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Should you not desire to read my nonsensical theoretical backdrop story, skip to the bold*

Assume that, hypothetically of course, some sort of zombie/nuclear/yellowstone/asteroid apocalypse took place in the near future and in the process of said apocalypse, all of modern technology (including weapons, shelter, household items, etc.) and stored food were destroyed. Further, the planet recovered immediately and quite miraculously from whatever manner of damage it sustained from the cataclysmic event as well as 250 years of human industrial activity. That means no irradiated soil, no polluted water, no toxic fumes floating in the air, no ferocious 3-headed mutant cows roaming the plains--nothing beyond natural forces and natural creatures. Effectively, the earth has been returned (marginally) to its natural state circa 200,000 years before present (date of the "mitochondrial eve," coincidentally). Our particular celestial body may be functionally optimally once again, but humanity has been nearly eradicated, leaving only 10-12,000 members of our species alive.

Assume you are one of the lone survivors. You are completely without modern tools and amenities, so how will you live? What will be your first objective? Do you think you possess the skills and mental fortitude to be a true paleolithic 'caveman?' Or will you just be food?

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No, no, no, there was no apocalypse. Clearly you fell down a 1000 foot waterfall while rafting and went through an inter-dimensional portal... :) – Todd B Jun 25 at 16:51
Occam's razor says time travel. – Karen Jun 25 at 16:55
Get working on that worm hole generator, we've got dinosaurs with which to do battle as well! – Potato Avenger Jun 25 at 17:56

5 Answers

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In a moderate-to-warm climate with no predators that can eat a human:

  1. Find clean water. The benefit to finding water is that animals also need to find water.
  2. Make tools / find food. See above.
  3. Make shelter/build fire

In tropical climate with dangerous "tiny things" (snakes, mosquitos, etc)

  1. Find clean water.
  2. Make raised shelter, build fire
  3. Make tools / find food (depending on the region this can be considerably less of a problem, i.e. tropical island/coconut/fruit and shellfish).

In a colder climate with predators that can eat a human:

  1. Find shelter, build fire.
  2. Find water
  3. Make tools, find food (preferably near water)

In an arctic climate (with no preparations such as additional clothing, tools, or firemaking kit)

  1. Curl up
  2. Die
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Or if it's summer and you are in the arctic, start walking south. – Diane Jun 25 at 16:06
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find water walk south – Karen Jun 25 at 16:28
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I will mention that I have hunted with improvised hunting implements (thrown), I currently hunt with weapons, but know quite a bit about tracking and making hunting implements. Wonder if I should start practicing the Atl-Atl next. – Joshua Jun 25 at 18:25
A bow is much more effective and with all the synthetic cordage lying around after the apocalyptic event it wouldn't be difficult to make one in an ambitous afternoon. Properly seasoning the wood takes longer but you can make a lethal weapon pretty quickly if improvise. I've knapped crude arrowheads from glass bottle bottoms but a pair of shears and a file could manufacture a lot of durable points. I've got a yew wood bow that draws 55# and is 2x what a lot of trad. Native American bows did, they got closer than treestand hunters with modern equipment do today, in that case 30# will do. – lil' Richard frm tx fan Jun 25 at 21:20
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I'd be dead as shit.

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LOL! My sentiments exactly! (well, not exactly, hence reading a book and all) – Karin Jun 25 at 23:31
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I would curl up with a good book and then probably die.

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I think Robb Wolf's iCaveman experience showed that without some preexisting survival skills most people are toast in an unforgiving environment. In a warmer climate with lots of edible vegetation around, maybe I could last long enough to figure out how to hunt, and otherwise care for myself. But in reality, I'd probably end up eating something poisonous or get bit by something venomous.

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i hate camping ;-D

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