Man made fire 350,000 years earlier than previously known…

[nigelp]

Man made fire 350,000 years earlier than previously known after discovery in Suffolk

Groundbreaking discovery reveals humans were lighting fires much earlier than believed.
https://www.theguardian.com/science...n-previously-known-after-discovery-in-suffolk

 

[Ozmundo]

Interesting. When I heard this story I imagined an ancient human celebrating whilst his mate strolls up with a rollup made from sedge and saying got a light?

 

[forrestdweller]

shows that the english/ british mastered firemaking 350000 years before the french

 

[crosslandkelly]

Not too surprising really, I think the Neanderthals were far more intelligent than they have been given credit for in the past.

 

[slowworm]

Humans mastered the art of creating fire 400,000 years ago

...and 399,999 years ago the first branded flint and pyrite was sold and humans have argued over the best way to light fire ever since.

 

[Pattree]

I think that we have to assume that hominids had been using fire long before learning how to create it?

I’m not sure what the new evidence is showing us.

 

[FerlasDave]

...and 399,999 years ago the first branded flint and pyrite was sold and humans have argued over the best way to light fire ever since.

I heard it was a fake!

 

[nigelp]

I think that we have to assume that hominids had been using fire long before learning how to create it?

I’m not sure what the new evidence is showing us.

They said that we used fire before then but this was direct evidence for creating fire.

 

[forrestdweller]

Not too surprising really, I think the Neanderthals were far more intelligent than they have been given credit for in the past.

reminds me of a scene from "demolition man", where a woman asks john spartan "what would you do if i'd call you a neanderthal?" (meant as an offence) and he replies "thank you, maybe?!"...

 

[Keith_Beef]

I think that we have to assume that hominids had been using fire long before learning how to create it?

I’m not sure what the new evidence is showing us.

The article that I read stated that archaeologists found evidence of a hearth being repeatedly used and temperatures repeatedly getting up to 700°C. So not just a one-off BBQ when a lightening strike had started a fire, more like an established shelter or settlement with a campfire.

 

[Pattree]

Carrying fire? There is some evidence for that practice from approximately a million years ago. Homo erectus may well have controlled and carried fire 600,000 years ago.

Edited to add:
I’m not gainsaying the article, I’m just not sure how to interpret the evidence presented.

 

[nigelp]

Carrying fire? There is some evidence for that practice from approximately a million years ago. Homo erectus may well have controlled and carried fire 600,000 years ago.

Edited to add:
I’m not gainsaying the article, I’m just not sure how to interpret the evidence presented.

It clearly says they found evidence for fire creation.