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Humans Were Cooking As Early As 780,000 Years Ago, New Groundbreaking Discovery Proves. It Was Probably Fish.
Cooking was a fundamental step in human evolution. “Around 1 to 2 million years ago, early humans developed taller bodies and bigger brains. The thinking is that calorie-rich diets, and cooking in particular, drove this change,” said David Braun, professor of anthropology at Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. But scientists have been element about when humans developed that skill. A new study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution has a potential answer: Homo erectus—an ancestor of modern humans—were cooking food 780,000 years ago.
Previous research had set that date as 170,000 years ago; there is evidence that early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals used fire to cook vegetables and meat. The study’s findings may shift the commonly understood timeline of human development. Read on to discover what the scientists found and why it could significantly affect science.
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Evidence of Oven-Cooked Fish
In the study, researchers looked at an archaeological site in Israel, Gesher Benot Ya’aqov, which is about 780,000 years old. Communities of Homo erectus lived in the region, enjoying a diet of game, fruits and vegetables, and freshwater fish. But experts didn’t know if they ate their food raw or cooked.
Analyzing the remains of fish teeth found near fireplaces at the site, the research team found that the community had indeed cooked those meals at between 530 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit. This suggests they were cooked in some kind of earthen oven.
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“A Significant Evolutionary Advance”
“We do not know exactly how the fish was cooked, but given the lack of evidence of exposure to high temperatures, it is clear that they were not cooked directly on fire and were not thrown into a fire as waste or as material for burning, ” said study co-author Jens Najorka, a researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, in a statement.
“Gaining the skill required to cook food marks a significant evolutionary advance, as it provided an additional means for making optimal use of available food resources,” said Naama Goren-Inbar, director of the excavation site. “It is even possible that cooking was not limited to fish, but also included various types of animals and plants.”
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Homo Erectus’ Hidden Talent
“Until now, no one could prove that Homo erectus cooked food,” study co-author Irit Zohar from Tel Aviv University, Israel, told DW. This is the first evidence that erectus had the cognitive ability to control fire and cook food.” The new study shows that the ancestors of modern humans were cooking food much earlier than previously thought. “Setting this date back by more than 600,000 years has implications for reconstructing the evolutionary history of ancient humans,” said Najorka.
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Fish An Early Dietary Staple?
Zohar says the importance of fish as a stable food source for early humans has been overlooked. Fish are rich in protein and other nutrients and are more accessible than game animals. “Some people think that early humans only ate fish when nothing else was available. Our study suggests this isn’t true—we found that the fish were cooked at all times of the year, suggesting they were an important component of the diet,” said Zohar.
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No Rods Necessary
The researchers believe that early humans didn’t use anything that sophisticated to catch fish, which they did with apparent success. “There’s no evidence of fishing technology back then. The authors found 5,000 teeth at the site — that’s a serious amount of fish cooking in a small community,” said Braun. According to the authors, shallow waters made fish relatively easy to catch. “We think they used their hands, like people still do with river fish today,” said Zohar.
how sponsorship has become less about selling drinks and more about geopolitics
The Fifa men’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar is arguably the most political in history.
Even during the seemingly innocent performance of South Korean pop star Jung Kook at the tournament’s opening ceremony, geopolitics were center stage. For Kook, 25, is not just a good looking young man with a global fan base and a multi-million dollar fortune. In addition, he has a lucrative endorsement deal with the South Korean car maker Hyundai-Kia, which also happens to be a major Fifa sponsor.
This kind of relationship is neither an accident nor a simple business arrangement. For years, the South Korean government has been pursuing a strategy aimed at building and projecting “soft power”, developing its engagement with target audiences around the world. This has happened not just through football, music and cars, but also through Oscar winning films like Parasite and the massively popular TV series Squid Games.
And it’s not just South Korea taking advantage of the audiences that Fifa can provide. For while sellers of soft drinks and burgers are still part of the sponsorship roster, Fifa’s key partners are increasingly big corporations from countries keen to benefit from the global reach of football.
State-owned Qatar Airways for example, is busy selling plane tickets as Fifa’s official airline partner, but also plays a pivotal role in attempts by the Qatari government to establish Hamad International Airport as a major hub of global travel.
The award winning airline is an effective instrument of soft power, transmitting signals to global audiences about what Qatar is and what it aspires to be. In turn, the airline, and the very act of hosting the 2022 World Cup, are both illustrations of a nation intent on telling the world a particular story about itself – that it is a legitimate, trustworthy and important member of the international community.
The same applies to China, even though sporting and industrial progress has stalled somewhat since the pandemic. Its roster of four key World Cup sponsors featuring electronics (Hisense), mobile phones (Vivo), dairy products (Mengiu) and everything from property to media (Wanda) remains significant for a country hopeful of one day staging the tournament itself and a government keen to spread China’s influence around the world.
Rebels with a cause
Alongside the World Cup’s main sponsors, a tradition has emerged of business competitors during the tournament engaging in “ambush” marketing. This involves brands using the mega-event as a marketing tool without the considerable expense of an official link (Fifa is reportedly charging around US$100 million (£82 million) for a four-year sponsorship deal).
