Humanity 100,000 Years Ago - Life In The Paleolithic

[@jacekmak87]

If you have only two fossils of something how you can know if something lived on 1/4 of continent?

[@StefanMilo]

I do wish I had explained that better. It’s a combination of sites that have evidence for prehistoric activity, but no human remains and human remains whose classifications are being debated.

[@jacekmak87]

@@StefanMilo Hmm, I see. So you basicaly look for similarities between the sites with fossils and the rest of them and that's the marker, right?

[@StefanMilo]

Yeah basically. So for example middle Palaeolithic tools have been found in India and Pakistan but not in association with any fossils. So who made them is up for debate. Especially as Neanderthals, homo sapiens and denisovans made stone tools using the same techniques. In this map I copied another map which thought that denisovans/Asian lineage of homo was responsible but we have to keep an open mind that it could’ve been any of them. Or even more than one of them. People at this time were highly mobile. This map is really a rough guide.

[@dopeyfx1783]

@@StefanMilo There is also the matter of Malaysians having a high percentage of Denisovan DNA but very few others (with exception of the Tibetan people which have a gene that allows them to live at altitude) which suggests as the people who went on to inhabit Melaysia travelled along the coast that Denisovans were widespread across Asia otherwise the Melaysian people would not have bumped into them

[@x98ccj]

@@StefanMilo I recently watched a documentary Of the denisovan find in a cave that had been occupied for 10 s of thousands of years .They were able to create an image of what she would have looked like from a single finger bone using DNA .Seems like a stretch to be able to do that.

[@zakkart]

The topic at the end reminds me of a quote "Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said.”

[@StefanMilo]

That’s a fantastic definition

[@hallamhal]

I always think of the old Homo Erectus specimen with no teeth, the theories I've heard have other people chewing his food for him to keep him alive

[@davideforesti7556]

Other primates do this too... like chimpanzees, not only humans..

[@jakel3138]

This is a good story but I do think it is somewhat inaccurate to say helping someone is where civilisation starts as there are many examples of altruism in other animals. Some quite complex. See here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism_(biology)

[@onandonitgoes5957]

@@hallamhal if people have found grinding stones, they did not need to chew food for someone. I've had a large mortar and pestle. I can personally say that grinding up cereal is possible, but labor intensive. There is no doubt in my mind that a person who doesn't have the ability to help hunt or gather would have time to grind enough cereal for food. It would just suck in combination with the gathering/hulling of the grain. However, when combined with the grandmother hypothesis, it gets more interesting. At that point, Grammy is staying home with the littles while she teaches them skills that need a lot of practice, but don't require a lot of strength. This makes Grammy not only still valuable, but essential for a tribes survival. It teaches the littles necessary but time consuming skills mom and dad wouldn't necessarily have time to teach, in addition to keeping them happy and stimulated while freeing up mom and dad to do more hard work as well as, if you've got particularly precocious littles, actually helping them be productive for the tribe. Heck littles helping Grammy grind up grain, soaking it to make it soft enough for someone toothless to eat, then removing bitterness or mold by throwing it on a rock on top of a fire and accidentally leaving it a bit long was probably how bread happened.

[@Kanzu999]

It's really mind-blowing to me that for most of human history, everyone lived so vastly different from how we live today. The fact that I can even watch this on a monitor and write this comment for everyone to see on the internet. It's crazy stuff.

[@suatchaglan7446]

Most of human history? It’s 99.9% of our time here on Mother Earth we lived the true natural life it was truly better

[@st4r444]

They not different at all if you study you no these people are just descended of ancient egyptians. True black pharaohs and first humans om earth

[@theomaiklem3413]

@@st4r444 what

[@truepeacefromviolence9581]

some of those lost civilization likely had more advanced technology than ours

[@suatchaglan7446]

@@truepeacefromviolence9581 it ain’t just technology it’s knowledge advanced knowledge jus look at the Aztec/Meshika they built that huge island city n were around from 1300s to 1521 they were influenced by the Toltecs n so had advanced knowledge

[@seadog2969]

This stuff is so incredibly fascinating to me. Just think of the eons, literally millennia after millennia after millennia after millennia (and on and on) of human existence of which we have no stories, no idea of their languages or customs, and relatively speaking almost no change from one 10,000 year time period to another. I wish there was a time machine that could give us a peak at these ancient peoples and their cultures. I imagine that there are innumerable amazing true stories that have been totally lost to history.

[@InADarkTavern]

Amazing

[@iankelly6632]

Yeah so no evidence 👍

[@anniefannycharles9951]

@@iankelly6632 ok little evangelist...

[@iankelly6632]

@@anniefannycharles9951 ok little evolutionist 😀

[@InADarkTavern]

@@iankelly6632 fossils and DNA are evidence. There’s also artifacts such as settlements, tools and cooking sites. Not to mention animal bones that were scraped with tools to get their bone marrow. How about footprints, cave paintings, figurines? Coprolite (fecal matter)? Preserved fire residue? Burial sites? Our current biology tells the stories of our past. Our lack of hair allowed us to be able to sweat for temperature regulation in long runs pursuing prey. Our large brains were because of calorie surplus from eating cooked food. Our big toe is parallel to our other toes for long walks. Our pelvis has increased in width to support upright locomotion. Our lack of sexual dimorphism due to pair bonding. We are a wonderful species with a long history, please do not deny our heritage.

[@MudPig6110]

That spoon he’s holding heightens the drama of this video. Was he going for ice cream? Maybe he’s a late night cereal guy. We’ll never know.

