The lifestyle of the earliest humans, such as Homo habilis, can be characterized by several key points:
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Hunting and Gathering: Homo habilis was part of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, reliant on foraging for food, which included wild plants, fruits, nuts, and scavenging for meat rather than hunting large animals.
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Tool Use: Homo habilis is known for being one of the earliest tool users, developing and using simple stone tools (the Oldowan tool culture) for cutting, scraping, and processing food.
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Social Grouping: They likely lived in small social groups or bands, which helped in cooperative foraging, sharing resources, and protection from predators.
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Adaptive Behavior: They displayed an ability to adapt to various environments, using tools to exploit different ecological niches.
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Simple Shelter: While they may not have constructed permanent shelters, they likely sought natural shelters (like caves) and possibly used simple structures for protection from the elements.
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Cognitive Development: Homo habilis showed signs of increased brain size compared to earlier hominids, which suggests a level of problem-solving and social interaction.
Overall, the lifestyle of Homo habilis was primarily focused on survival, utilizing tools and a social structure conducive to foraging and adapting to their environment.