74-543: A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners , such as nuts and bolts —or keep them from turning. In the UK , Ireland , Australia , and New Zealand spanner is the standard term. The most common shapes are called open-ended spanner and ring spanner . The term wrench is generally used for tools that turn non-fastening devices (e.g. tap wrench and pipe wrench), or may be used for
148-414: A monkey wrench —an adjustable pipe wrench . In North American English , wrench is the standard term. The most common shapes are called open-end wrench and box-end wrench . In American English , spanner refers to a specialized wrench with a series of pins or tabs around the circumference. (These pins or tabs fit into the holes or notches cut into the object to be turned). In American commerce, such
222-500: A "Birth Choice tool": The tool encourages women to consider out-of-hospital settings where appropriate, and the idea of a "toolkit" is used by the International Labour Organization to describe a set of processes applicable to improving global labour relations . A telephone is a communication tool that interfaces between two people engaged in conversation at one level. It also interfaces between each user and
296-492: A 2010 study suggests the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis ate meat by carving animal carcasses with stone implements. This finding pushes back the earliest known use of stone tools among hominins to about 3.4 million years ago. Finds of actual tools date back at least 2.6 million years in Ethiopia . One of the earliest distinguishable stone tool forms is the hand axe . Up until recently, weapons found in digs were
370-647: A change in the environment, thereby facilitating one's achievement of a target goal. Anthropologists believe that the use of tools was an important step in the evolution of mankind . Because tools are used extensively by both humans (Homo sapiens) and wild chimpanzees , it is widely assumed that the first routine use of tools took place prior to the divergence between the two ape species. These early tools, however, were likely made of perishable materials such as sticks, or consisted of unmodified stones that cannot be distinguished from other stones as tools. Stone artifacts date back to about 2.5 million years ago. However,
444-469: A cheap tool could be used to occupy the place of a missing mechanical part. A window roller in a car could be replaced with pliers . A transmission shifter or ignition switch would be able to be replaced with a screwdriver. Again, these would be considered tools that are being used for their unintended purposes, substitution as makeshift. Tools such as a rotary tool would be considered the substitution "by-design", or "multi-purpose". This class of tools allows
518-611: A diverse array of objects and materials, many of which are specifically chosen by certain birds for their unique qualities. Woodpecker finches insert twigs into trees in order to catch or impale larvae. Parrots may use tools to wedge nuts so that they can crack open the outer shell of nuts without launching away the inner contents. Some birds take advantage of human activity, such as carrion crows in Japan, which drop nuts in front of cars to crack them open. Several species of fish use tools to hunt and crack open shellfish, extract food that
592-743: A diverse range of species from annelids to elephants, chimpanzees and many birds. About 182 fish consume seeds or fruit. Animals (domesticated and wild) use as many types of grasses that have adapted to different locations as their main source of nutrients. Humans eat thousands of plant species; there may be as many as 75,000 edible species of angiosperms , of which perhaps 7,000 are often eaten. Plants can be processed into breads, pasta, cereals, juices and jams or raw ingredients such as sugar, herbs, spices and oils can be extracted. Oilseeds are pressed to produce rich oils – sunflower , flaxseed , rapeseed (including canola oil ) and sesame . Many plants and animals have coevolved in such
666-583: A high protein, fibre, vitamin E and B content. Seeds are a good source of food for animals because they are abundant and contain fibre and healthful fats, such as omega-3 fats . Complicated chemical interactions can enhance or depress bioavailability of certain nutrients. Phytates can prevent the release of some sugars and vitamins. Animals that only eat plants are called herbivores , with those that mostly just eat fruits known as frugivores , leaves, while shoot eaters are folivores (pandas) and wood eaters termed xylophages (termites). Frugivores include
740-429: A higher number of engagement points over six-point. However, 12-point wrenches have been known to cause round-off damage to 6-point bolts as they provide less contact space. Windy gun These types of keys are not emically classified as wrenches by English speakers, but they are etically similar in function to wrenches. Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of
