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The fireside hypothesis: was there differential selection to tolerate air pollution during human evolution?
S M Platek1, G G Gallup, B D Fryer
1Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12222, USA.
Medical Hypotheses
|February 28, 2002
Summary
Early humans migrating from Africa likely adapted to smoke inhalation from fire use. This evolutionary adaptation may explain lower lung cancer rates in populations with greater historical fire reliance.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Human origins
- Paleoclimatology
Background:
- Early hominid migration out of Africa around 1.9 million years ago.
- Exposure to colder climates necessitated adaptations like fire use.
- Combustion byproducts represent a potential environmental stressor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that smoke inhalation from fire created selective pressure for adaptation.
- To investigate the evolutionary link between fire reliance and lung cancer incidence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of archival data on cancer incidence in geographically distinct populations.
- Correlation of lung cancer rates with estimated historical reliance on fire.
Main Results:
- Lung cancer incidence was inversely proportional to the estimated historical reliance on fire.
- Findings support the hypothesis of an evolutionary adaptation to smoke inhalation.
Conclusions:
- Progressive exposure to combustion particles likely drove adaptations in early humans.
- This evolutionary adaptation may explain variations in lung cancer prevalence across human populations.