[@MrJashuaDavies]

I'm sure someone else could explain it better, but I took it in the context that in Stefan's earliest videos, he was already doing such a professional job of research and editing, but he had a tiny microphone clipped to a plastic spoon, likely to make it easier to hold. His microphone budget has grown but the throwback spoon is an endearing reference to the early videos, maybe a subtle visual "inside joke". I have not seen any explanation in the videos but just put that theory together myself

[@slawssson9447]

it’s a crack spoon 😳⁉️

[@a.jdrawz]

@@slawssson9447but it's plasti.......ohhhh is that the joke?

[@slawssson9447]

@@a.jdrawz the joke was more the prospect that he would even be doing crack lmaoo

[@Kanzu999]

Now I feel ashamed for not noticing at all!

[@AyubuKK]

It’s so easy to forget how alive the Earth was in the prehistoric era. It’s often remembered as a time of wide-open barren landscape with few small remote groups of nomadic cavemen setting up camps. But even from 2,000,000-10,000 years ago the planet was full of humans living in early simple societies with their own unknown cultures, languages, and maybe even religions.

[@varana]

But those aren't mutually exclusive. "Full" of humans is really a relative term, and for all we now, "wide-open landscape with few small remote groups" is still a valid description.

[@thomashiggins9320]

@@MarioPetrinovich History is, by definition, a study of written records. No writing = no history.

[@tortron]

@@varana " "Full" of humans is really a relative term" yeah, only 1 billion world population in the 1920s, i cant imagine how few people that is nowdays, The longest i have gone without seeing any people (including planes or cars in the distance) was 2 days in Patagonia.

[@tonyildelirante6873]

È

[@pyellard3013]

@@thomashiggins9320 But archaeology can reveal history? We know the minoans existed & abt their lifestyle & art but apparently we still can't decipher they script?

[@CaptainTechnical]

"Throwing a tortoise on the fire is probably the closest a person in the Paleolithic could have gotten to fast food." Killer quote Stefan

[@MrZazzles94]

Got to feel bad for tortoises, not just being both delicious and too slow to escape, but also carrying their own cooking pot around with them. They were basically hominid ready meals.

[@BeachsideHank]

@@MrZazzles94 The original MRE'S.

[@jimwoolridge1600]

Tortoise is said to give delicious eating based on the fact that a number of tortoises were shipped live as scientific specimens to England in the 19th century. None of them arrived, they were all eaten in transit.

[@megasbaladoros]

@@MrZazzles94 I don't care about them lazies! If they didn't want to be eaten they should develop ninja skills

[@youtubeaccount5153]

I thought instead of fast food he was going to say they were the first barbecue grill. Poor guys.

[@David-mh2jn]

My father was a copilot of a B-25 Medium Bomber crew that was shot down in the Philippines and completed a water ditch off the coast of Mindoro Island in Luzon. This was a crew of 5, and my dad ended up with two crew members in the care of natives. This was mid 44, not too much before the return of U.S troops and MacArthur. Anyway, My father took myriad pics with on of the cameras he had and developed a close bond with the men who secluded them. The Philippines in total and Luzon specifically were under Japanese control. On a couple occasions, my dad told me a story that he has been told by the locals that had harbored him. I was not born until 62, so these were already old stories when dad gifted them to me. The men had told dad of a small group of strange somewhat un-Asian or even un-Pacific Islander in appearance. The said the group was referred to as The Dumagat by some of the men who talked to my dad. But, my father spoke of a leader there who said the people they had found in 36 or 1937 were not Dumagat at all. He said to my father this is why we still tell the story. Dumagat peoples are not a story, they are here and we see them her at times. He told my father that a hunting party had grabbed a small child of 9 or 10 who had a baboon type protruding brow line and a nose so flat it was nearly just 2 holes. He was incredibly hairy, seemed impossible for a child, with thick hair on his back that looked almost to be a coat of fur. The old man told my father that as we marveled and laughed over this terrified child who grunted and cawed like a bird, a group of 4 creatures emerged from the jungle. They were obviously related as a species to the child because each had the same bone structure and hairy trunk. He said they were all under 5 ft tall and clad in jungle made coverings, but one man, who had an elaborate type hat that appeared to be made of leaves and shells and bones, was completely naked. They stood there in a somewhat threatening posture just staring. He said the child appeared to be crying, but it sounded like the baying of a goat. The naked man took a couple steps toward them and then urinated toward the group of hunters, actually holding his "otin" and aiming at them, and considering they were 20 feet apart, coming bizarrely close. He told my dad they were not frightened and that he had no idea how to take the urinating, since it seemed neither threat nor greeting. He told my dad that he did it as another would sneeze. They motioned the chiled over to the small group and then stood looking at each other for at least a minute or two. He said the naked man then looked about the ground briefly until he found a chicken egg sized stone. He spit on the stone and went to the small little wet puddle where his piss stream had arced to. He bent and planted the rock in the wet spot about midway up the small stone. He blew on it as if he were blowing out a candle, he turned and run in a loping type way past his group, and they followed him in the strange animal type run. He told my dad that they never saw them again but that his grandfather had told him of the ancient tribe that still existed in the jungle. That they had been on the earth for a million years but were only a few now. Everything I write here is true in the sense that this is exactly what my dad told me. I also know that this is for the most part just what my father was told. The way I back that up is that my dad took pictures of the natives that risked their lived to seclude dad and his 2 crew mates. The planes Capt, who was my mom and dad's best man when they had married in Hawaii during a leave, had been turned over to the Japanese by another group of Filipinos. He died in captivity. The 5th crewman, a guy dad called Boston, was never seen or heard from again. As a teenager who was fascinated with history and the war my dad fought, I remember asking him who he thought those people were. His joke was they had mated with the baboons, but he told me in earnest that the islands of the Philippines, over 1,000 of them, have had people of one type or another on them since the dawn of time. He said so who knows when these people come from. And dad did use the word "when." My father took photos of the people who saved his life, and I have all those photos. I have every letter dad sent mom from overseas and have discovered that (Although my dad said he kept and still had a journal while hiding on Luzon, I was never able to locate it after dad's death) he wrote about the 3 months in hiding in several letters, but in one specific letter, dad tells my mom about the old man's story of the "baboon people." Stefan, if you would be interested, I would be glad to share that stuff with you.