814-532: A localized or isolated manner within certain unique primate cultures , being transmitted and practiced among socially connected primates through cultural learning . Many famous researchers, such as Charles Darwin in his book The Descent of Man , mentioned tool-use in monkeys (such as baboons ). Among other mammals , both wild and captive elephants are known to create tools using their trunks and feet, mainly for swatting flies, scratching, plugging up waterholes that they have dug (to close them up again so
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#1733085923956888-682: A major expansion in their use in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome with the systematic employment of new energy sources, especially waterwheels . Their use expanded through the Dark Ages with the addition of windmills . Machine tools occasioned a surge in producing new tools in the Industrial Revolution . Pre-industrial machinery was built by various craftsmen— millwrights built water and windmills, carpenters made wooden framing, and smiths and turners made metal parts. Wooden components had
962-678: A million. Herbivores generally have more than carnivores as they need to tell which plants may be poisonous. Not all mammals share the same tastes: some rodents can taste starch , cats cannot taste sweetness, and several carnivores (including hyenas , dolphins, and sea lions) have lost the ability to sense up to four of the five taste modalities found in humans. Food is broken into nutrient components through digestive process. Proper digestion consists of mechanical processes ( chewing , peristalsis ) and chemical processes ( digestive enzymes and microorganisms ). The digestive systems of herbivores and carnivores are very different as plant matter
1036-546: A source of food for protozoa, who in turn provide a source of food for other organisms such as small invertebrates. Other organisms that feed on bacteria include nematodes, fan worms, shellfish and a species of snail. In the marine environment, plankton (which includes bacteria , archaea , algae , protozoa and microscopic fungi ) provide a crucial source of food to many small and large aquatic organisms. Without bacteria, life would scarcely exist because bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutritious ammonia . Ammonia
1110-425: A system with nineteen food classifications: cereals, roots, pulses and nuts, milk, eggs, fish and shellfish, meat, insects, vegetables, fruits, fats and oils, sweets and sugars, spices and condiments, beverages, foods for nutritional uses, food additives, composite dishes and savoury snacks. In a given ecosystem, food forms a web of interlocking chains with primary producers at the bottom and apex predators at
1184-456: A way that the fruit is a good source of nutrition to the animal who then excretes the seeds some distance away, allowing greater dispersal. Even seed predation can be mutually beneficial, as some seeds can survive the digestion process. Insects are major eaters of seeds, with ants being the only real seed dispersers. Birds, although being major dispersers, only rarely eat seeds as a source of food and can be identified by their thick beak that
1258-515: A wrench may be called a spanner wrench to distinguish it from the British sense of spanner . Higher quality wrenches are typically made from chromium - vanadium alloy tool steels and are often drop-forged . They are frequently chrome-plated to resist corrosion and for ease of cleaning. Hinged tools, such as pliers or tongs , are not generally considered wrenches in English, but exceptions are
1332-455: Is "makeshift" when human ingenuity comes into play and a tool is used for an unintended purpose, such as using a long screwdriver to separate a cars control arm from a ball joint, instead of using a tuning fork. In many cases, the designed secondary functions of tools are not widely known. For example, many wood-cutting hand saws integrate a square by incorporating a specially-shaped handle, that allows 90° and 45° angles to be marked by aligning
1406-447: Is a fruit if the part eaten is derived from the reproductive tissue , so seeds, nuts and grains are technically fruit. From a culinary perspective, fruits are generally considered the remains of botanically described fruits after grains, nuts, seeds and fruits used as vegetables are removed. Grains can be defined as seeds that humans eat or harvest, with cereal grains (oats, wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye, sorghum and millet) belonging to
1480-518: Is a motto of some importance for workers who cannot practically carry every specialized tool to the location of every work task, such as a carpenter who does not necessarily work in a shop all day and needs to do jobs in a customer's house. Tool substitution may be divided broadly into two classes: substitution "by-design", or "multi-purpose", and substitution as makeshift. Substitution "by-design" would be tools that are designed specifically to accomplish multiple tasks using only that one tool. Substitution
