Stone Age people intentionally made fire at least 350,000 years earlier than previously proved, scientists have found, potentially transforming our understanding of a crucial evolutionary milestone in humanity’s ability to survive and thrive.
Heat-shattered flint handaxes, burnt clay and two small pieces of iron pyrite found at a site in the English county of Suffolk suggested it was repeatedly used as a campfire or hearth more than 400,000 years ago, the researchers said.
The deliberate use of fire helped to protect our ancestors from predators and cold, increased their mobility and made their diet more varied, opening a path to the improved health and group dynamics that would eventually underpin modern societies.
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