The researchers found charred bones and plant remains at the site, along with evidence of hearths that had been used for cooking.
A team of scientists has found the oldest known evidence of humans in Europe using fires to cook. The discovery, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, pushes back the date of human fire use in Europe by 50,000 years.
The oldest known evidence of human fire use was found at a site in Spain called Gran Dolina, which is home to a series of caves that were inhabited by early humans between 400,000 and 500,000 years ago. The researchers found charred bones and plant remains at the site, along with evidence of hearths that had been used for cooking.
The researchers say that the evidence indicates that early humans in Europe were using fire for a variety of purposes, including cooking, warmth, and protection from predators. The discovery could help us to better understand the evolution of human culture and behavior.
“This is a really exciting discovery,” said Dr. Clayton Magill, an assistant professor at Heriot-Watt University and an author of the study. “It shows that early humans in Europe were using fire in a much more sophisticated way than we previously thought.”
The discovery also has implications for our understanding of the evolution of human diet. Cooking makes food more nutritious and easier to digest, which could have given early humans a significant advantage over other animals.
“Cooking is one of the most important technological innovations in human history,” said Dr. Magill. “This discovery shows that early humans were using fire for cooking at least 50,000 years earlier than we thought. This could have had a profound impact on their diet and health.”
The discovery is a significant step forward in our understanding of the early human experience in Europe. It shows that early humans were more sophisticated and resourceful than we previously thought, and it provides new insights into the evolution of human culture and behavior.