1554-696: Is a sensation considered unpleasant characterised by having a sharp, pungent taste. Unsweetened dark chocolate, caffeine , lemon rind, and some types of fruit are known to be bitter. Umami, commonly described as savory, is a marker of proteins and characteristic of broths and cooked meats. Foods that have a strong umami flavor include cheese, meat and mushrooms. While most animals taste buds are located in their mouth, some insects taste receptors are located on their legs and some fish have taste buds along their entire body. Dogs, cats and birds have relatively few taste buds (chickens have about 30), adult humans have between 2000 and 4000, while catfish can have more than
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#17330859239561628-445: Is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates , fats , proteins , vitamins , or minerals . The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth. Different species of animals have different feeding behaviours that satisfy
1702-402: Is caused by acids , such as vinegar in alcoholic beverages. Sour foods include citrus, specifically lemons and limes . Sour is evolutionarily significant as it can signal a food that may have gone rancid due to bacteria. Saltiness is the taste of alkali metal ions such as sodium and potassium. It is found in almost every food in low to moderate proportions to enhance flavor. Bitter taste
1776-731: Is drunk or processed into dairy products (cheese, butter, etc.). Eggs laid by birds and other animals are eaten and bees produce honey , a reduced nectar from flowers that is used as a popular sweetener in many cultures. Some cultures consume blood , such as in blood sausage , as a thickener for sauces, or in a cured , salted form for times of food scarcity, and others use blood in stews such as jugged hare . Animals, specifically humans, typically have five different types of tastes: sweet , sour , salty , bitter , and umami . The differing tastes are important for distinguishing between foods that are nutritionally beneficial and those which may contain harmful toxins. As animals have evolved ,
1850-450: Is for example a combination of a measuring tool (the clock) and a perception tool (the alarm). This enables the alarm-clock to be a tool that falls outside of all the categories mentioned above. There is some debate on whether to consider protective gear items as tools, because they do not directly help perform work, just protect the worker like ordinary clothing. They do meet the general definition of tools and in many cases are necessary for
1924-491: Is harder to digest. Carnivores mouths are designed for tearing and biting compared to the grinding action found in herbivores. Herbivores however have comparatively longer digestive tracts and larger stomachs to aid in digesting the cellulose in plants. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 600 million people worldwide get sick and 420,000 die each year from eating contaminated food. Diarrhea
1998-483: Is made with stone arches and lined with waterproof concrete. The earliest evidence of water wheels and watermills date back to the ancient Near East in the 4th century BC, specifically in the Persian Empire before 350 BC, in the regions of Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). This pioneering use of water power constituted perhaps the first use of mechanical energy . Mechanical devices experienced
2072-406: Is mainly composed of water, lipids , proteins , and carbohydrates . Minerals (e.g., salts) and organic substances (e.g., vitamins ) can also be found in food. Plants, algae , and some microorganisms use photosynthesis to make some of their own nutrients. Water is found in many foods and has been defined as a food by itself. Water and fiber have low energy densities, or calories , while fat
2146-545: Is out of reach, or clear an area for nesting. Among cephalopods (and perhaps uniquely or to an extent unobserved among invertebrates ), octopuses are known to use tools relatively frequently, such as gathering coconut shells to create a shelter or using rocks to create barriers. By extension, concepts which support systematic or investigative thought are often referred to as "tools", for example Vanessa Dye refers to "tools of reflection" and "tools to help sharpen your professional practice" for trainee teachers, illustrating
2220-497: Is the most common illness caused by consuming contaminated food, with about 550 million cases and 230,000 deaths from diarrhea each year. Children under five years of age account for 40% of the burden of foodborne illness, with 125,000 deaths each year. A 2003 World Health Organization (WHO) report concluded that about 30% of reported food poisoning outbreaks in the WHO European Region occur in private homes. According to
2294-738: Is the most energy-dense component. Some inorganic (non-food) elements are also essential for plant and animal functioning. Human food can be classified in various ways, either by related content or by how it is processed. The number and composition of food groups can vary. Most systems include four basic groups that describe their origin and relative nutritional function: Vegetables and Fruit, Cereals and Bread, Dairy, and Meat. Studies that look into diet quality group food into whole grains/cereals, refined grains/cereals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy products, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization use
