How the ability to make stone cutting tools helped homo habilis?

Answer 1

Man had to get smart to survive. Man did not have strong claws to help them fight. They could not outrun early tigers or cave lions. The Homo habilis man is credited with inventing stone tools to help live more comfortably, and to better protect themselves against the many carnivore (meat eating) animals of the time.

These tools are very simple, and comprise a core, the scarred center of rock that results from the obsidian. These cores, while simple, had sharp, cutting edges, and could be used for many purposes. Tool making allowed more efficiency in obtaining meat for their diets and once fire was discovered, more advanced tools were made and it was possible to cook meat and vegetables, which allowed for the body to obtain the nutrients more efficiently from the food.

In addition, the reliance on tools increased as the implements became more useful. By 400,000 years ago, major Homo erectus sites commonly had tens of thousands of stone tools. There are two main categories of tools in the Old wan tradition. There were stone cobbles with several flakes knocked off usually at one end by heavy blows from another rock used as a hammer.

This produced a jagged tool that fit easily in the hand. These core tools most likely functioned as hammering, chopping or digging implements. Probably the most important tools were sharp-edged stone flakes produced in the process of making the core tools. The simple flake tools were used without further modification as knives.