Homo erectus used fire deliberately — 700,000 years earlier than thought

The ability to control fire marks a turning point in human history. Researchers have now dated this moment significantly further back than previously assumed. Spanish scientists discovered remains of fireplaces in South Africa, which show that Homo erectus already used flames 1.8 million years ago – approximately 700,000 years earlier than previous studies suggested.

The investigations reveal a differentiated picture: Homo erectus was not capable of igniting fire itself. Instead, it was an "opportunistic" use. When lightning strikes or natural fires generated flames, our ancestors knew how to use them deliberately. They learned to manipulate the fires, maintain them, and make them useful for their purposes.

Precise dating through modern methods

The dating was achieved through a non-invasive analysis method based on luminescence. This technique makes it possible to determine the age of sediments precisely without damaging archaeological finds. The results suggest that Homo erectus repeatedly and systematically manipulated fire between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago.

The significance of this discovery lies in the insight that control over fire did not emerge suddenly, but developed over hundreds of thousands of years. Initially, our ancestors exploited flames that arose by chance, before they later learned to ignite fire themselves. This knowledge offered enormous advantages: protection from cold, the ability to cook, protection from predators, and social gatherings became possible. The finds in South Africa document a decisive step in this evolutionary development.