[@majorlydifferent771]

Wow

[@Quarrelstick]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ZiireNa]

Post it on your KZbin! Why post all this amazing stuff and leave us no proff. Ugh

[@yurigansmith]

That's a fascinating story!

[@shreyasibasu622]

What a brilliant story, thank you for sharing!

[@MrWizeazz]

“Distant cousins, part time lovers” 😂

[@jmarsh5485]

Is that the the Stevie Wonder B Side?

[@canchero724]

It still holds true today, we're all distant cousins wanting to hump each other.

[@_Mentat]

Given that Neanderthals were nocturnal carnivores five times stronger than humans, I don't think there was any "loving" involved.

[@robertmiller9735]

@@_Mentat Except that what evidence we have indicates it's more likely to have been male sapiens/female neandertal rather than the other way.

[@_Mentat]

@@robertmiller9735 It's bit more complicated. Sapiens mitochondria have been found in Neanderthals from 100 KYA and Neanderthal Y chromosomes in Sapiens from 50 KYA. I image that when Sapiens first entered Europe the Neanderthals ate the males and bred with the females, but fifty thousand years later when Sapiens had the upper hand they killed the last of the male Neanderthals and bred with the females.

[@a88senna]

That final section made them feel so human to me, it really just brought into focus that these ancient peolpes weren't characters in a book we don't know the story to, they lived with struggles and love and a richness that we might not be able to experience, but we can empathise with as part of our shared human experience.

[@TheMongolianMage]

So late right now? It sure is. But if Stefan's determined to finish making this video, then I am determined to watch it!

[@incanusolorin2607]

Am I the only one that’s stupid enough to sometimes forget that people live in different time zones? When I read your comment I was like: “What is he talking about? It’s not late!”

[@tysonclark5974]

Maybe get your 0wn hobby than devoting so much time to a youtube channel

[@TheMongolianMage]

@@tysonclark5974 oh you mean like telling off strangers you know nothing about in online comment sections? Bravo mate. You're a real hero

[@oldcremona]

Stephen’s videos are a pleasure to watch whatever the time of day 🤙

[@MagicVodca]

watching at midnight lol

[@KappaClaus]

I showed my grandmother this video and she was so fascinated by it but her English is rubbish, so I translated this video for her. She really liked it

[@alanb8884]

You're a good grandchild.

[@borisyeltsin6606]

That's awesome! Consider adding your translation as a subtitle to the video

[@MazorKuziaki]

"Getting eaten by a hyena is bad." Thanks, Stefan. I'll jot that down.

[@youtubeaccount5153]

Dude, that is the most underrated comment in the comments section.

[@michaelrunnels7660]

Not for the hyena.

[@johnvennell7311]

Getting nibbled by a Loweena is worse I’m told ,

[@athensmajnoo3661]

@@michaelrunnels7660 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@pterafirma]

Although not _nearly_ as bad as getting laughed at by a hyena.

[@captainkacke1651]

I wish my history teacher back in primary school would've been more comfortable saying "We don't know" more often. Instead, I grew up with 'one truth' on how humans came to be, and it's been hard for my brain to adjust to all of that new information having to realize that what I have been taught were just theories, not truths.

[@maheral-rawashdeh5632]

could you elaborate more? you mean here that maybe, evolution didn't happen, it's just a theory? or you mean where they were located and how much they lived, their features and criteria?

[@captainkacke1651]

@@maheral-rawashdeh5632 I simply meant that my teacher acted like they knew everything about pre-history when they didn't, because there are still just so many things to discover, and theorize is the only thing we can do, since we can't go back and look how it really was. There might be evidence found for life, what they ate, how they mated, but in the end, how it really all happened is just theory. That doesn't mean I don't believe in it, I just wish my teachers would have said "We don't know (yet)" more and comfortably instead of teaching me what information was available at that time acting like that's it. Much of the information has changed since I was educated about pre-history in school and I didn't even know until recently.

[@maheral-rawashdeh5632]

@@captainkacke1651 you are totally right, they should teach students that currently our theories suggests this and that. not do what i am saying and whatever i say is the absolute truth.

[@timcloonan]

oh yes teachers. Nuns in 40s had it all worked out Creation, nothing has changed oh my goodness and they sincerely believed it

[@yottiechick]

Spot on !

[@tompcd1189]

Keep these long-ish videos coming! Absolutely love them!

[@StefanMilo]

Thanks Tom, will do!

[@OG_Zlog]

My god. I love your videos. Your voice, your cadence, the subject and literally every single topic you cover is amazing af. Keep it up, I love what you're doing.

