Technology

The discovery of fire was described by Charles Darwin as “possibly the greatest ever made by man.” Archeological, dietary, and social evidence point to “continuous fire-use” at least 1.5 Mya. Fire, fueled with wood and charcoal, allowed early humans to cook their food to increase its digestibility, improving its nutrient value and broadening the number of foods that could be eaten. The cooking hypothesis proposes that the ability to cook promoted an increase in hominid brain size, though some researchers find the evidence inconclusive. Archeological evidence of hearths was dated to 790 kya; researchers believe this is likely to …

Technology

They were accompanied by consequential social change, with the introduction of skyscrapers accompanied by rapid urbanization. Communication improved with the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, and television. The earliest known technology is the stone tool, used in the prehistoric era, followed by fire use, which contributed to the growth of the human brain and the development of language in the Ice Age. The invention of the wheel in the Bronze Age enabled wider travel and the creation of more complex machines.

• Company profits have doubled since the introduction of new technology.
• The Upper Paleolithic, beginning approximately