The text provides an extensive historical and archaeological study of the invention and evolution of fire as a light source during the Paleolithic Age, spanning approximately 2.6 million to 10,000 years ago. It examines the necessity of lighting for early humans due to threats from nocturnal animals and the limitations of activity in darkness, particularly within caves. The source details the progression of fire usage, from exploiting naturally occurring fires around 1.5 million years ago to developing controlled fire and artificial lighting technologies like torches and stone lamps. Crucially, the document outlines the profound impacts of fire on human evolution, including promoting brain development through cooked food, altering sleep patterns, and fostering complex social, technological, and cultural activities across various global regions like Africa, Europe, and Asia.

The source provides an extensive analysis of the evolution of fire technology from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic eras, arguing that the control of fire was a pivotal innovation that fundamentally transformed human civilization. It details the progression of fire usage during the Paleolithic period, from simply using natural fire to developing methods for long-term preservation in controlled hearths and eventually inventing artificial ignition methods like percussion and friction. The document explains how fire's influence extended beyond mere survival, leading to improved nutrition (cooking), changes in human anatomy (such as increased brain size), and the development of complex social structures and spiritual culture. Furthermore, it explores the technological advancements in the Neolithic era, specifically noting the link between the high temperatures achieved in sophisticated pottery kilns and the subsequent emergence of metallurgy.

The sources provide an extensive overview of the invention and impact of ground stone tools, recognizing this technological shift as a turning point in human civilization. The text explains that this innovation, driven by climate change, population growth, and the need for efficient plant food processing, fundamentally transformed toolmaking from percussion-based chipping to meticulous grinding and polishing. Furthermore, the sources detail how these durable and specialized tools, such as the stone axe and grinding slab, enabled the Neolithic Revolution by facilitating settled life, complex construction, and vastly improved agricultural efficiency and nutrition. Finally, the material contrasts the regional developments of ground stone cultures across the globe, examining the distinctions between the Yellow and Yangtze River basins in China, the unique Jomon culture in Japan, the Megalithic cultures of Europe, and the diverse technologies of the Americas.

The provided text offers a comprehensive overview of the invention and evolution of chipped stone tools (打製石器), arguing that this technological revolution fundamentally shaped human development. It explains that stone tool use dates back much further than previously thought―at least 3.3 million years ago (Lomekwi 3)―predating the genus Homo and challenging the traditional link between tool use and Homo habilis. The text chronicles the progression of this technology through three main phases: the initial primitive tools (3.3–2.6 Ma), the Oldowan culture (2.6–1.7 Ma), and the Acheulean culture (1.7–0.2 Ma), highlighting the highly sophisticated and symmetrical hand-axes of the Acheulean period. Furthermore, the sources explore the profound impacts of this technology across multiple domains, including its necessity for adapting to climate change and expanding grassland environments, its role in improving food processing (especially meat and bone marrow) and enhancing hunting and defense capabilities, and its influence on social organization (e.g., division of labor and hierarchical formation). Ultimately, the use of stone tools is presented as a crucial evolutionary factor that drove the development of the human brain, cognitive abilities, and physical adaptations like hand structure.