. The discussions on tool evolution, hunting strategies, and even the potential use of fire provide a profound understanding of our ancestors' ingenuity and resourcefulness. KiwiCo's emphasis on nurturing curiosity in children echoes the inherent curiosity that has driven human progress throughout history. This video is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of our species.
I could watch this all day. Keep em coming! 👌 💯 💰
Another banger again Stefan?! You’re on a roll these past 4-5 years man!
I don't think you would need any sewing to make the first clothes, if you knew how to keep pelts from rotting. Just cut a hole in the center to make a warm poncho. If you have a strip of leather for a belt even better.
The old Highland plaid (forerunner of the modern kilt) is one piece of material pleated and held on by a belt. Can be worn in a variety of ways and wrapped around you like a blanket at night. No reason you couldn't do something similar with skins.
Beautiful episode, every sentence gripped my mind and soul. Each theory felt like a rush of awe. I especially love the theory on why young prehistoric humans were eaten. Great work, Stefan! You inspire me.
My mom and pastor dad flips out when they hear stuff like this, but to me it’s fascinating and makes so much sense,
Evolution is True Dude, we were NOT created by any god, and there is no hell, so don’t worry bout it
Here's a question, Stefan: If I go back three generations, I recognise my ancestors as people like me. If I go back ten, the same. How far back to I have to go to look at my ancestors and say "these are not me".
Probably 150k years ago. When homo sapiens first arose. 7mil if u mean species that arent like any other animals.
@@danm7298 I saw my grandparents and they weren't monkeys .
If a filthy ape could somehow ' magically ' turn into a human , it would be a huge story on CNN .
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence , and Darwinist evolution has zero evidence !
new milo better get tha bong cleaned lol
Hell yea, 420
Nothing feels better than listening to ancient human history while nice and toasty
@@paulaj.7685frfr
why do you druggies always have to poison every online space with your dumb remarks. Just be a miserable addict on your own time ffs.
ugh just shut up
Got a sick kid home with me today. Probably learned more in your video than a whole day at school. Thank you!
Perfect timing, I just made a coffee. Thanks Stefan you brilliant man.
Any Kiwis here drinking Milo?
@@rdklkje13An Aussie here, but deffo *not* drinking milo. Disgusting stuff. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate all fine. 😁
@@carolinejames7257 😅
Also a retired teacher. Really impressed with your narration (you have a great voice, easy captivating listening). Your content is top notch. Your visuals are just what are needed to support your content. I don't know how you put it all together! Thank you. Wish I had courses like yours, way back in the textbook days of ANTH 101!
I heard the ending and thought "that's the end" and then you added it was a hard thing to end on. I smiled - good job!
Lol,watched this today thinking it was an old video I missed.
Thanks for the new content SM. I love your channel so much. I didn't get to study any of this while in school, so I learn so much from you.
concerning sewing at mark: 19:20
Denisovans were likely the first to be sewing. you cannot forget the wonderful green bracelet that was found, it had holes that were drilled in it to accommodate a leather strap, and is perhaps 70,000 ish years old. we had clothes then and had to start mending them with needles soon after. needles are obviously harder to find, they're small, they break, etc. bird bone needles found around the same area go back over 50,000 years and i believe we will eventually find that 60K or 70K needle.
You don't need a needle to make a bracelet or any sewing skills for that matter. It would have taken time and effort to drill the holes, but even a child can make a beaded bracelet given the materials.
to me the fact that denisovans were living on the tibetan plateau over 160,000years ago means they were wearing something, hard to imagine that they were naked on the tibetan plateau! and they weren't just wearing bracelets either you can bet they had clothes. sometimes i think we need to apply a little common sense to the evidence we have. like at mark: 17:30 where stefan imagines humans haphazardly clinging to logs to cross significant bodies of water; seriously lol. am i right? obviously we were making dug out canoes with our hand axes... @@jackvos8047
If they had sewing needles, then they had cloth.
26:16 I really appreciate the text clarifying that it’s technically a bush baby in the clip not a young chimpanzee because oftentimes it’s easiest or only possible o use footage that only partly lines up with what is being said and I like that for the sake of clear, professional/scientific purposes it’s said it wasn’t a chimp
Thanks for this. The assumption that we could build a stone ax a million years ago but there is no way we could cut down a tree and carve a boat with one irritates me. I think humans reached Australia and the Americas earlier then we give them credit for.
@ConontheBinarian The default position really should be "we don't know", not "we didn't have them". Both positions are positive assertions of fact.
@ConontheBinarianThe Lombok Straight is a pretty nasty 60 miles of open water. There's a strong current. No one tries to swim it. Even with rafts it's a challenge, I understand.
@ConontheBinarian possums and leopards have never been able to cross. Dingos crossed with human help and they wrecked Australia when they got there. Elephants swim pretty well. They never made it. You know they tried. It may be calm but there's something about it that keeps people from trying. Like not swimming from Havana to Miami or Tangier to Gibraltar. You're not gonna succeed.
