How Did Humans Learn to Control Fire Nearly 1 Million Years Ago? — Here’s What Scientists Believe Happened

Have you ever wondered when humans first used fire, and how they came to know how to utilize it? Long ago, before we even had matches, lighters, and campfires, early humans had already learned how to use fire to their advantage. It could be even safe to say that without this skill, we might have never reached this point in our civilization.

The modern human species, Homo sapiens, has only been around for 200,000 to 300,000 years, but scientists recorded the first use of fire way before we even existed. So, let’s go back in history to see how the early humans could have first learn to control fire, nearly 1 million years ago.

When Did People First Use Fire?

At Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, scientists have found signs that humans may have used fire as early as 1 million years ago. This finding is also not just a coincidence, but shows intentionality, as the clues were found inside a cave where early humans resided. They may have used fire to burn bones and plants long before Homo sapiens existed.

Additionally, in Israel, at a site called Daughters of Jacob Bridge, a discovery of tools and fish teeth that were heated to be cooked was made. Scientists estimated the age of this evidence to be about 790,000 years ago. It meant early humans may have used fire to cook food deep inside caves a long time ago.

There are several more findings and archaeological sites that could show signs of when humans used fire the first time. However, using fire and having complete control of it, such as knowing how to start them, is a different conversation. So, let’s dive deeper into how humanity progressed these specific skill sets.

Read more: Live Science

How Did Early Humans Learn to Use Fire?

HOT (Human Origins Today) Topic – Ancient Pyrotechnology: The Role of Fire in Human Evolution

Scientists think that before humans first learned how to start fire themselves, they were already utilizing it. They probably didn’t start fires themselves right away, but instead, carried leftover embers of wildfires back to their caves or camps. Over time, they have learned to put some more branches into it to keep the fire going. The timeline of these events was most likely more than a million years ago.

While initially relying on wildfires, which could have been from lightning strikes or the heat of the sun, a fire that goes out is not easily replaced. It is hard to know exactly how early humans generated fire, but the leading methods were through percussion and friction.

Percussion methods involve striking stones to generate sparks. Early humans likely used rocks that were both hard and could produce sparks, like flint or pyrite. Then these sparks have to be caught by a pile that is easily combustible, like dried leaves, grass, or certain types of wood.

Another way was the friction method, where early humans generated heat by rubbing wood together until ember sparks. One of the simplest friction methods was using palms to rub a thick and straight wooden shaft into a wooden fireboard. As humans progress, this technique evolves to utilize tools like bows and cords.

By around 400,000 to 300,000 years ago, early hominins were now thought to have some form of mastery over fire. They began building hearths using a circular arrangement of stones to keep the fire contained. This skill showcased their understanding that the fire could spread or go out. It also allowed their camps to evolve into a social center that extends the day into the night to foster closer connections in the tribe or community.

Why Was Fire So Important?

Fire was so important that almost all of its functionalities were a necessity for early humans to survive and thrive. First, fire kept them warm and safer from predators, especially at night, where it is harder to anticipate and predict the attacks of animals like leopards or a pack of wolves.

By having a way to survive the cold, humans now have the option to move away from warm forests, into other places, and expand their territory or food sources. In other words, fire essentially expanded the limits of human habitats beyond the tropical environments.

Secondly, fire transformed humans’ diet by helping them heat up and cook tough plant fibers and meat. Food is now easier to chew and digest, allowing hominins to absorb and extract more nutrients and energy efficiently. This increase in available calories was thought to have played a major role in the development of their brains.

Cooking also made food a lot safer. The heat killed off parasites and bacteria that normally would have been eaten. This effect improves their health and therefore increases their lifespan.

Lastly, fire was not just for protection or cooking. Most people overlook one important result of mastering fire. It drew humans closer to one another. The light of the fire during the night and its warmth during the day may have led people to share meals, stories, and develop their culture.

Read more: Science Direct

How Did Fire Change Human History?

Humans Controlled Fire 1 Million Years Ago?!

At first, fire was only sourced from nature. Soon, humans learned how to start it and then control it. Once they have mastered fire, their days could be longer, and nights could be safer. Human ancestors also used them to cook food inside their caves, and not just eat all the raw meat the moment they found it.

Learning to use fire helped spread humanity worldwide, as it allowed them to live even in places that are colder than their original habitats. With the warmth and cooked food, they were able to survive harsher seasons like ice ages or droughts. Over time, this softer diet, an increase in calories, and less need for a bigger jaw and more teeth paved the way for bigger brains.

With a more developed brain, early humans were able to craft better tools, collaborate and communicate to hunt bigger animals, and develop even more complex societies. Fire is undoubtedly one of the biggest steps humanity has ever taken to reach where we are today as a civilization.

Author's Final Thoughts

As early as a million years ago, humans may have already known how to start and utilize fire. Our ancestors first got it from nature, then later figured out how to keep it, use it to cook, and light up their world. In other words, fire did not just provide warmth; it fueled our evolution. It is one of the many reasons why we are who we are today.

Read next: Why Did Early Humans Start Walking on Two Legs 6 to 7 Million Years Ago? — Here’s What Scientists Think

References & Further Reading

Gowlett, J. A. J. (2015). The discovery of fire by humans: a long and convoluted process. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0164

Berna, F., Goldberg, P., Horwitz, L. K., Brink, J., Holt, S., Bamford, M., … Chazan, M. (2012). Microstratigraphic evidence of in situ fire in the Acheulean strata of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape province, South Africa. PLOS ONE. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3356665/

MacDonald, K. (2021). Middle Pleistocene fire use: The first signal of widespread cultural control of fire. Communications Biology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8346817/

Sandgathe, D. M. (2017). Fire and the Genus Homo: An Introduction. Journal of Archaeological Research / UChicago Press. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/691424