Evolutionary role of fire
The earliest controlled use of fire is thought to have been in Africa some 1.0-1.5 M yr BP, and the start of more extensive use put at 250 000 yr BP. It has even been postulated that the increasing use of fire by hominids fuelled the development of human evolution.
What would you prefer to eat: a cold, hard uncooked potato, or a hot baked potato with a beautiful aroma? Most people would opt for the cooked vegetable. Not surprisingly it seems that early hominids also preferred cooked food, with possibly far reaching implications for human development.
Hot topic activity: Fire and the human brain
Did cooking spark human evolution?
In the following article Elizabeth Pennisi (1999) describes a controversial new theory put forward by anthropologist Richard Wrangham from Harvard University. The theory links fire and human development, and argues that cooking tubers sparked a crucial turning point in human evolution.
Complete the reading (Pennisi 1999) and see what you think.
Reading:
Pennisi, E. (1999) Did cooking tubers spur the evolution of big brains? Science 283: 2004-2005.