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2368-556: Is the precursor to proteins, nucleic acids, and most vitamins. Since the advent of industrial process for nitrogen fixation, the Haber-Bosch Process , the majority of ammonia in the world is human-made. Plants as a food source are divided into seeds, fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and nuts. Where plants fall within these categories can vary, with botanically described fruits such as the tomato, squash, pepper and eggplant or seeds like peas commonly considered vegetables. Food
2442-402: Is then released, and the glucose stored as an energy reserve. Photosynthetic plants, algae and certain bacteria often represent the lowest point of the food chains, making photosynthesis the primary source of energy and food for nearly all life on earth. Plants also absorb important nutrients and minerals from the air, natural waters, and soil. Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from
2516-406: Is used to crack open the seed coat. Mammals eat a more diverse range of seeds, as they are able to crush harder and larger seeds with their teeth. Animals are used as food either directly or indirectly. This includes meat, eggs, shellfish and dairy products like milk and cheese. They are an important source of protein and are considered complete proteins for human consumption as they contain all
2590-426: The Industrial Revolution marking an inflection point in the use of tools. The introduction of widespread automation in the 19th and 20th centuries allowed tools to operate with minimal human supervision, further increasing the productivity of human labor . By extension, concepts that support systematic or investigative thought are often referred to as "tools" or "toolkits". While a common-sense understanding of
2664-735: The International Association for Food Protection , the World Resources Institute , the World Food Programme , the Food and Agriculture Organization , and the International Food Information Council . Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support and energy to an organism . It can be raw, processed, or formulated and is consumed orally by animals for growth, health, or pleasure. Food
2738-740: The Poaceae (grass) family and pulses coming from the Fabaceae (legume) family. Whole grains are foods that contain all the elements of the original seed (bran, germ, and endosperm ). Nuts are dry fruits, distinguishable by their woody shell. Fleshy fruits (distinguishable from dry fruits like grain, seeds and nuts) can be further classified as stone fruits (cherries and peaches), pome fruits (apples, pears), berries (blackberry, strawberry), citrus (oranges, lemon), melons (watermelon, cantaloupe), Mediterranean fruits (grapes, fig), tropical fruits (banana, pineapple). Vegetables refer to any other part of
2812-640: The Swiss Army knife represents one of the earliest examples. Other tools have a primary purpose but also incorporate other functionality – for example, lineman's pliers incorporate a gripper and cutter and are often used as a hammer; and some hand saws incorporate a square in the right-angle between the blade's dull edge and the saw's handle. This would also be the category of "multi-purpose" tools, since they are also multiple tools in one (multi-use and multi-purpose can be used interchangeably – compare hand axe ). These types of tools were specifically made to catch
2886-595: The plumber wrench (pipe wrench in British English ) and Mole wrench (sometimes Mole grips in British English). The word can also be used in slang to describe an unexpected obstacle, for example, "He threw a spanner in the works" (in U.S. English, "monkey wrench"). 'Wrench' is derived from Middle English wrench , from Old English wrenċ , from Proto-Germanic *wrankiz ("a turning, twisting"). The oldest recorded use dates to 1794. 'Spanner' came into use in
2960-535: The 15th century. Adjustable coach wrenches for the odd-sized nuts of wagon wheels were manufactured in England and exported to North America in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The mid 19th century began to see patented wrenches that used a screw for narrowing and widening the jaws, including patented monkey wrenches . Most box end wrenches are sold as '12-point' because 12-point wrenches fit over both 12-point and 6-point bolts. 12-point wrenches also offer
3034-421: The 1630s, referring to the tool for winding the spring of a wheel-lock firearm. From German Spanner (n.), from spannen (v.) ("to join, fasten, extend, connect"), from Proto-Germanic *spannan , from PIE root *(s)pen- ("to draw, stretch, spin"). Wrenches and applications using wrenches or devices that needed wrenches, such as pipe clamps and suits of armor, have been noted by historians as far back as