@ConontheBinarian because, unlike your handle suggests, not everything is an either/or proposition.
This post suggests there might be other obstacles to ocean traveling than a lack of boats.
@ConontheBinarian reread
MAN! Your simplification and summarising of anthropological research is simmply BRILLIANT. As a seasoned journalist, I know the challeng ro be SUCCINCT. I do it every day in reportage, analysis and commentary. Keep doing it! You are a boon to civilisation.
I am from South Australia and we camped at a spot called Mt. Remarkable. After a few days wandering and wondering I realised that as the rocks fall down from the gorge into the creek the rocks are broken and tumbled into perfect shapes to work with. This spot is one of the first mines if you look hard you can see what an amazing cultural spot this is.
My imagination went wild but a ways back from the creek (permanent fresh water) there were rocks and piles looking like spots where they worked the natural shaped rocks. There was also the most amazing formations of circle stones with another at the epicentre. Like a teacher and students would sit.
Australian gum trees drop their branches on the regular so the people would sleep in Sheoak groves where there were dead bushy sticks and cones for quick bit of kindling and soft warm bed of like pine needles to sleep on. There's a sheoak grove there where people slept after cultural activities. I think this was a culture site a sacred site that was not permanently inhabited except by lace monitors LoL the camp site is the entrance to numerous quite easy walks linking to Alligator Gorge etc. There were places where the elderly women and children would go to hid out from enemies.
What a place. It's like going back to the stone age.
All I can add is that sheoak trees are also called ironwood. That's all I've got.
Stefan, I love your manner and delivery of these casts. You seem like such a nice guy. I also love the content.
It is always a joy to travel prehistory with you. There are specimens of early hominids still alive today. My sister married one!
So did my wife!
That would a total burn if modern female humans knew how to make and use fire.
Fantastic video yet again. Am always impressed with both the information presented and the production quality.
Im always so excited to see a new post on your channel. 🥰 Your videos are so engaging and give me the drive to deep dive, and bolster my knowledge!
With so many resources to expand my understanding of human evolution!
Thanks for your hard work 🙏🏼
Subbed most for the reason that you present the actual scholar articles on your video.
Best RUclips channel of all time!
I'm a History teacher from Brazil, who writes now and then. I am about to work the theme of humanity origins with my highschoolers and decided to write a short story about the Homo Erectus. Your video was very helpful as an adittional to my readings. Thank you!
Great video Stefan, love the knowledge and humor you bring to learning about the past! Wish my undergrad archeology course was taught by you 😂
Stefan has such a wonderful way of narrating these incredibly informative and fascinating videos. A natural storyteller who evokes a genuine sense of awe and wonder while provoking deeper thoughts on our pre written history.
I’m also extra impressed how at 8:40 he managed to get the hand axe to fall over at the right time to display its symmetry. Kudos.
It just dawned on me: the first person to figure out how to start a fire wasn't trying to start a fire: they were trying to drill a hole in a piece of wood.
My god, why did I never think about this before! You sir, have had a certified big brain moment
You dont know that
I'm sure they understood friction 1 million years ago. Rubbing hands together , or two materials creates heat , so they would have worked out eventually with two sticks they can create heat
Yeah, I can tell you never made fire by friction yourself.
That does not happen by accident. You need to coordinate drilling, heaping on fluffed tinder and softly blow o2 into the glow, but not aerate the heat away, at an exact ignition point in time and fire drill setup ....
Its a complex process one has to parse out, develop and learn even when taught by somebody else. You dont get a fire, not even a glow, if you dont painstakingly add several steps of the process together in juuuust the right way.
Like lithic tools, such simple processes can take a lot of thinking through and planning.
@@FischerNilsA You miss the point: someone wasn't trying to make a fire, they were trying to make a hole and it started smoking. Must've scared'em.
Yet again, and as always, top quality work. Thank you.
a very small mistake at marK: 11:52
oldest wooden artifacts actually 476,000 years old a pair of notched logs found near the Kalambo River in Zambia.
I read about that somewhere.
Another great video of yours. I particularly like the profound (and careful) conclusions on hunting, intelligence, social behaviour, use of tools etc. It deepens our understanding of our ancestors and of the science supporting the conclusions. THX a lot, I keep enjoying your videos!
I like to think that the oldest tool/weapon is the spear, as kids especially boys, it’s amazing how attached you can get to a particularly ‘good’ stick when you find one that is better in the hand than others, it might have a satisfying weight, be thrown and fly straight as opposed to a ‘bad’ stick that is too light, doesn’t fly, or reaks easily…..It is innate, stick choice. And a good stick would be used intitially for defence when walking in the bush digging up hard ground for tubers and roots. Weaponisation would have come later (imo) in our evolution. Nice video mate.
