Fire caused tuberculosis according to new archaeological theory.
Evolution is very powerful. A change in climate leads to the survival of those who suit the new climate more adequately. A series of ice ages meant hairy people with narrow nasal passages (to warm the damaging cold air on it way into the lungs) passed on their genes. People living in central Africa remained in a warm climate, so they did not have to adapt.
A new premise is that the adoption of fire by early humans caused the emergence of tuberculosis. Apparently, many people crouching around a fire set the ideal conditions for TB to take hold. Just a minute though. Didn't Africans also cook meat on fires and kept near to it for warmth on cold nights? They certainly did. No, this new theory does not hold up.
It is assumed that TB is mainly a thing of cold climates. More correctly, molecular archaeological evidence shows that TB began in Africa. Just how scientists reached the conclusion that humans passed it on to animals is beyond me, though. This is pie in the sky stuff, mere speculation.
Man has been using fire for at least 200,000 years. This is obvious. Scientists say TB appeared anywhere from 70,000 to 6,000 years ago. Such debate about the correct time of its occurrence means a lot of work has to be done before TB can be linked to fire.
◆ Anthropology by Ty Buchanan ◆
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