“The origins of fire usage are a ‘burning’ subject amongst prehistory scientists around the globe,” stated Tel Aviv University Professor Ran Barkai, co-author of the research study.

“It is typically concurred that by 400,000 years back, fire usage prevailed in domestic contexts– probably for roasting meat, and maybe likewise for lighting and heating.”

“But there is debate relating to the preceding million years, and different hypotheses have actually been advanced to discuss why early human beings started utilizing fire.”

“In this research study, we looked for to check out a brand-new point of view on the concern.”

“For early people, fire usage was not an offered, and at the majority of historical sites dated earlier than 400,000 years earlier, there is no proof of making use of fire,” stated Tel Aviv University’s Dr. Miki Ben-Dor, very first author of the research study.

“Nevertheless, at a variety of early websites there are clear indications that fire was utilized, however without charred bones or proof of meat roasting.”

“We comprehend that early human beings at that time– mainly Homo erectus — did not utilize fire frequently, however just periodically, in particular locations and for unique functions.”

“The procedure of collecting fuel, firing up a fire, and keeping it in time needed considerable effort, and they required an engaging, energy-efficient intention to do so.”

“We have actually proposed a brand-new hypothesis relating to that intention.”

In their research study, the authors evaluated the existing literature on all understood ancient websites dated in between 1.8 million and 800,000 years ago where proof of fire usage was discovered.

There are 9 such websites worldwide, consisting of Gesher Benot Ya’aqov and Evron Quarry in Israel, 6 websites in Africa, and one website in Spain.

In addition, they count on ethnographic research studies of modern hunter-gatherer societies, aligning their habits with the conditions that dominated in ancient environments.

“We analyzed what the 9 ancient websites shared, and discovered that all consisted of big amounts of bones from big animals– mainly elephants, however likewise hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, and others,” Dr. Ben-Dor stated.

“From previous research studies, we understand that these animals were incredibly essential to early human diet plans and offered the majority of the essential calories.”

“The meat and fat of a single elephant, for instance, include countless calories, enough to feed a group of 20-30 individuals for a month or more.”

“A hunted elephant or hippopotamus was therefore a genuine treasure– a type of meat and fat ‘bank’ that required to be secured and maintained for numerous days, considering that it was longed for not just by predators however likewise by germs.”

An analysis of the findings and estimations of the substantial energetic benefit of maintaining meat and fat led the scientists to a brand-new conclusion, never ever before proposed: fire served 2 important functions for early human beings: initially, to safeguard the big video game from other predators and scavengers looking for to take the ‘treasure,’ and 2nd, to protect the meat through cigarette smoking and drying, avoiding putridity and making it edible for an extended period of time.

“In this research study, we propose a brand-new understanding of the elements that inspired early people to start utilizing fire: the requirement to secure big hunted animals from other predators, and to protect the large amount of meat gradually,” Professor Barkai stated.

“It is most likely that when fire was produced for these functions, it was likewise periodically utilized for cooking– at absolutely no minimal energetic expense.”

“Such usage might describe proof of fish roasting from around 800,000 years back at Gesher Benot Ya’aqov.”

“The technique we propose fits well into a worldwide theory we have actually been establishing over the last few years, which describes significant ancient phenomena as adjustments to the searching and usage of big animals, followed by their progressive disappearance and the resulting requirement to obtain appropriate energy from the exploitation of smaller sized animals.”

The findings were released in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition

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Miki Ben-Dor & & Ran Barkai. 2025. A bioenergetic method prefers the conservation and defense of victim, not cooking, as the chauffeurs of early fire. Front. Nutr 12; doi: 10.3389/ fnut.2025.1585182