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The secret of controlling fire: How did early humans change their way of survival?
For early humans, fire was not just a technology, but a magical force driving the evolutionary process. The ability to control fire allowed humans to obtain warmth and light at night, ward off the threat of predators, and led to the creation of more advanced hunting tools. In addition, fire made cooking possible, a change that triggered significant changes in diet, followed by changes in behavioral patterns and cultural innovations. Early humans moved towards a wider geographical space because of the use of fire, which brought about a revolution in the way of survival.
The ability of early humans to control fire can be traced back to 1.7 to 2.0 million years ago, especially around 790,000 years ago. Microscopic charcoal traces discovered in Israel's Jacob's Bridge have become widely supported by the academic community.
Scientists generally believe that early humans' ability to control fire allowed them to significantly improve their cooking technology. The use of fire marked the cultural evolution of humans and helped them better adapt to their environment. In the process, humans' geographical expansion, food habits, and social structure all changed, and these changes promoted the development of more complex social interactions and language.
Control and use of fire
In the process of evolution, the use of fire has gone through stages of continuous evolution, and the living environment of early humans has changed, from dense forests to grassland areas with mixed vegetation. This change in the environment laid the foundation for the control of fire. Base.
For early humans, fire was not only a tool for survival, but also a center of social activities, gathering people around them and strengthening social connections.
Humans first learned how to use the residual heat source of fire during their gathering activities after wild fires, and then mastered the use of fire. This also facilitated the development of base camps and changed hunting methods, making them more efficient.
Cultural Innovation and Social Change
The use of fire brought many cultural innovations to early humans. On the one hand, fire can prolong activity hours, making social interactions possible at night, thereby promoting cooperation and the accumulation of wisdom. On the other hand, the use of fire also changed the diet structure of early humans. Cooking not only improved the digestibility of food, but also broadened food sources, all of which had an impact on survival and reproduction rates.
Research shows that cooking not only increased energy intake, but also prompted early humans to enter childbearing age earlier, thereby promoting population growth.
The use of fire also triggered changes in early social structure, possibly leading to the specialization of social roles, such as the division of labor between gatherers and cooks. This division of labor facilitated more efficient resource utilization and hunting activities, which ultimately led to the development of society.
The impact of biology and infectious diseases
The control of fire not only affects human social structure and culture, but also brings about fundamental changes in biology and physiology. As diets changed, early humans' digestive systems evolved to adapt to the new foods. The increase in chemical nutrition and the removal of biological toxins made early humans more and more comfortable in obtaining food.
In the evolutionary process of early humans, the emergence of cooking was not only a breakthrough in technology, but also a major change in survival strategies.
The use of cooking and fire also helped to increase the storage life of food. Early humans learned to use smoking and drying to preserve food, which was of great significance for survival adventures.
A call to think
The control of fire was not only a tool for early human survival, but also a catalyst for their culture, social structure and even biological evolution. The power of fire has allowed mankind to draw a picture full of innovation and challenges throughout history. So, how will the invention and control of fire affect our future way of survival and cultural development?