[@roneymcstotts4211]

Having only a 7th grade education with a GED and 71 years of life. I enjoy how you use simple explanations . Have always enjoyed the study of evolution . The smartest people I know of was prehistoric men who figured out how to make fire . I have tried and failed each time . So a caveman is smarter than me . 😍

[@seansullivan7928]

I dont know if your trying to be funny or self deprecating

[@ruby2zdy]

Actually, the ones who figured out how to make fire were women. The men were busy hunting.

[@seansullivan7928]

@@ruby2zdy what? That's a lie

[@reubenmanzo2054]

There's a satirical part of me that's kind of looking forward to the day I die. Because in the afterlife, I get to look our homo erectus ancestors in the eye and say, "You tried to teach us your methods, but like the arrogant little children that we are, we just couldn't learn." I can't make fire either.

[@rangerbobcat]

As a Historian my viewpoint is that everything is guesswork until people start writing about themselves and others. Up until that point we can make assumptions, but that is far from knowing. @BekGrou PRIMUS

[@greggrobinson5116]

More and more I'm convinced that love, affection, empathy, friendship, and all our other terribly complicated social emotions all come from the basic evolutionary imperative that humans must live in groups or we die. It's hard-wired into us.

[@MeganVictoriaKearns]

I completely agree with this

[@1foolishcaribou195]

Good point. For example, I've never even heard of a rogue gorilla or chimp.

[@Erik-ko6lh]

The last two 2 minutes blow my mind. My Grandmother is buried in the same casket with her daughter who died as an infant. Those two were loved, cared for and missed.

[@StefanMilo]

Although it’s sad to think about dying. It is beautiful to think that even waaaay in the past people were loved and cared for in the same way we love and care for each other. It’s something we all have in common, despite the vast differences between our daily lives.

[@wrobinson1702]

@@StefanMilo That segment brought tears to my eyes, thinking of the young woman and child who died. As an aside-I remember reading about that find some time ago, and interpreted it as a mother and child, rather than grandmother and child? Thoughts?

[@johnkidd797]

@@wrobinson1702 hi pal, I would think they can tell by the bones the rough age of an individual. People back then probably had their children very young considering the average lifespan. Just my tuppences worth.😝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@wrobinson1702]

@@johnkidd797 True. Hard to say. You could assume Paleolithic people started reproducing very soon after puberty, so a mother could be 13-14-15, and a grandmother 26-28-30. And there were probably few that lived longer than 50. A brutal existence, by modern standards

[@danpatterson8009]

Imagine the human drama of six thousand generations. The constant search for food, the familiar hunger and cold, love all too brief, loss all too soon, looking up at the stars at night thinking "It all must mean something- but what?"

[@leviburns89]

I love the comic relief in your vids. Super informative presentation, and you're gripping a plastic spoon on the mic, without explanation. Masterpiece.

[@poppymason-smith1051]

Im also a new watcher and from what I can gather, his first vids audio was recorded using a lapel mic clipped to a plastic spoon....

[@dirremoire]

A Neanderthal, Homo sapiens, and Homo erectus walk into a bar..... It's astounding to realize that 100,000 years ago this joke would have made sense.

[@stefanfranke5651]

Barkeeper: Sorry guys! Beer is out. Next delivery is not until wednesday in 87000 years!

[@ku8721]

I'd say Homo Floresiensis ducked... but he didn't have to!!!

[@erinmac4750]

Where's Gary Larsen when you need him?!!! Always loved the cavemen and the scientists!!! 🚭🦖✌️😸

[@dirremoire]

Well, I guess I better try to finish what I started, So they sit around trying to figure out how to open a bottle of beer. Homo erectus: I'll bash it open with my hand ax. Neanderthal: I'll slice it open with the edge of my spear blade. Homo sapiens: Wait guys, I have a better idea. Just give me a hundred thousand years and I'll invent a bottle opener!

[@jaydubya3698]

@@dirremoire I'll take a shot at it: Barkeep says, "What'll you guys have?" Homo erectus says, "Hunnhhhh. Watah." Barkeep: "One water it is...here you go." He gives him a little container and erectus gulps it down. Barkeep looks at Neanderthal. Barkeep: "You?" Neanderthal: "Hummmfff. Hmmm...blood of mammoth." Barkeep: "Certainly." He pulls out a gourd and pours red blood it directly into his mouth. Neanderthal grins and nods his head. Barkeep then turns to Homo sapiens: "And you, sir?" Homo sapiens: "Well...very good. I'll have martini, light vermouth, shaken not stirred. And, oh...no olive, please." Barkeep, confused: "Hmmmm....I"m sorry, sir...this is 100,000 BC...hasn't been invented yet." HS, realizing: "Oh...right. Sorry. How's about a Guiness?" Barkeep: "Nope." HS: "A shot of Maker's Mark?" Barkeep: "Ummm...no again, sir." HS: "Oh, rubbish. Well, now I don't know....what do you have?" Barkeep: "Hmmm...let's see...well...I do have a tasty dram of fermented wooly rhino piss." HS: "Really? Wow...what year?" Barkeep: "That would be 100,022 BC, sir." HS: "100,022!!! An excellent year!!! I'll take it!!!"

[@ericksousa911]

Man I'm really enjoying your videos, I love this subject but have never seen things being explained so scientfically and simple at the same time. That's a great work!

[@inga5567]

Is this about croods?

[@ishatozz5666]

@@inga5567 I love it🍓🍓

[@ishatozz5666]

@@inga5567 I love it🍓🍓

[@teaburg]

The best ending. Not the going to bed part, though for you that might be the best part. But the touching tribute to a mother and child.

