Scientists have found strong evidence that early humans were making and controlling fire around 400,000 years ago, much earlier than previously believed, according to a report by The Guardian. The discovery was made at an archaeological site in Barnham, a village in Suffolk, England, and challenges long-held assumptions about when fire-making first began.
Until now, the earliest clear proof of humans lighting fires dated back to about 50,000 years ago in northern France. While earlier humans were known to use natural fires more than one million years ago, there was little evidence that they could start fires themselves. The new findings suggest this skill developed far earlier.
According to the report, researchers uncovered scorched earth, fire-cracked stone tools, and rare fragments of iron pyrite, a mineral that produces sparks when struck with flint. The pyrite is not found naturally in the area, indicating it was deliberately brought from coastal regions many kilometres away and likely used as a fire-starting tool.
Geochemical tests showed that parts of the clay soil had been repeatedly heated to temperatures above 700°C, pointing to the regular use of a campfire or hearth at the site.
Scientists believe the people responsible were early Neanderthals, not modern humans. Homo sapiens are thought to have left Africa much later, around 100,000 years ago. Fossil evidence from Britain and Europe supports the idea that early Neanderthals were living in the region at the time.
Experts say the discovery has major implications for understanding human evolution. Control of fire would have provided warmth, light, protection from predators, and the ability to cook food. These advantages may have supported brain development, social bonding, and survival in colder climates such as northern Europe.
The findings were published in the journal Nature and are being described as a major breakthrough in the study of early human behaviour.
