We begin with technological progression. Bipedalism allowed early hominin to carry an object to maintain a physical distance between them and predators. This had more survival value than fearsome canine teeth or great speed of foot.
2.5ma ago, Hominins then discovered the use of stone tools. This allowed Hominins the ability to engage in large animal scavenging.
2ma ago, the toolmakers begun to hunt prime adult animals. After trotting after animals for a sustained period of time, hominins could then tire it out and eventually earn themselves a meal. This was accompanied with a marked increase in brain size.
1.5ma ago, the hand axe was invented. 200,000-300,000 years ago, modern levels of brain size had been reached.
Fire was also controlled and projectile points could be hardened. This also allowed for hominins (physiologically tropical) to move to cold regions and they also started using animal skins for clothing. Fire also allowed for cooking. Cooked food requires less chewing and this converted middle-Pleistocene faces into its 'modern' form slowly over time.
String-based techniques for game acquisition meant that it was no longer essential to have the levels of muscular and skeletal robustness of previous hominin forms. String-based techniques also gave hominins the ability to catch more game much easier.
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