Short answers, pulled from the story.
The 476,000-year-old shaped stick found at Kalambo Falls in southern Africa stands as the oldest known evidence of woodworking. This artifact predates the invention of writing by hundreds of millennia and displays notches that suggest deliberate shaping. It proves that early humans were manipulating wood long before the development of stone tools became sophisticated enough to be the primary focus of archaeological study.
Ancient Egyptians used bronze for woodworking tools after 2000 BC. Before this date, they used copper for their tools, as iron working was unknown until much later. This reliance on softer metals forced craftsmen to depend on the sharpness and durability of copper and bronze to shape harder woods.
The progenitors of Chinese woodworking are considered to be Lu Ban and his wife Lady Yun from the Spring and Autumn period between 771 and 476 BC. Lu Ban is said to have introduced the plane, chalk-line, and other tools to China, revolutionizing the craft with innovations that would influence woodworking for centuries.
Hardwoods are botanically known as angiosperms and are deciduous trees that shed their leaves annually, while softwoods come from gymnosperms which are coniferous and stay green year round. Hardwoods have a higher density around 1041 kg/m3 and are more stable when drying, whereas softwoods have a lower density around 432, 592 kg/m3 and are typically less durable.
Notable figures who have shaped the history of woodworking include Alvar Aalto, Norm Abram, Jimmy Carter, George Nakashima, and Sam Maloof. Alvar Aalto revolutionized bentwood furniture design, while George Nakashima emphasized natural beauty and traditional Japanese joinery techniques. Jimmy Carter built furniture and cabins, demonstrating the accessibility of the craft to people from all walks of life.