Short answers, pulled from the story.
Scientists announced the discovery of the vulture bone flute from Hohle Fels cave during August 2009. This artifact dates to at least 35,000 years ago and demonstrated a well-established musical tradition when modern humans colonized Europe.
Redating of the Geißenklösterle finds pushed their age back to between 42,000 and 43,000 years. These instruments were found alongside the Venus of Hohle Fels figurine and date to about 36,000 years ago according to initial reports.
A Sumerian cuneiform tablet dated around 2600 to 2700 BC contains the earliest written reference to a flute. Epic poems like Gilgamesh developed over a period spanning roughly 2100 to 600 BC mention flutes within their text.
The size placement key mechanism and fingering system evolved between 1832 and 1847 under Theobald Boehm. This inventor helped improve dynamic range and intonation over previous models so that most Western concert flutes conform to the Boehm system today.
Experts generally agree that the best bamboo grows in the Nagercoil area of South India. The quality of a bamboo flute's sound depends somewhat on the specific type of bamboo used from this region.