# The natural habitat of humans...if we couldn't use tools?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 23, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084 "2010-01-23T05:30:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084/21 "2010-01-25T14:34:49Z")
I think this question is pretty much impossible to answer, because at no time did we exist in anything like our modern forms without some form of even primitive tool.
Because we had tools, we became weaker, giving up raw strength and speed for more flexibility and dexterity so we could better wield those tools and traverse more environments. Because we had tools to cut and dig with we lost claws and canines, along with any notion of respectable bite strength, gaining fingernails which are wonderful for manual dexterity and small precision work.
We are weak animals BECAUSE of tools, not the reverse. Tool use was massively influential in our evolution to the human animal of today.
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### Author:  [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084/22 "2010-01-25T15:19:35Z")
> [@Blake](#):
>
> Cite. because this contradicts everything i have ever read about the Tasmanians in over 20 years of amateur research.
>
> So if you can provide any evidence at all that Tasmanians made clothing then i would be very interested in seeing it.
It took five minutes of my amateur research to provide the evidence you couldn’t find in 20 years. From [here](http://en.allexperts.com/e/t/ta/tasmanian_aborigines.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> The Tasmanians built rafts and catamarans to fish and travel, and had skill in weaving and tool-making. Although they habitually went naked, animal grease, simple necklaces and ochre were used for adornment, \*\*while sewn skins were used for clothing during the cold winters. \*\*
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084/23 "2010-01-25T15:43:58Z")
Our natural habitat under the constraints of the OP would most likely be extinction. We’ve been making and using stone tools for over 2M years, and we’ve evolved significantly since then. In fact, if you take tool use out of the equation, we wouldn’t be humans. Even chimps make and use tools.
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### Author:  [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-natural-habitat-of-humans-if-we-couldnt-use-tools/526084/24 "2010-01-25T17:54:41Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#):
>
> It took five minutes of my amateur research to provide the evidence you couldn’t find in 20 years. From [here](http://en.allexperts.com/e/t/ta/tasmanian_aborigines.htm)
The wikipedia [article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Aborigines#Before_European_Settlement) also provides at least two cites, one from a textbook and one from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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