When humans first learned how to control fire, it was an important step in their culture. It allowed them to cook food and get warmth and protection. Making fire also allowed activity into the dark, and gave some protection from predators and insects.[1]
The cooking of food was probably the most useful effect of fire. There are foods like nuts and fruits which do not need cooking, but others, such as root vegetables, mostly need cooking.[2]
It is not known for sure when fire was first controlled by humans. Evidence for the use of fire by Homo erectus by about 400,000 years ago has wide scholarly support.[3][4] Claims for the earliest definitive evidence of control of fire by a member of Homo range from 0.2 to 1.7 million years ago (mya).[5]
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