control of fire by early humans

Cro-Magnon artists painting in Font-de-Gaume under the lighting of controlled fire, American Museum of Natural History, by Charles R. Knight (1920)

The control of fire by early humans was a critical technology enabling the evolution of humans. Fire provided a source of warmth and lighting, protection from predators (especially at night), a way to create more advanced hunting tools, and a method for cooking food. These cultural advances allowed human geographic dispersal, cultural innovations, and changes to diet and behavior. Additionally, the ability to start fires allowed human activity to continue into the darker and colder hours of the evening.