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Fire was an important factor in expanding and developing societies of early hominids. One impact fire might have had was social stratification. The power to make and wield fire may have conferred prestige and social position. [35] Fire also led to a lengthening of daytime activities and allowed more nighttime activities. [45]
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct species of australopithecine which lived from about 3.9–2.9 million years ago (mya) in the Pliocene of East Africa. The first fossils were discovered in the 1930s, but major fossil finds would not take place until the 1970s.
Gracile australopithecines (Australopithecus afarensis) emerged in the same region, around 4 million years ago. The earliest known retouched tools were found in Lomekwi, Kenya, and date back to 3.3 Ma, in the late Pliocene.
Lucy’s discovery transformed our understanding of human origins. Don Johanson, who unearthed the Australopithecus afarensis remains in 1974, recalls the moment he found the iconic fossil.
A. anamensis and many more Australopithecus branches, Australopithecus cannot be consolidated into a coherent grouping without also including the Homo genus and other genera. The earliest known member of the genus, A. anamensis, existed in eastern Africa around 4.2 million years ago.
[11] [12] The archaeological site of Xihoudu (西侯渡) in Shanxi province is the earliest recorded use of fire by Homo erectus, which is dated 1.27 million years ago. [13] Southeast Asia was reached about 1.7 million years ago (Meganthropus). Western Europe was first populated around 1.2 million years ago . [14]
H. habilis is intermediate between Australopithecus afarensis and H. erectus, and there have been suggestions to re-classify it within genus Australopithecus, as Australopithecus habilis. LD 350-1 is now considered the earliest known specimen of the genus Homo, dating to 2.75–2.8 Ma, found in the Ledi-Geraru site in the Afar Region of Ethiopia.
Did Homo erectus tame fire before learning to start a fire? [5] There are contradictary arguments about the Taung child (Australopithecus africanus) evolutionary timeline. [5] There are contradictary arguments about Lucy (Australopithecus africanus) walking upright, the evolution of bipedalism. [5]