Israeli researchers have discovered evidence of ancient human use of fire dating back at least 800,000 years.
Stone Age tools discovered dating from 800,000 to 1 million years ago.
According to the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) in Central Israel, researchers have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover one of the earliest pieces of evidence for fire usage by ancient Hominins.
The study results, published in the journal PNAS on June 13, indicate that this evidence was found at Evron Quarry – an outdoor archaeological site located in Western Galilee (Northern Israel). Previous excavations at this site have revealed a large number of animal fossils and Stone Age tools dating from 800,000 to 1 million years ago.
Using precise AI methods, scientists assessed the heat exposure levels of 26 flint tools found in the area, discovering that these tools had been heated at various temperature levels, with some tools subjected to temperatures exceeding 600 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, researchers analyzed 87 animal fossils using another spectroscopic technique and found that the tusk of an extinct elephant exhibited structural changes due to heating.
