Imagine this! More than a million and a half years ago, a group of hominids observed a glow in the distance. Something burns in the savannah. They approach cautiously, scared by the heat and smoke, but also intrigued. Among the ashes they find dead animals, animals cooked by flames, with a different, tempting aroma. One of them tries a bite and, without knowing it, has just taken the first step on a path that will change the history of humanity forever. Because yes, fire made us human. If it weren't for him, our brain would never have grown as it did. Without it, we would continue to fear the dark, devour raw meat and flee from predators with no defense other than our feet. But... with him... with him we conquer the world. And today I'm going to tell you how it happened. We are going to travel in time to discover the history of fire: from the first lightning bolt that set a forest on fire, to the nuclear fusion of the 21st century. How do we tame it? How do we use it to conquer the planet? And, above all... how did it change our way of living? Stay until the end, because this story is going to surprise you. I'm JJ Priego, this is Stories from History, and here we tell the story in a different way. Do you want to know more? Join me! INTRO Fire has existed since before humanity. We see it in volcanoes, in the lightning that lights up forests. But it's one thing to see the fire... and another to control it. Early hominids probably discovered it by accident. A forest fire would have left charred trees and singed animals. The cooked meat was softer, easier to chew and digest. And most importantly: they did not get sick from eating it. That's where it all started. The next step was more difficult: keeping the fire alive. Imagine a group of Homo erectus 1.5 million years ago, collecting embers after a storm and trying to transport them with dry branches or hollow bones. Without lighters or matches, the only option was to protect the fire, not let it go out. And it worked. In Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, archaeologists found remains of ash and burned bones from a million years ago. And at the Bnot Ya'akov site in Israel, there is evidence that our ancestors already made bonfires 790,000 years ago. Does that mean they knew how to light a fire? Probably not. But they did keep it up for days, maybe weeks. They learned to feed it dry wood, fan the flames with the wind, and use it for cooking, protection, and warmth. And when the fire went out... well... everything started again. Of course, the big change occurred about 400,000 years ago. Remains of regularly controlled bonfires have been found at several sites in Europe, Africa and Asia. That means they were no longer relying solely on natural fires. Something had changed. With fire, the night stopped being an enemy. The darkness was no longer a constant danger. You could hunt at dawn, take refuge in caves and gather around a bonfire. And thus the first form of human community was born: the home. Think about it. Before the fire, each individual was concerned exclusively with survival. But with him, they began to share tasks: some kept the flames alive, others cooked, others made tools. You had to cooperate to keep the fire burning. And with that cooperation... came language. Something spectacular! But be careful! Because it could also have changed our relationship with other species. Around the bonfires, the first humans gathered among themselves, but they also attracted other living beings. Some studies suggest that the domestication of wolves, which would later give rise to dogs, may have begun thanks to fire. The remains of food, the heat and protection from predators would have attracted the attention of the most daring wolves, creating a progressive bond between both species. Over time, those wolves that remained close to human settlements began to develop a cooperative relationship with people, giving rise to humanity's first animal companions. Around the fire, our ancestors began to tell stories, plan the hunt, and pass on knowledge. The fire didn't just change our diet; It transformed our way of thinking. But... How did they learn to turn it on? Well, the mastery of fire was not instantaneous, but the result of a long process of observation and experimentation. As I told you, for millennia, humans depended on natural fires for flames, but over time they learned to light them themselves. There are several hypotheses as to how they achieved this crucial breakthrough. One of the most primitive and widespread techniques was friction, which consisted of rubbing two dry branches quickly until enough heat was generated to ignite dry leaves or plant fibers. This method required patience and skill, but with practice, it was a reliable way to make a fire in almost any environment. Another method used was percussion, which consisted of striking flint stones against minerals such as pyrite to produce sparks. If these sparks landed on combustible materials, such as dry moss or bark fibers, they could ignite and generate a small flame. Finally, in regions where the sun shone brightly , some human groups may have discovered fire by concentrating sunlight. Using polished stones, reflective shells or even glass fragments, such as obsidian, they focused the sun's rays on dry leaves or wood, causing them to burn. Each of these techniques represented a giant step in human evolution, allowing fire to go from being an unpredictable phenomenon of nature to becoming a controlled tool available at any time. The first clear evidence of a "fire starter " dates back 400,000 years to the Menez Dregan cave in France, where a ferrous nodule was found struck with flint, a technique still used by some tribes today. And the most amazing thing is that not only Homo sapiens used fire. There is evidence that Neanderthals