[@StefanMilo]

Thank you!

[@rosiestewart870]

your delivery on this fascinating subject is to be admired. will be looking for other lectures from you.

[@ninomiskulin9286]

It feels like christmas every time you upload

[@sarah3796]

Hehe I agree

[@dcchillin4687]

"Hobbits hunting dwarf elephants is probably the most interesting thing to happen in the history of the world." Damn it Stefan, had me laughing my ass off.

[@user-md3wm7vu1f]

whats next, leprechauns hunting komodo dragons?

[@Vox-Multis]

The moment he got to that I blurted out "Oh my god, that's so cute!" I felt ashamed of myself for the rest of the video.

[@Nefylym]

those floriensis sound like mean lil fuckers! can you imagine gremlin sized murderers? fuckin terrifying

[@harunmusa8693]

Makes me want to live off grid... 😂

[@harunmusa8693]

@@user-md3wm7vu1f They still hunt Albinos there... 😭

[@BenBarredo]

I love your passion for this subject. If I had heard of this subject when I was in college I would more than likely be an anthropologist at this point. I have no regrets though because there are people like you who make incredible videos and put out information like this so I'll just continue to ride your coattails. Thank you.

[@inga5567]

It's about croods?

[@TomNavesink]

I really like these videos, because they stick to the facts. There is no dramatization of what life may have been like, or questionable sensationalism. Others may find them uneventful, but I find them to be fascinating, because they are probably quite accurate. Thank you.

[@rdcv]

Ettore's sketches are really on point Absolutely love the last Burial one

[@StefanMilo]

Yeah they’re super good

[@erinmac4750]

@@StefanMilo Really amazing sketches that work perfectly for your video. Hope you collaborate again! 💚

[@annjones5201]

The hyena with the head, i could see that in a guilded frame hanging over my sofa. Very VERY classy drawings. not being sarcastic. Best Wishes 🌞

[@lamar7bn]

He got to the point without boring irrelevant intro, clear voice, relaxed soothing tone. I wish KZbinrs learn from this gentleman.

[@urbnctrl]

As a descendant of Denisovans (I am Melanesian from the area near West Papua) with most people here having significant percentages of Denisovan blood in their genetic make up. I want to thank you for making these videos.

[@peepindis]

You guys are INTERESTING. I can't wait for a better picture of your story. Love from a Neanderthal's progeny.

[@papaya2957]

YAYYY OTHER HUMANS

[@Fractal_blip]

@@peepindis riiiiigghht lol

[@rin-cp2mj]

As a fellow Denisovan descendant (from south India, which is most probably Denisovan), I echo this sentiment

[@dlmsarge8329]

2 years ago or two hours ago doesn't matter imma clicking on your videos!! Learning a lot and being entertained at the same time. Your efforts are much appreciated!!

[@paulroberts3639]

Great, well researched video. I studied post-grad paleo anthropology in the mid ‘90s. Bloody hell, the field has changed so much. Good luck keeping up with current research. Keep making these informative videos.

[@joanignasi91]

It's amazing that for so many hominid species we only have one or a handful of remains, shows how much is still left to explore and discover.

[@GrimmDelightsDice]

I constantly think about this with pretty much any fossil record. Like... it's so rare to leave lasting evidence of life, imagine all the things we'll never know existed! It's so frustrating but so cool.

[@cuomogrp]

Or it’s all bullsh!t

[@profharveyherrera]

The art by Ettore Mazza is just beautiful! Great video as always

[@katstark_]

“Throwing a tortoise on the fire was probably the closest thing people during paleo this times came to fast food” !!! 😆 Very funny, and awesome informative video. Also, your passion for the subject brings it alive! Thank you.

[@crpth1]

Tell that to the tortoise. LOL 😂 😂

[@Mikurou]

This poor man keeps trying to make videos on hominid "species" and those damned scientists keep on finding more. At least we know the spoon mic will never change.

[@cretinousswine8234]

Spoon mic is king

[@canchero724]

Imagine if the Chinese find is the elusive skull of a denisova. That would absolutely be the greatest find in this century so far.

[@23erisx]

Why a spoon, cousin?

[@za.z.6061]

What is the story behing this mysterious spoon mic? I keep seeing it in the videos and keep seeing people talking about it, but why?

[@roblamb8327]

@@za.z.6061 perhaps the Wielder of The Spoon Mike could enlighten us with the Spoon Mike being the subject of the day?

[@EmilyTienne]

You have a nice presentation style, pleasing voice, and you use just a touch of humor without going overboard. I learned a lot about our prehistoric ancestors!

[@OrangeHarrisonRB3]

According to Whole Foods, Paleolithic man is most famous for their pizza and pancake recipies.

[@maureenjamieson6223]

It boggles my mind - how did they survive? No stores, cloths, houses, central heat, refrigeration, no doctors, dentists, eyeglasses, no real weapons against predators etc etc. Amazing. I would last 24 hrs. We are so soft now.

[@marcadam6771]

If that was true then the fossil would only have had 1 arm and 1 leg.

[@patrickbush9526]

And their Relentless on-time Pizza delivery

[@skateboardingjesus4006]

Arse cheek stew was their staple. Denisovans were more known for their dead grandad brisket.

[@skateboardingjesus4006]

@@maureenjamieson6223 If a group of healthy adults from now, were transported back to then, with our present knowledge, we would thrive far better than they did.

[@yes_head]

Just discovered your channel. Great stuff -- thanks!

