Modern Humans Had An Evolutionary Edge Over Neanderthals Because Of Gene Mutation That Helped Us Deal With Toxic Fumes

Where there is fire, there is smoke. Where there is smoke, there are toxic fumes rich in cancer-causing hydrocarbons.

This means that when our ancestors tamed fire over a million years ago, they began breathing in these toxins that filled up their smoky caves. Not an ideal situation, given that the ability to control and use fire marks a major milestone in human evolution.

So the question is, how did our ancestors — the Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and early Homo sapiens — survive once they had mastered the flame?