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When did Homo erectus begin controlling fire?

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Side-view illustration of a Homo erectus individual, depicted with a robust, upright body covered in hair, walking with one arm bent. A scale bar beside the figure shows measurements in inches and centimeters. — Homo erectus Artist's rendering of *Homo erectus*, which lived from approximately 1,700,000 to 200,000 years ago.

Homo erectus is widely considered the first human species to control fire, an achievement that likely occurred approximately 1,000,000 years ago.1

While the exact timing remains a subject of scientific debate, evidence of burnt material has been identified in caves associated with Homo erectus dating back to 1,000,000 years ago, with some estimates suggesting it could be as early as 1,500,000 years ago. Other research has pointed to potential evidence of fire use at sites like Zhoukoudian dating to 400,000 years ago, though some findings previously interpreted as hearths have been re-evaluated as water-deposited sediment. Despite these complexities, the mastery of fire was a critical development for Homo erectus, aiding in migration to cooler climates and potentially influencing dietary changes that contributed to evolutionary shifts in tooth size.23