[@leea8706]

Sometimes I hate this channel. Makes me wish I was studying this instead of history 😂 In all seriousness though, you make subject even more interesting than it already is. You’re entertaining and it’s easy to follow yet you don’t dumb it down really. That’s an impressive thing to be able to do!

[@pencilpauli9442]

haha You'll never lose that spark of wonder in your soul that will keep you fascinated in how the world works You are lucky, you will see fantastic new developments and theories in the field of palaeontology, even if you don't formally study it.

[@leea8706]

@@pencilpauli9442 I hope so, although I’m unfortunately not as young as I look. I’m 32 and a mature student. Still, I hope to see more discoveries in my lifetime.

[@pencilpauli9442]

@@leea8706 Still a spring chicken and you'll be seeing wonderful discoveries long after I've gone! lol Good luck with your history studies!

[@bmoneybby]

For sure. I got lucky and took an Anthropology class early. Quickly discovered I was so much more interested in this kind of history.

[@manoftheworld1000]

@Lee A I had a similar experience when I watched Stefan's video about Homo Erectus. I stumbled across an old colleague of mine I had lost contact to some time ago. Back then we were both clinical linguists. Now I know he left the field later, he became an evolutionary linguist whereas I stayed in the field. However sometimes I'd like to change subjects with him/lol!

[@lindahudson6685]

"Initial boinking zone." Great scientific term. Thanks Stefan as well for quashing the "paleo diet."

[@mieshta]

I love the way you retell things Stefan, I always feel like you are on the verge of pulling a cheeky joke from out of nowhere. Keeps me on my toes

[@dorisofwyoming2640]

I love him and his videos. He makes the info accessible without feeling like he is dumbing it down too much, and sprinkles in some good humor. Well done.

[@ShubhamBhushanCC]

Competition didn't make us human, love did. That's what I love about human evolution.

[@heinroelofse6062]

Love of competition made us human. 😜

[@onandonitgoes5957]

That's a surprisingly optimistic take from you and I'm here for it. Humanity needs more love and less empty competition.

[@NameRequiredSoHere]

Sir, What's love got to do with it? Sincerely, T. Turner

[@GrimSleepy]

Competitive behavior and it's response is how we tend to choose partners and mates, often on a subconscious level.

[@NameRequiredSoHere]

@@GrimSleepy Desperation and beer goggles also play a significant role.

[@seekingsomethingshamanic]

Im about to give this a rewatch, this was impressively put together and included alot of information/comedy i appreciate. Thank you so much for making this a better day with more understanding on our past cousins on the family tree. I really cant get over how much i am intrigued yet depressed by the fact there was so many other former people that became us.

[@seekingsomethingshamanic]

that beautiful ending almost made me forget that in the previous paragraph 70% of us have hanable in our dna with all that face choppinh

[@stephenwilhelm]

Still using a plastic spoon. That is dedication.

[@pavel9652]

@John Barber He has also right to repair it ;)

[@__Patrick]

The end of this video really hits home. It demonstrates the fact that human beings from 100,000 years ago and human beings today, are and were capable of kindness and love and recognized loss and tried, in some small way, to honor those whom they loved.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

This video came out on my birthday but only watched it now. Nicely made video. Good length, great mix of visuals, a great balance of funny and informative. The way you read it makes it feel so relaxed and easy to listen to. Authoritative and personable at the same time. Great stuff.

[@GustavSvard]

Another quality video. And I include the artwork in that. You mentioned recently that the artwork is a major budget point, and I for one am glad you go for this level of quality art that goes along with what you are talking about. This is better than what the science shows on TV had when I was a kid (in the 80s/90s). The information, how clearly, calmly and thought through it is presented is also above the levels those had.

[@jasperzanjani]

The improved production, lighting, visuals, and audio are noticed and much appreciated

[@cosmicartsastrologicalserv242]

Thanks!

[@scottspofford7890]

Wonderful. Job, well done! Thanks for all you do. Lovin' the artwork, a great family portrait.

[@Erinselysion]

Thank you for such an informative and heartfelt video! I knew I'd enjoy this one and was excited to watch it. Like you said, super humbling, it's incredible to look at all the evidence we have of our species' roots and see so much intelligence and complex thought. And of course the love and compassion we were feeling for each other and life around us back then... Our urge to examine prehistory and understand ancient humans is in itself a sign of humanity, it's amazing to think about.

[@kraekennedy]

So grateful you stayed up Stephen! As usual, I really enjoyed this video. I think modern mankind does not address or even see, the humanity of our prehistoric ancestors. I am really excited to learn more about the newly found hominid group that were mentioned. Thanks again Stephen for all your hard work!

[@solalvergara]

Aw man to end on that note is so beautiful i love that there are aspects of the human condition that we can infer so far back in time without having to ask them because they are still universal truths today. Thank you for including that.

[@glenchapman3899]

Yup, we have changes a lot, but in some ways we are just like we were back then

[@sunsettersix6993]

Love your videos, Stefan! Fascinating subject and I love hearing your humorous candor mixed in with it all. Thank you and keep up the great work!

[@sonjavandenende9586]

I've been wondering if existing fossils might be reexamined to see if they're Denisovans, so thank you for answering that. :^) If it can be done, that would be a hugely exciting addition to the story. Thanks for another fantastic video.

[@takingitright]

Top ten before and after hominid fossils, denisovan edition?

[@st4r444]

you study you no these people are just descended of ancient egyptians. True black pharaohs and first humans om earth

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

You have the ability to transport me back in my mind's eye to the lives of our common ancestors. I find their resilience inspiring.