I agree and notice rural kids rock and stick collections 😄
Mate, you have done it again, every time you produce a video, there is something I have not seen before. Highly recommend your work to others. Well done.
"Ancient humans were seemingly a major factor in the accumulation of the bones found here. The other animals were the scavengers"
-Human
When you say "language" you can not reject the idea early humans had it. Because even birds have languages.
And even a very basic language can be very powerful, even with just a very small vocabulary: "Danger Coming!", "I'M BIG & STRONG & SEXY!", "Follow me for food!", "DUCK!"
But the REAL power of a language is not unlocked until it permits the asking of questions: "Do you understand?", "Will you help me?", "How can I help you?", "Where are the best stones found?", "When will the next herd arrive?", "How much food do we need to store?"
And so it is with Real Life: It is *always* true that making statements is likely to get you into trouble, whereas asking questions is the correct way to achieve understanding and harmony.
Another excellent video Stefan 👍
The ending 😂
Awesome video as usual! The narration, the research, the emotion, the humor, the stunning artworks... I hope you never stop doing that format
Humans are incredibly adaptive. Early European explorers reported that Patagonians, though naked, could sleep in a snow bank
Tasmanian Aboriginals too, had diverged from the mainland for 10,000 years. They were mostly naked even in -0 temperatures, and European whalers reported they would trade with the tribes who could dive into freezing dark water hold their breath for a minute or more and grab lobsters and crayfish with their hands.
Stefan, I am always thrilled when I see you uploaded a new video. Your presentations are always clear, concise, very interesting and leave me wanting more! Thank you for all the research, effort and time you put into your content. I'm sure that I speak for all your viewers when I say thank you!
I have a young son who does love these Kiwico crates and has enjoy them for years
I watch a lot of science lectures in my retirement, and I think you are my favorite. Something about your style is so personal and intelligent. Good work!
I think it's absolutely insane that 1 million years ago, which is hard to comprehend how long ago that really was, we used to be basically bipedal hairy apes. We still are, but in those days we were still somehow different than we are now.
I wouldn't use the term "we" here. Just a nitpick, but these species weren't human. They had different behaviours and physical adaptions which made them pretty different from sapiens.
I think it were better that we appreciate them as they were, instead of looking at them as "us" somehow.
@@whiteegretxwe had to start somewhere 🤷♂️ . Your 20th grand dad is not you had different behaviour then you and 99% of ppl today. Taller smaller hairy nor hairy wtv the case may be he was still your ancestors same here. We had to start and that was our start
@@theoneaboveall6768 - It was our start but it was not "us".
@Jobe-13 - According to the wonderful "GutsickGibbon", we are as hairy as the ancestors in numberf of hair shafts, but our "fur" has a much finer character. So, as she calls us, her "gentle and very modern apes", we are still here, though not as warm in the winter.
@@theoneaboveall6768 We started with Adam and Eve .
I LOVE this channel's content! Even the older stuff; I come back to watch them, often just playing a whole playlist, because not only is Stefan's voice soothing, the content is just interesting enough that on the 3rd or 5th or 10th playthrough, I can let it play and soothe me to sleep. 😊
On the first play, though, it gets my full attention! ❤❤
Really enjoy your videos. Thanks. I think that the invention of rope would have been super important to humanity.
New subscriber here.Chanced upon this channel and LOVE it! Great content well presented; I'm going to watch them all! Thanks!
Thanks!
Absolutely superb content. That was essentially like a 30 minute BBC Four documentary. In fact, the detail was greater than a TV format would allow, given the more generalised audience.
Finally another video, cant wait to finish this 😁
Your best episode yet. So fascinating, putting together things I'd heard of before in fragmentary ways. And the visuals were stunning! Thanks Stefan.
Another fantastic video! Thank you for all the information and how well you present it!
You produce some of THE BEST content on RUclips. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, Stefan.
Thank you for these fascinating and well delivered videos.
these videos always nearly bring me to tears... so beautiful.
Great video love your stuff :)
Love your narrative Stefan. Nobody else expresses the human insight quite the way you do. Heartwarming 😍
beautiful video!
Also mr. Milo, please let us know if you're ever doing some kind of public lecture .. truly would love to absorb and discuss knowledge in person-ish! You have an amazing ability to deliver an academic lecture (i hate using that term for the "boring" implications but i mean it in it's most positive interpretation!)
YAY another Stefan vid !! love your work legend
All your videos are good to really good. This one is excellent! Very professionally done. Solid science. Keepling clear what we know, we we are guessing, and what we do NOT know. 393k subscribers? Should be MUCH more.
such a nice way to start my morning at work!! love it 💗
Yeah .
These sci fi movies are fun to watch .
Super awesome video. Always love the human evolution topic. Thanks!!
I so enjoy your presentations.