Control of Fire (Base Register)

Humanity's control of fire can be seen as a defining attribute which sets the human race apart from all other creatures on Earth. It is the control of fire and the subsequent protection from predators, development of cooked and sterilized food and the expansion of human activity into the night which gave humanity the energy and time to become a dominant species. The unlocking of cooked nutrients may have a direct link to brain expansion.

Discovery and Development
Humanity would first have encountered fire as a result of lighting strikes, brush fires, or similar natural occurences. The first controlled use of fire is unknown - it is likely that there were several independant developments of the same idea. Homo Erectus seems likely to have used fire approximately 1.5 million years ago, with evidence that it was used to cook meat. From then onwards, humanity seems to have become more adept at handling fire, with widespread use most likely emerging 125,000 years ago. Many tribes and cultures seem to form a cultural or religious attachment to fire, as it became a necessary part of life, especially in keeping predators away. Fire has lent itself to the development of early art. Fire-baking of clay has lead to the development of ceramics, and charcoal is a vital element of early art, writing and other forms of communication.