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3108-607: The air or water and are the basic nutrients needed for plant survival. The three main nutrients absorbed from the soil for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, with other important nutrients including calcium, sulfur, magnesium, iron boron, chlorine, manganese, zinc, copper molybdenum and nickel. Bacteria and other microorganisms also form the lower rungs of the food chain. They obtain their energy from photosynthesis or by breaking down dead organisms, waste or chemical compounds. Some form symbiotic relationships with other organisms to obtain their nutrients. Bacteria provide
3182-440: The apex predators, the animals that have no known predators in its ecosystem. Humans are considered apex predators. Humans are omnivores, finding sustenance in vegetables, fruits, cooked meat, milk, eggs, mushrooms and seaweed. Cereal grain is a staple food that provides more food energy worldwide than any other type of crop. Corn (maize) , wheat, and rice account for 87% of all grain production worldwide. Just over half of
3256-449: The appropriate part of the handle with an edge, and scribing along the back edge of the saw. The latter is illustrated by the saying "All tools can be used as hammers". Nearly all tools can be used to function as a hammer, even though few tools are intentionally designed for it and even fewer work as well as the original. Tools are often used to substitute for many mechanical apparatuses, especially in older mechanical devices. In many cases
3330-506: The communication network at another level. It is in the domain of media and communications technology that a counter-intuitive aspect of our relationships with our tools first began to gain popular recognition. John M. Culkin famously said, "We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us". One set of scholars expanded on this to say: "Humans create inspiring and empowering technologies but also are influenced, augmented, manipulated, and even imprisoned by technology". Food Food
3404-409: The completion of the work. Personal protective equipment includes such items as gloves , safety glasses , ear defenders and biohazard suits. Often, by design or coincidence, a tool may share key functional attributes with one or more other tools. In this case, some tools can substitute for other tools, either as a makeshift solution or as a matter of practical efficiency. "One tool does it all"
3478-455: The connection between physical and conceptual tools by quoting the French scientist Claude Bernaud : we must change [our ideas] when they have served their purpose, as we change a blunt lancet that we have used long enough. Similarly, a decision-making process "developed to help women and their partners make confident and informed decisions when planning where to give birth" is described as
3552-549: The definition of what constitutes a tool and therefore which behaviours can be considered true examples of tool use. Observation has confirmed that a number of species can use tools including monkeys , apes , elephants , several birds, and sea otters . Now the unique relationship of humans with tools is considered to be that we are the only species that uses tools to make other tools. Primates are well known for using tools for hunting or gathering food and water, cover for rain, and self-defense. Chimpanzees have often been
3626-407: The development of several machine tools . They have their origins in the tools developed in the 18th century by makers of clocks and watches and scientific instrument makers to enable them to batch-produce small mechanisms. Before the advent of machine tools, metal was worked manually using the basic hand tools of hammers, files, scrapers, saws, and chisels. Consequently, the use of metal machine parts
3700-627: The disadvantage of changing dimensions with temperature and humidity, and the various joints tended to rack (work loose) over time. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, machines with metal parts and frames became more common. Other important uses of metal parts were in firearms and threaded fasteners, such as machine screws, bolts, and nuts. There was also the need for precision in making parts. Precision would allow better working machinery, interchangeability of parts, and standardization of threaded fasteners. The demand for metal parts led to
3774-467: The early centuries of recorded history, but archaeological evidence can provide dates of development and use. Several of the six classic simple machines ( wheel and axle , lever , pulley , inclined plane , wedge , and screw ) were invented in Mesopotamia . The wheel and axle mechanism first appeared with the potter's wheel , invented in what is now Iraq during the 5th millennium BC. This led to
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#17330859239563848-567: The essential amino acids that the human body needs. One 4-ounce (110 g) steak, chicken breast or pork chop contains about 30 grams of protein. One large egg has 7 grams of protein. A 4-ounce (110 g) serving of cheese has about 15 grams of protein. And 1 cup of milk has about 8 grams of protein. Other nutrients found in animal products include calories, fat, essential vitamins (including B12) and minerals (including zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium). Food products produced by animals include milk produced by mammary glands , which in many cultures
