Drooid Logo
Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Ancient Fire-Making Discovered: 400,000 Years Old!

12/22/2025

27 2 Full Breakdown

1 of 1

Story summary
  • Scientists in Barnham, England report deliberate fire-making dating to roughly 400,000 years ago, published in Nature.
  • The finding significantly predates the previous earliest fire-making, around 50,000 years ago in France.
  • Evidence includes flint hand axes, baked clay, and iron pyrite, indicating intentional fire creation and repeated burning above 1,292°F.
  • This discovery contributes to evidence of increasing behavioral complexity in early humans.