Question

Why was the use of fire important in the evolution of the genus Homo?

Use the Expensive Tissue Hypothesis and the role that calories played in the development of many of our ancestors' human-like characteristics to answer the question.

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) Let us assume the value of an organ in terms of cost of metabolism. In this circumstance, the brain would be one of the most expensive organs. This is because it requires a high quality and metabolises extensive amounts of calories in order to form mass that would then be grey matter. This means that, in order to have a larger brain, it is essential to have a high quality diet that would metabolise to have a properly functioning brain.

According to archaeological finds, the Genus Homo is the species that discovered fire in the region where modern-day Ethiopia is today. The discovery of fire, led to a change in their ways. Fire was a brand new ecological resource that enabled them to defend themselves against wild animals, see better at night and even made them better hunters.

One of the new benefits of fire included their diet. Genus Homo began to cook meat before they ate it. Cooking meat increases the caloric returns, which eventually led to a better evolution of neurological tissue and fat. This is the reason why fire played a major role in the evolution of intellect in early man.