[@michaelricketson1365]

Well put.

[@fredk9999]

Thank you to our host for this amazing segment. Learned a lot

[@dustinweatherby5518]

Yesssssss! I'm so happy everytime you drop a new video!

[@StefanMilo]

Then you’re a legend

[@nicholasdalli6303]

"Getting eaten by a hyena is a certified bummer." See this is why I watch this channel, what documentary could give me golden lines like that?

[@crpth1]

As an amateur history and paleontology enthusiast. Its absolutely refreshing. Seeing a YT video about the subject. Not involving ridiculous aliens from outer space. Ancient unknown civilizations (Hancock & co.) ãnd the so fashionable nowadays "they are hiding it from us" crowd. Never mind the flat earthers, etc. Kudos for really good and decent content/information. Thanks & Cheers. ;-)

[@Crembaw]

“Absolutely love a foot” - Stefan from Migos.

[@xxxod]

Thats called a foot fetish

[@PetroBeherha]

Watching Stefan's videos makes me wish our human relatives are still alive.

[@gamagoon6387]

Watch tiktok there's loads😊

[@eddieandrews3335]

I like how all the species posed for a painting portrait

[@Prasannakumar-yk7bf]

These vidoes make me feel so close all these ancestors. I fell like I was there with them and the heritage we enjoy now. Thanks for wonderful visuals and the narration.

[@shone_m]

My favorite history/archeology channel, Stefan is a master of easy-going narration with subtle humor sprinkled all over it. Keep it up! P.S. love the spoon, nice touch

[@annjones5201]

Agreed, Agreed & yeah i notice that spoon right away. He has a clever mind & sense of humour. Best Wishes 🌞

[@DS-uo1zy]

hes so funny man i just discovered him

[@jaybingham3711]

I just assume he was fully intent on rewarding himself for completing the video with some ice cream before bed.

[@slwrabbits]

Please never get rid of the spoon, I love it

[@obscurazone]

First time viewer, that was absolutely wonderful. Fascinating and so well presented. You’re a natural. Greets from Amsterdam!

[@aerocarnie]

Just found this channel; very much enjoyed the combination of straightforward information and humor, not to mention the brilliant artwork.

[@avivapadrutt7952]

The Earth Children book-series created and written by Mrs Jean M Auel, are very accurate on the hole living during this time. She did a lot of research, visiting sites and talking to experts doing also experimental stuff, to get to the bottom of how life was back then. She really created such a wonderful piece of work, although by then there was not much proove, she nailed it in so many levels. I highly can recommend these books, she really takes one back and it's astonishing of how many circumstances she got absolutely right, although evidence has in many cases only found after writing or even quit recently. A great woman with vision, talent & deep passion. May she rest in peace❤

[@dk439911]

Awesome, awesome video! Love the paleolithic and neolithic content. The artist is ON POINT, too. Just great work all around.

[@andyandreou]

The only youtuber who doesnt beg me to subscribe at the end. Of course I subscribed.

[@aaronposehn]

Another great video! It overlaps somewhat with a book I'm reading currently: "A Short History of Humanity: A New History of Old Europe". I believe the author is one of the people who first reconstructed the mitochondrial DNA of a Denisovan (just a book recommendation for anyone interested). I like the longer videos like these as well. Keep them coming!

[@jmarsh5485]

By Johannes Krause and Thomas Trappe, it seems. Thanks, I've added it to my never-ending-book-list...

[@elscruffomcscruffy8371]

I've added it to my list

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

@@jmarsh5485 dam, I thought I was the only one that had bookmarks, notes and screenshots of books I need to read :L

[@Lwah0812]

I became fascinated with ancient humans after reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series in my 30’s. I had never thought much of our early ancestors before but it opened up my imagination and now I think about them often and just wonder what their day to day life was like. I wish this spark had been ignited in me years before so I could have gone to school to study to become an anthropologist. I would love to have a realistic movie made about each of the human species, a year in the life type of thing. Unfortunately I don’t think there would be too many people interested but I hope I am wrong. Thankfully this video was recommended to me and I can now learn from you, thank you for sharing with us.

[@ArturdeSousaRocha]

Paleo diet: Grab and eat whatever you can or you'll go hungry.

[@xydya]

Going hungry is actually like 80% of the paleo diet.

[@raminagrobis6112]

Paleo diet is a neolithic invention.

[@tortron]

Local cafe has a Paleo breakfast. It has fried eggs and sausages

[@meisteremm]

@@tortron Just like my ancestors ate for breakfast at their diners 50,000 years ago.

[@onandonitgoes5957]

@@tortron to be fair, if any of these people had been presented with eggs and sausages cafe Paleo style I'm almost completely sure they would've eaten it. Might've rounded it out with fruit and hot cereal though.

[@dopeyfx1783]

It is worth mentioning that Homo floresiensis when compared to other ancient hominins showed the greatest similarity to Homo habilis and Australopithecus afarensis with Homo floresiensis's wrist bones and pelvis being exactly like that of A.afarensis

[@xavier4503]

Love the fact that the spoon is still being used with the mic

[@carlos_cub]

I thought he was eating cereal or something

[@wandasetzer1469]

Why is it, though? I'm new here.

[@carlos_cub]

@@wandasetzer1469 me too. im not sure. a running gag maybe?

[@gilessmedley619]

Great narration voice, Stefan. Calm, warm & cosy.

