Cave discovery pushes back evidence of human ancestors using fire to 1.79M years ago

Ancient cave paintings can harbor human DNA for millennia, scientists find

The breakthrough could reveal previously hidden ancient human activity inside caves, acting as ‘genetic archives’

Early humans were bringing fire into caves 1.8 million years ago

A new study suggests early humans were using fire in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave as far back as 1.79 million years ago. Researchers found burned bones deep inside the cave, where natural wildfires could not have reached, indicating that fire was likely carried in and maintained by human ancestors. The discovery pushes back the timeline for fire use and reveals surprisingly sophisticated behavior long before humans could create fire on demand.

2,000-year-old human DNA found in caves in Spain, Portugal

An international team of researchers has discovered human DNA at least 2,000 years old on cave walls in Portugal and Spain, providing the first evidence that cave walls can preserve human genetic material for thousands of years.

'Time capsule' cave unlocks ancient mystery in archaeologists' groundbreaking find

The prehistoric cave dates back to the Lower Paleolithic era and was likely populated between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago, offering a rare glimpse into ancient daily life that archaeologists know very little about

In a Scientific First, Researchers Recovered Ancient DNA That Humans Left Behind on Rock Art and Cave Walls

DNA preservation on cave walls is highly variable, but scientists say their work is an important step on the path toward gaining a deeper understanding of our creative ancestors