eli5, what makes humans so advanced compared to other species on Earth?
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We unlocked a few superpowers in our evolutionary history.
1. Tool use – spears, knives, baskets, etc. this greatly enhanced the physical capabilities of the species. We also had the dexterity to make full use of this, making us as formidable as lions in the savannah and as industrious as birds in building shelter. Corollary to this is we became quite capable of adapting to any habitat, with the aid of cold or warm cloths, footwear, and shelter.
2. Fire – allowed us to outsource digestion. We unlock much more nutrition with cooked food than with raw food, enabling us to direct our calories to other tasks. It also contributed to our ability to adapt to different habitats.
3. Language and community – allowed us to amplify our skills and abilities within a tribe; allowed us to effectively/efficiently pass down our knowledge and wisdom across generations.
The competitive game of evolution is about how well you accrue resources for your species to survive generation after generation. Other organisms for the most part play that game as it’s laid out – fighting for the most minuscule of an edge with each generation. Humans essential cheat at the game with these amplifiers, making us the dominant species on the planet for millennia, and giving us the stability to develop civilization and culture, and later science and technology.
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