http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png http://io9.com/tag/tools http://io9.com/tag/tools

Human artifacts recently discovered in the United Arab Emirates date back at least 100,000 years, which means our ancestors might have left Africa up to 125,000 years ago...twice as long ago as previously thought. What's going on here? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5745328&view=rss&microfeed=true

Animal bones were recently discovered that suggested humans were using tools 3.4 million years ago - 800,000 years earlier than previously thought. But that finding is being challenged, and the story of human evolution hangs in the balance. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5691077&view=rss&microfeed=true

Tool use is incredibly rare in the animal kingdom, so it's a big deal when we discover crows going to considerable trouble to use sticks for hunting beetle larvae hiding inside branches. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5640100&view=rss&microfeed=true

Tools aren't just for vertebrates anymore. The veined octopus has been spotted lugging around coconut shells to serve as mobile shelters, the first time scientists have observed tool use in an invertebrate species. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5426109&view=rss&microfeed=true

If you’ve been looking for electrosurgical equipment, engravings of venereal diseases, or cringe-worthy gynecological instruments for your collection, you’re in luck. Next week, the PBA Galleries in San Francisco are auctioning off the medical library of Gerard Sugarman, a treasure trove of medical books, tools, and paraphernalia that go as far back as the 15th Century. We've got a gallery of available items that will make you grateful for modern medicine. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5082459&view=rss&microfeed=true