Final answer:
The Oldowan tool industry emerged around 2.5 million years ago and early hominins used it extensively before later technological advancements, such as the blade tool industry during the Upper Paleolithic, which featured more advanced and efficient tools.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Oldowan tool industry was developed around 2.5 million years ago, and it is indicative that early hominins continued using this older tool industry for a significant amount of time before developing their own distinct methodologies. Based on archaeological findings, it is believed that the Oldowan industry was used by both H. habilis and possibly Paranthropus boisei. These stone tools were primitive in appearance but represented a significant advancement in human engineering ability at the time. They were used for a variety of tasks such as cutting, scraping, chopping, and butchering meat.
Significantly later, during the Upper Paleolithic, humans began developing a much more elaborate tool kit known as the blade tool industry. It included tools made from a variety of materials like antler, ivory, and bone in addition to stone. The blade tool industry was characterized by the production of longer, thinner, and more efficient cutting edges and represented a major technological leap forward.