Ancient fire inside Wonderwerk Cave rewrites early human timeline
TL;DR
A new PLOS One study finds repeated burning in Wonderwerk Cave deposits dated to about 1.07–1.79 million years ago, among the oldest known records of hominin fire use. By analyzing 161 small-mammal bones with FTIR and bone luminescence, researchers detected heating deep inside the cave (at least 30 meters in) in distinct clusters, suggesting early Homo erectus populations carried and maintained fire for warmth, light, and protection—well before cooking became widespread.
- Early humans used fire in Wonderwerk Cave up to 1.8 million years ago Archaeology News Online Magazine
- Humans may have discovered fire hundreds of thousands of years before previously thought: new research New York Post
- New study finds hominids used fire 700,000 years earlier than previously recorded Interesting Engineering
- Hominids used fire 700,000 years earlier than previously thought Science Media Centre España
- Homo erectus campfires in South Africa reconstructed in 3D Foro3D
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