The Importance of Fire in Human Evolution

The podcast discusses the importance of fire in human evolution, specifically focusing on how the use of fire to cook food led to changes in our body, including the ability to grow bigger brains. Richard Rangam, an anthropologist, explains that the invention of fire allowed early humans to sleep on the ground, as fire provided protection against dangerous animals. The ability to cook food made it more digestible and provided access to a wider range of foods, resulting in a reduction in the size of our guts and teeth. This freed up time for other activities and facilitated the growth of our brains.