Survival information could include where to find food and water, or where to watch out for a predator. Scientists guess that human language began either as a way to pass on survival information, or as a way to gossip. But for example, ancient homo sapiens would chase a whole herd of animals into tight valleys, where they could easily slaughter them in large numbers. Wolves can hunt, but only using relatively simple strategies. You see, the behavior of most animals is programmed in their DNA. Language allowed humans to create totally new strategies, and let us work together in complex ways. But the language of homo sapiens was on a totally different level. They can make noises to get their mother’s attention or warn their herd of a predator nearby. Many animals communicate to each other in a basic way. (Photo courtesy José-Manuel Benito Álvarez ) And most importantly, homo sapiens began communicating with each other using language. They worshipped religions and traded with each other. They made cave paintings and created sculptures.
During this time, humans began making advanced tools like boats, arrows and sewing needles. Harari calls this The Cognitive Revolution. The Cognitive Revolution made homo sapiens masters of the worldįrom about 70,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago, the mental abilities of homo sapiens jumped past other animals. By about 150,000 years ago, their physical bodies were identical to modern humans.Īlthough the earliest humans were not categorically different than other animals, our incredible brain growth (partly thanks to fire) set the foundation for us to become the complex thinking creatures we are today. After thousands of years of eating cooked food, human jaws and teeth became smaller until they looked like we do today. Cooking also meant we spent far fewer hours chewing and digesting food than other animals. This allowed them to eat new feeds for the first time, like potatoes and grains. About 300,000 years ago, humans started using fire daily. How did humans get all those calories? Through cooking with fire. Early humans had brains 3 times bigger than similarly-sized mammals, while modern humans have brains 6 times bigger.īut those big brains came at a big cost.
What happened to all those other human species? That’s a dark mystery Harari explores a little later.Īll these early humans had far bigger brains than other animals.
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