Fire's Initial Purpose May Not Have Been for Culinary Pursuits, According to a Fresh Theory
In a groundbreaking study published in *Frontiers in Nutrition*, researchers from Tel Aviv University have proposed a new hypothesis on the origin of fire use by early humans. Contrary to the traditional belief that fire was primarily used for warmth or direct cooking, the researchers suggest that early humans primarily used fire to preserve and protect large hunted animals.
The new theory posits that early humans, such as Homo erectus, used fire for smoking and drying meat to prevent spoilage, allowing them to store food for longer periods. This practice was not just a means of preservation but also a strategic way to safeguard valuable resources from other predators and scavengers.
The researchers, led by Prof. Ran Barkai and Dr. Miki Ben-Dor, analysed nine prehistoric sites with evidence of fire use, all of which featured an abundance of large animal remains, including elephants, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses. The study challenges the long-held belief that early fire use was primarily for warmth or direct cooking, instead highlighting its significance as a complex adaptive behaviour related to prehistoric hunting and food management strategies.
The initial use of fire for smoking and drying meat was a crucial step in early human evolution. Cooking, as a later repurpose, may have come later at a negligible additional energy cost once fire use was established. This strategic use of fire likely preceded regular cooking practices.
The researchers' work supports a broader theory that major prehistoric changes were reactions to shifts in diet. As large animals dwindled, early humans adapted by shifting their dietary strategies towards smaller prey. The researchers claim to be the first to propose this hypothesis, which reshapes our understanding of early fire use as a complex adaptive behaviour rather than simple cooking.
The study's findings contextualize the early use of fire for preserving meat within one of the most important prehistoric human developments known to science. Starting and maintaining a fire was an arduous process that required a "compelling, energy-efficient motive." The meat and fat of a single prehistoric elephant or hippopotamus provided enough calories to feed a group of 20-30 people for a month or more, making the preservation of such resources essential for survival.
The researchers' hypothesis aligns with a broader theory that humans' consumption of large animals drove important prehistoric developments. By approximately 1 million years ago, humans began making and controlling fire, a development that significantly impacted their ability to exploit large animals as a calorie source. The study published in the journal Frontiers suggests that humans started making fire to protect their food from animals and to extend the prehistoric shelf life of their meat through smoking and drying, a practice that predates the modern technique of curing and smoking meats by hundreds of thousands of years.
- The groundbreaking study published in Frontiers in Nutrition proposes that future research may delve into the use of supplements to prevent chronic-conditions like chronic-kidney-disease, COPD, and type-2-diabetes, stemming from this study's insights into early humans' adaptive behavior.
- Gizmodo recently highlighted an article discussing the theory that early humans used fire strategically for preserving meat, a practice that could potentially have far-reaching implications for both health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise.
- In the realm of environmental-science, scientists continue to investigate the environmental impact of climate-change, while searching for innovative solutions like promoting nutrition-conscious behaviors and combating rheumatoid-arthritis with proper diet and exercise.
- As we look to the future of technology, scientists and enthusiasts alike are excited about space-and-astronomy advancements, inspired by early humans' use of fire for understanding and harnessing the elements of their environment.
- Recently, scientists studying science and medicine have started focusing on the role of nutrition in managing chronic-diseases, drawing parallels from the strategic use of fire by early humans for preserving their resources.
- Within the bounds of science and technology, the research into early humans' use of fire for preserving meat raises questions about our understanding of the origins of civilizations and the significance of major prehistoric developments like farming, cooking, and the domestication of animals.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the strategic use of fire by early humans for preserving meat highlights the importance of proper food management and the impact of chronic-diseases on our ancestors, offering valuable insights for modern medical-research.
- The advancements in climate-change research present new scientific opportunities for understanding the role of fire in shaping our environment and its impact on the flow of nutrients, much like the adaptation strategy employed by early humans for preserving their food.
- Ancient civilizations' use of fire for preserving food can be seen as an early approach to combating food waste and improving sustainability, demonstrating that even centuries ago, people recognized the need for efficient resource management, relevant to both science and the broader field of health-and-wellness.