also controlled it. In the Qesem Cave in Israel, remains of burned bones and tools have been found around homes dating back 300,000 years. At Abric Romaní in Spain, excavations revealed how Neanderthals organized their camps around the fire: they cooked, slept and worked in specific areas, indicating a more structured society. Fire had gone from being a tool... to being the center of human life. But this was just the beginning. With the arrival of Homo sapiens, about 300,000 years ago, fire ceased to be a simple survival resource and became a pillar of culture and technology. Previously, our ancestors relied on flames for cooking, protection from predators, and keeping warm during cold nights. But now, fire became the soul of civilization. With the mastery of fire, humanity not only transformed its immediate environment, but also managed to expand into territories where it would not otherwise have been able to survive. Flames provided heat in cold climates, allowing early Homo sapiens to venture beyond the temperate regions of Africa and settle in Europe and Asia, where temperatures were extreme. Thanks to fire, they could dry skins to make clothing, heat shelters, and melt snow for drinking water. Without this tool, human expansion into areas such as Siberia or northern Europe would have been practically impossible. The first villages and cities were made possible by fire. With it, human beings learned to transform matter, to shape their environment and to advance towards a future in which they no longer only subsisted, but dominated nature. Something that is brutal. From the fire of a humble kitchen to the ovens where the first metals were melted, each technological advance was marked by the ability to control the flames. But fire not only helped us survive and expand throughout the world. With the arrival of the Neolithic, about 12,000 years ago, its role in human history took a radical turn. It was at this time when our ancestors abandoned the nomadic life and began to cultivate the land. With the discovery of agriculture, they no longer depended solely on hunting and gathering for food. And here, fire played a key role. As? Well, on the one hand, it allowed the cereals and legumes that now formed the basis of their diet to be cooked, making them more digestible and nutritious. On the other hand, it helped clear land through controlled burning of forests, which fertilized the soil and prepared the space for planting. This type of technique, known as slash and burn, is still used in some indigenous communities today. With fire, the Neolithic brought unprecedented change : stable villages, food storage, and the growth of the first cities. Now, the human being no longer only dominated fire... but he dominated his environment. But fire was not limited to a practical role. Over time, it became something bigger, something sacred. As I told you, before the fire reached our hands, the night was an abyss of darkness and fear. But with the light of the bonfires, humans gained more than just warmth: they gained time. Time to talk. To tell stories. To imagine the world. And from those stories mythology was born. From time immemorial, fire was seen as a divine gift, a power so immense and innovative that it was difficult to conceive as a simple human discovery. In the minds of early civilizations, flames must have been a gift from the gods, a sacred link between the underworld and the heavenly realm. Thus were born the myths that tried to explain its origin and its importance in human existence. For example, in Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus defied the gods by stealing fire from Olympus to give it to men, thereby granting them the gift of knowledge, creativity and progress. But this act of rebellion did not go unpunished: Zeus, furious, condemned him to eternal punishment, chaining him to a rock where, every day, an eagle devoured his liver, only to regenerate at dawn and repeat the agony. In Hindu tradition, fire was personified in the god Agni, a sacred being who served as a mediator between men and the gods. Agni consumed the offerings in rituals and carried messages from mortals to divine beings, thus ensuring harmony between both worlds. For the Persians, under Zoroastrianism, fire symbolized purity and truth. In its temples sacred flames burned that were never to be extinguished, representing the eternal light of Ahura Mazda, the supreme god, and the constant struggle between good and evil. In Rome, the goddess Vesta, protector of the home and family, was honored with a perpetual flame guarded by the vestal virgins. Keeping the fire lit was not only a matter of worship, but a sacred duty, as it was believed that the survival and destiny of Rome depended on its light never going out. On the other side of the world, in America, the Mayans and Aztecs performed "fire renewal" ceremonies, extinguishing all the flames and lighting them again, in a ritual that symbolized the rebirth of the cosmos. This act marked the beginning of a new cycle, but also ensured balance between heaven, earth and the underworld. Furthermore, fire was not only creation and life. It was also power and control. Whoever dominated the flames, had unquestionable dominion over his community. Because, after all, what if a village fire went out and no one knew how to light it again? The answer was simple: they depended on those who did know. And so, the knowledge of fire illuminated the world but also determined who ruled over it. Therefore, in many ancient cultures, fire was reserved for priests and rulers, who ensured that the flames were never extinguished. And while the fire continued to burn in the temples, it also did so in the workshops and ovens. Because in addition to being sacred, fire was the key to technological progress. Because, as societies advanced, fire