One notably successful ambush was perpetrated by Bavaria Beer’s provocative campaigns at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and again in 2010 in South Africa. These stunts involved equipping spectators with branded clothing, which was smuggled into stadiums. This gained huge global attention which was no doubt frustrating for the tournaments’ “official” beer, Budweiser.
EPA/STR
Yet even ambush marketing now appears to have become geopoliticised. For example, during this World Cup, the authorities in nearby Dubai have been trying to draw attention away from Qatar with a tourism campaign featuring international football stars. The rival emirate will also be staging its own football tournament at the same time as the World Cup, featuring the likes of Liverpool, AC Milan and Arsenal.
And while in 2010, Bavaria Beer used women wearing orange dresses in its ambush, the UK-based brewer and pub chain BrewDog is trying to get in on this year’s action with its strident anti-World Cup marketing campaign.
Through a series of provocative billboards (in the UK), BrewDog is using references to autocracy, human rights abuses and corruption, all targeted at beer drinkers perturbed about Qatar’s staging of football’s biggest global event. While the bottom-line remains the same for BrewDog – to make a profit by selling beer – it is nonetheless contributing to the transformation of advertising and sponsorship from simple marketing to geopolitical posture.
In a similar way, apparel brand Hummel has decided to hide its name and logos and the Danish football association’s badge from its kit. This is in protest against the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar and in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Read more: World Cup 2022: Qatar’s frantic countdown to a football tournament full of controversy
In the company’s mission statement, Hummel emphasizes its commitment to “Danishness” – and indeed, Denmark has been highly vocal in its condemnation of Qatar. Whenever the national team takes to the field, it will be in shirts that directly challenge the World Cup hosts.
So Qatar’s expensive ambitions in staging this tournament have come up against criticism and protests from countries and corporations alike. In 2022 it seems that football sponsorship is no longer just for kicks, or even customers. Everywhere you look, there are
How long are they safe to keep and eat?
- Most leftovers shouldn’t stay in the fridge for longer than three to four days, the federal food and health agencies say.
- Leftovers that are stored in the freezer can last much longer. The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service pointing three to four months as a good limit.
- When reheating leftovers, make sure the food reaches 165 degrees.
If you cooked a Thanksgiving feast last week, chances are you have plenty of leftovers. But don’t wait too long to eat or freeze them.
Cooked turkey and other leftovers can be kept in the fridge safely for about three to four days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FoodSafety.gov say.
But after that time, “the risk of food poisoning goes up,” the Mayo Clinic notes, pointing to the growth of bacteria in refrigerated leftovers.
This means that the Monday after Thanksgiving marks a “‘use or freeze’ deadline,” FoodSafety.gov says. If you don’t eat or freeze your leftovers by then, it’s safest to throw them away.
Here’s what you need to know.
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How long can leftovers stay in the fridge?
Again, most leftovers shouldn’t stay in the fridge for more than three to four days, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service notes.
For more specifics, the USDA’s FSIS launched the FoodKeeper app, which consumers can consult and use to set reminders when navigating if food is still safe to eat.
How long can leftovers be frozen?
If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will last longer. According to FoodSafety.gov, frozen leftovers “will be of best quality within 2-6 months.” USDA’s FSIS says three to four months is a good limit for frozen food.
“Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer,” USDA’s FSIS writes.
You might want to throw those leftovers:What to know about storing rice, noodles
Can I tell if refrigerated food is spoiled?
If food is left longer in the fridge than it should, sometimes it will develop a strange taste or smell from spoilage bacteria, FoodSafety.gov says. But it’s not always possible to tell.
Bacteria often don’t change a food’s appearance, taste or smell, the Mayo Clinic notes – making it hard to tell if food is safe to eat.
How soon should I store my food after eating it?
There’s not just a deadline for how long food lasts in the fridge. After cooking and eating your holiday meal, it’s best to store it as soon as possible.
Leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking food, the CDC and FoodSafety.gov say.
“Seventy-six percent of respondents in a recent USDA study said they would refrigerate leftovers after letting them cool to room temperature first. This is not necessary and could actually make your food unsafe,” FoodSafety.gov wrote. “Leftovers should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible, even if they still have steam or heat coming off of them.”
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While it’s not necessary to wait for food to cool completely, there are some tips to help your food cool faster. When storing large dishes like a roast turkey, for example, The USDA’s FSIS recommends dividing the leftovers into smaller portions across shallow containers.
What about re-heating leftovers?
Make sure to reheat leftovers to 165 degrees before eating them, the USDA notes. You can check the temperature using a food thermometer.
Frozen leftovers need to be thawed before cooking – but don’t just leave them to thaw on the counter, notes the Mayo Clinic. You can thaw leftovers in the fridge, microwave, or with a leakproof container under cold water.
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And again, after thawing, you have three to four days to eat or refreeze your food, the USDA notes.
Contributing: Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY.