3922-444: The eye of many different craftsman who traveled to do their work. To these workers these types of tools were revolutionary because they were one tool or one device that could do several different things. With this new revolution of tools, the traveling craftsman would not have to carry so many tools with them to job sites, in that their space would be limited to the vehicle or to the beast of burden they were driving. Multi-use tools solve
3996-447: The food and agricultural systems are one of the major contributors to climate change , accounting for as much as 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions . The food system has significant impacts on a wide range of other social and political issues, including sustainability , biological diversity , economics , population growth , water supply , and food security . Food safety and security are monitored by international agencies like
4070-550: The form of starch, fructose, glucose and other sugars. Most vitamins are found from plant sources, with exceptions of vitamin D and vitamin B 12 . Minerals can also be plentiful or not. Fruit can consist of up to 90% water, contain high levels of simple sugars that contribute to their sweet taste, and have a high vitamin C content. Compared to fleshy fruit (excepting Bananas) vegetables are high in starch, potassium , dietary fiber, folate and vitamins and low in fat and calories. Grains are more starch based and nuts have
4144-461: The invention of the wheeled vehicle in Mesopotamia during the early 4th millennium BC. The lever was used in the shadoof water-lifting device, the first crane machine, which appeared in Mesopotamia c. 3000 BC , and then in ancient Egyptian technology c. 2000 BC . The earliest evidence of pulleys date back to Mesopotamia in the early 2nd millennium BC. The screw ,
4218-484: The last of the simple machines to be invented, first appeared in Mesopotamia during the Neo-Assyrian period (911–609 BC). The Assyrian King Sennacherib (704–681 BC) claims to have invented automatic sluices and to have been the first to use water screw pumps , of up to 30 tons weight, which were cast using two-part clay molds rather than by the ' lost wax ' process. The Jerwan Aqueduct ( c. 688 BC)
4292-479: The meaning of tool is widespread, several formal definitions have been proposed. In 1981, Benjamin Beck published a widely used definition of tool use. This has been modified to: The external employment of an unattached or manipulable attached environmental object to alter more efficiently the form, position, or condition of another object, another organism, or the user itself, when the user holds and directly manipulates
4366-614: The needs of their metabolisms and have evolved to fill a specific ecological niche within specific geographical contexts. Omnivorous humans are highly adaptable and have adapted to obtain food in many different ecosystems. Humans generally use cooking to prepare food for consumption. The majority of the food energy required is supplied by the industrial food industry , which produces food through intensive agriculture and distributes it through complex food processing and food distribution systems. This system of conventional agriculture relies heavily on fossil fuels , which means that
4440-480: The object of study in regard to their usage of tools, most famously by Jane Goodall ; these animals are closely related to humans. Wild tool-use in other primates, especially among apes and monkeys , is considered relatively common, though its full extent remains poorly documented, as many primates in the wild are mainly only observed distantly or briefly when in their natural environments and living without human influence. Some novel tool-use by primates may arise in
4514-412: The only tools of "early man" that were studied and given importance. Now, more tools are recognized as culturally and historically relevant. As well as hunting, other activities required tools such as preparing food, "...nutting, leatherworking , grain harvesting and woodworking..." Included in this group are "flake stone tools". Tools are the most important items that the ancient humans used to climb to
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#17330859239564588-413: The plant that can be eaten, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, bark or the entire plant itself. These include root vegetables (potatoes and carrots), bulbs (onion family), flowers (cauliflower and broccoli), leaf vegetables ( spinach and lettuce) and stem vegetables (celery and asparagus ). The carbohydrate, protein and lipid content of plants is highly variable. Carbohydrates are mainly in
4662-427: The problem of having to deal with many different tools. Tool use by animals is a phenomenon in which an animal uses any kind of tool in order to achieve a goal such as acquiring food and water, grooming , defense, communication , recreation or construction . Originally thought to be a skill possessed only by humans , some tool use requires a sophisticated level of cognition. There is considerable discussion about
