logoalt Hacker News

IAmBroomtoday at 4:22 PM0 repliesview on HN

> Then at some unknown point probably in the last 100,000 years, the bow and arrow.

The atlatl was undoubtedly earlier, and a bigger advance. It essentially doubled a hunter's arm length, and thus impelled speed - with force proportional to the square of speed. An atlatl can put a dart straight through an enemy's gut, or easily pierce a deer's hide.