Did Humans Control Fire 1.8 Million Years Ago? | WION Podcast
Why It Matters
The research rewrites the chronology of fire control, indicating that early hominins possessed advanced technological and social capabilities far earlier than assumed, with profound implications for human evolutionary studies.
Key Takeaways
- •Burned mammal bones dated 1.79 million years found in Wonderwerk Cave
- •Evidence suggests Homo erectus regularly carried fire into deep cave interiors
- •Researchers used luminescence technique to confirm high‑heat exposure on bones
- •Owl pellets likely served as fuel, acting like a wool rug
- •Findings push back controlled‑fire use by hominins several hundred thousand years
Summary
The WION podcast reports a groundbreaking find in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave: burned small‑mammal bones dated to roughly 1.79 million years ago. The discovery challenges the prevailing timeline for when hominins first mastered fire, suggesting that Homo erectus may have been using fire far earlier than previously thought.
An international team analyzed 161 fossilized rodent and insect bones, many recovered from owl pellets deep—about 100 feet—inside the cave. Using a non‑destructive luminescence method, they detected a distinct reddish glow indicating exposure to high temperatures, ruling out mineral staining. The depth of the site makes natural wildfires implausible, leading researchers to conclude that early humans deliberately introduced embers, using dried owl pellets as a fuel‑rich substrate.
The study, published in PLOS One, describes how Homo erectus likely harvested natural flames from lightning‑ignited bushfires, then transported glowing embers into the cave. The pellets acted like a thick wool rug, allowing a smoldering ember to persist without spreading, effectively creating a controlled fire spot for warmth or cooking.
If validated, these findings push the controlled‑fire timeline back by several hundred thousand years, reshaping theories of early human cognition, social organization, and ecological impact. The evidence suggests a sophisticated understanding of fire management well before the emergence of modern Homo sapiens.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...