4736-549: The shells of prey, as well as for scratching. Corvids (such as crows , ravens and rooks ) are well known for their large brains (among birds ) and tool use. New Caledonian crows are among the only animals that create their own tools. They mainly manufacture probes out of twigs and wood (and sometimes metal wire) to catch or impale larvae . Tool use in some birds may be best exemplified in nest intricacy. Tailorbirds manufacture 'pouches' to make their nests in. Some birds, such as weaver birds , build complex nests utilizing
4810-406: The surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools , only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates back hundreds of millennia, have been observed using tools to make other tools. Early human tools, made of such materials as stone , bone , and wood , were used for the preparation of food , hunting , the manufacture of weapons , and
4884-448: The tastes that provide the most energy are the most pleasant to eat while others are not enjoyable, although humans in particular can acquire a preference for some substances which are initially unenjoyable. Water, while important for survival, has no taste. Sweetness is almost always caused by a type of simple sugar such as glucose or fructose , or disaccharides such as sucrose , a molecule combining glucose and fructose. Sourness
4958-476: The tool during or prior to use and is responsible for the proper and effective orientation of the tool. Other, briefer definitions have been proposed: An object carried or maintained for future use. The use of physical objects other than the animal's own body or appendages as a means to extend the physical influence realized by the animal. An object that has been modified to fit a purpose ... [or] An inanimate object that one uses or modifies in some way to cause
5032-530: The top of the food chain ; by inventing tools, they were able to accomplish tasks that human bodies could not, such as using a spear or bow to kill prey , since their teeth were not sharp enough to pierce many animals' skins. "Man the hunter" as the catalyst for Hominin change has been questioned. Based on marks on the bones at archaeological sites, it is now more evident that pre-humans were scavenging off of other predators' carcasses rather than killing their own food. Many tools were made in prehistory or in
5106-523: The top. Other aspects of the web include detrovores (that eat detritis ) and decomposers (that break down dead organisms). Primary producers include algae, plants, bacteria and protists that acquire their energy from sunlight. Primary consumers are the herbivores that consume the plants, and secondary consumers are the carnivores that consume those herbivores. Some organisms, including most mammals and birds, diet consists of both animals and plants, and they are considered omnivores. The chain ends with
5180-402: The use of one tool that has at least two different capabilities. "Multi-purpose" tools are basically multiple tools in one device/tool. Tools such as this are often power tools that come with many different attachments like a rotary tool does, so one could say that a power drill is a "multi-purpose" tool. A multi-tool is a hand tool that incorporates several tools into a single, portable device;
5254-519: The water does not evaporate), and reaching food that is out of reach. Many other social mammals particularly have been observed engaging in tool-use. A group of dolphins in Shark Bay uses sea sponges to protect their beaks while foraging. Sea otters will use rocks or other hard objects to dislodge food (such as abalone ) and break open shellfish . Many or most mammals of the order Carnivora have been observed using tools, often to trap or break open
5328-427: The working of materials to produce clothing and useful artifacts and crafts such as pottery , along with the construction of housing , businesses , infrastructure , and transportation . The development of metalworking made additional types of tools possible. Harnessing energy sources , such as animal power , wind , or steam , allowed increasingly complex tools to produce an even larger range of items, with
5402-403: The world's crops are used to feed humans (55 percent), with 36 percent grown as animal feed and 9 percent for biofuels . Fungi and bacteria are also used in the preparation of fermented foods like bread , wine , cheese and yogurt . During photosynthesis , energy from the sun is absorbed and used to transform water and carbon dioxide in the air or soil into oxygen and glucose. The oxygen
5476-491: Was kept to a minimum. Hand methods of production were very laborious and costly and precision was difficult to achieve. With their inherent precision, machine tools enabled the economical production of interchangeable parts . Examples of machine tools include: Advocates of nanotechnology expect a similar surge as tools become microscopic in size. One can classify tools according to their basic functions: Some tools may be combinations of other tools. An alarm-clock
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