[@dg3651]

When it comes to hunting I cant help but feel that the act of snaring as a method of hunting isn't discussed enough. Would be by far the easiest way to take down big game back then.

[@Chapdadddy]

The mic has outgrown the spoon. Thanks for giving us the scoop for so long 😢

[@paulford9120]

I recall reading somewhere that Neanderthals' shoulders were slightly different to ours, to the point that they couldn't throw spears, only use them in an underhand stabbing way. Anyone know of a reference like this?

[@leonardpriestley6822]

I remember reading the same thing years ago too. I'm not sure it's still considered accurate information.

[@k1m6a11]

I also remember this, and wondered about it. Certainly our shoulder articulation is different than other great apes, making us vastly superior throwers.

[@implausibleimpossiblehypot4006]

They could throw from the research I just read but they think it wasn’t as powerful but there is more than one way to skin a cat so I think they could probably throw a spear just in a awkward manner

[@canchero724]

@@implausibleimpossiblehypot4006 There could be something to this. They were intelligent enough to create the first glue but couldn't come up with long range spear? One reason why they didn't go down that route could be that they weren't physically able to throw spears very well and thus had to resort to close range hunting.

[@jayfredrickson8632]

@@k1m6a11 The great apes are pretty good throwers, at least at short range. They'll throw rocks, sticks, even feces.

[@jayrey5390]

"Hobbits hunting dwarf elephants" literally nothing cooler has ever happened since... Agree

[@krisaaron5771]

Incredibly lovely narration! Thank you from my heart for bringing our ancestors to life. Your videos make it clear how and why we're all far more closely related than some might wish to admit.

[@turkeeg7644]

"Distant cousins,part time lovers"......thank you for the humor.

[@randallridnour8954]

In Flores, the paleolithic diet also included giant rats so that could go on the modern menu to.

[@KSCPMark6742]

Beautiful ending and lovely drawings throughout, interesting and a good watch, thank you

[@NikoHL]

According to 23&me, I have some of the highest % of Neanderthal DNA on their database! Great presentation. Accessible and interesting.

[@harunmusa8693]

Are you from South Asia?

[@angelicamiranda7979]

where are u from ?

[@elliotmydude]

That's super cool, finding out that all living people of European descent (and most others) have some Neanderthal in them made me so happy. It's a reminder of a time when we weren't so alone, and by carrying their genes, they'll always be with us.

[@Pouncer9000]

Ooh. So when that rather buff lady asked me to join her HSNIBZ it wasn't just a sneeze?

[@CatastrophicDisease]

Pumped for the video on human admixture. It’s just so fascinating how we interacted with other “species” of human.

[@tylersudduth884]

Even more interesting is that we’re all still evolving, and all play a role in it, no matter how minute.

[@moistmike4150]

I was digging in the backyard the other day and found this shiny, plastic-like disk. Some artisan in the distant past had added beautiful patterns onto it, along with runes that resembled characters from our modern alphabet. The runes appeared to show the letters "AOL". I'll continue digging, as I bet they're worth a fortune.

[@mirrormitts]

3 months since you posted this comment, any updates? I'm quite curious.

[@ukhan4546]

Wow

[@ThorneyRose]

😂😂😂

[@ferratilis]

@@ThorneyRose Keep digging. In the lower strata you will find thin square artifacts, and bellow that thicker square ones from different evolutionary time periods.

[@GenRN]

You’ve got mail!

[@basseon]

Just discovered your channel while brooding over the fact that nobody is curious about my passion for evolutive biology (as an amateur, long time amateur of 33 years). Had an argument with a friend about how archeologists are really not studying the same thing as paleontologists, and if his dinosaurs obsessed son went into archeology he would be very disappointed. I looked up if archeologist studied fossils and I found out that they stop at 11,000 years ago and study only items of daily modern human lives like clothing, tools, weapons, construction, coins, etc... My question: what's up with that? Do archeologists study fossils or not?

[@cyclometre]

EXCELLENT: Presentation, you are very good at this! A favourite subject of mine. Keep up the good work.

[@YorTroYorTroY]

First vid of yours I watched. I enjoyed iy very much. Thank you.

[@Frazer247]

What a great topic and ending! You do a fantastic job with all of your paleoanthropological detective work. Looking forward to watching your upcoming videos and learning. Thank you. Cheers!

[@KoeSeer]

damn, for a time, we almost look like a Tolkien world with many humanoids beside us.

[@geoffsimpson-scott6504]

Excellent stuff! The diversity is such that no doubt it’s only a matter of time before they find Homo Miloensis together with peculiarly spoon-shaped tools… 🥳

[@StefanMilo]

They were, undoubtedly, a key step in our evolution.

[@m0nke13]

@@StefanMilo middle east isn't a separate region it is mostly west asia and north Africa

[@angelamarymahoney]

🤣🤣🤣

[@danpatterson8009]

And they may speculate that the larger spoons were symbolic, or for attracting a mate.

[@DagarCoH]

It is suspected that these spoon-shaped objects were not for eating, but rather for communicating and teaching about times long past. But no one really know how that might have worked.

[@donvillejames761]

I hope you slept well homie, 2 years later and this video is still a banger. Appreciate your effort :)

[@ruththinkingoutside.707]

I can’t admire the dedication to the spoon mic enough.. 😁🥰 .. thanks again for more quality content and a goofy in joke for dedicated history nerds 😁😁

[@beansdork]

I came to the comments to agree with the spoon microphone observation. I am going to be using a spoon to hold lapel microphone in future as well. I have used a sand wedge, but spoon is bette