Doug Ramspeck

Nov 2, 2023 | thesunmagazine.org | David Mahaffey |Bethany Marcel |Amy Dryansky |Doug Ramspeck

Can we learn to live with fire? It’s an odd question for humans to ask, since our development is intricately tied to combustion. Our Homo erectus ancestors likely used open flames to make food easier to digest, fueling the growth of their brains, as well as to stay warm, ward off predators, and eventually create communities. Fire has been a catalyst for technological advancement, too, from the kilns and forges of the Bronze Age to the rockets that send modern tourists into space.