It is staggering how long we humans went without actual armor, given how incredibly useful it is.

For most of human history, we went into battle either naked, wearing useless or borderline useless

defensive clothing, or even wearing clothing that could potentially disrupt one's ability to fight

properly. A horsehair necklace looks great until somebody's strangling you with it.

And this lack of armor in our prehistory is pretty ridiculous when you think about it.

If you've ever stepped on a thumbtack or

cut yourself while chopping vegetables, you know how easy it is to get through the stuff

mammals like you are made of with even the most modest weaponry, even accidentally. Imagine going against grown men with spears and arrows and clubs who actually want to hurt

you and kill you.

Imagine going against them with no more defense than your skin and your skills.

Today, we wear hand protection for sewing. than your skin and your skills.

Today, we wear hand protection for sewing and helmets for things like skateboarding.

Back then, the only helmet was your skull, and they were going against people who were trying to knock their head off.

We actually don't even need to talk about war here,

or even our species. In fact, let's take war off the table completely. If we go back to early

human history, when you'd be going hunting for big game, armed with a spear, while the animal

you're trying to kill has hooves and horns and antlers, a helmet

would be a nice add-on, right? Maybe a bit of chain mail would be useful. Especially when you're

walking around Africa, the cradle of humanity, where, by the way, there lives insanely

dangerous predators.

Hyenas, lions, crocodiles, literally animals with mouths full of knives,

and jaws that can produce unspeakable force.

...