stopped being just a means of subsistence and became the most powerful tool of the human species. And here, the first great advance was metallurgy. And the arrival of the Age of Metals. For thousands of years, the tools and weapons our ancestors used They were made of stone, wood or bone. Although these materials had allowed human survival during prehistory, they had a great limitation: their resistance and durability were poor. It was then that fire became an indispensable ally for the transformation of metal, opening the door to a new era of technology and evolution. The first signs of metallurgy date back to more than 7,000 years ago, when some civilizations discovered that certain minerals, when exposed to high temperatures, could melt and take on new shapes. This discovery ushered in a new era in tool manufacturing, marking the beginning of the Age of Metals. The first stage of this process was the Copper Age, around 5,000 BC, when artisans began heating copper ores in rudimentary clay ovens. Unlike stone, copper could be easily molded, which made it possible to make knives, fishhooks, and small weapons that were more efficient than stone weapons. By the way, I leave you here my video about the history of the knife, I'm sure you will like it. Well, copper, although malleable, was not especially hard, which limited its use for more demanding tools. But… over time, the fire revealed an even more surprising secret: when copper was combined with tin in appropriate proportions, a much stronger and more resistant material was obtained. Thus was born the Bronze Age, around 3,000 BC, when humans began to make swords, spears and armor with this new alloy. Bronze completely altered warfare, yes, but also agriculture, allowing the creation of more efficient plows and more durable tools. This facilitated the expansion of early civilizations, since more efficient agricultural production meant more food and, with it, the growth of cities. But the real technological leap came with the Iron Age, around 1,200 BC. Furnaces had evolved and were capable of reaching even higher temperatures, making it easier to extract iron from ores and forge it into weapons and tools of unprecedented hardness. Unlike bronze, whose tin was difficult to obtain, iron was an abundant resource in many regions of the world, which democratized its use and led to many societies having access to advanced technologies. War, construction and everyday life changed forever. And speaking of construction, the domestication of fire marked a before and after. In civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt, it led to the manufacture of baked clay bricks and ceramics, materials that laid the foundations for the architecture of the time. Previously, buildings depended on adobe, a mixture of mud and straw that, although easy to shape, was fragile and vulnerable to erosion. However, with fired brick, cities were able to expand with more solid and resistant structures, capable of better withstanding the passage of time and inclement weather. This advance not only influenced the construction of temples, palaces and more durable walls, it also laid the foundations for the development of the great metropolises of antiquity. Later, in Greece and Rome, improved furnaces made it possible to reach even higher temperatures, enabling the production of glass, cement, and advanced building materials that would change the way temples, aqueducts, and roads were built. By the way, I leave you here my video on the History of Glass, which you will surely love. Don't miss it! Well, the Romans, for example, used fire to make opus caementicium, a type of concrete that promoted the construction of colossal structures such as the Pantheon in Rome, which still stands today. But beyond this, fire also played a key role in long-distance communication. Before writing and postal systems, when messages had to travel quickly, ancient civilizations found fire an invaluable ally. From the smoke signals used by indigenous tribes, to the huge bonfires lit on top of mountains to warn of invasions, the fire allowed information to be transmitted in a matter of minutes. The Romans, for example, established a network of watchtowers that used bonfires to warn of enemy attacks. Centuries later, the Mongols implemented a similar system to coordinate their military movements across the vast steppes of Asia. In times when there were no telephones or telegraphs, fire was the most effective tool for a message to travel kilometers in seconds. And although communications have evolved today, there is still something magical about seeing how a simple flame can connect people from a distance. However, if there was one area in which fire was decisive, it was in war. Ancient armies learned to use fire as a devastating weapon. One of the most enigmatic and lethal examples was Greek fire, a fire developed by the Byzantines. It was an incendiary substance that burned even on water and which, to this day, remains a mystery as to its exact composition. It was used in naval battles to set enemy ships on fire, giving the Byzantine Empire a crucial advantage in the Mediterranean. But the fire did not only transform the war. As you are seeing throughout this video, it completely altered everyday life. Because, cooking food was not limited to changing the diet, but also reduced the risk of diseases, allowing better digestion and eliminating bacteria. In addition, it allowed water to be boiled to disinfect it and played a crucial role in the fermentation of beverages such as beer and wine, which became part of the diet of many civilizations. By the way, I will also leave you here my video on What came before wine or beer? That you have to see yes or yes. Well, in medicine, fire became a fundamental resource. In the absence of antibiotics, cauterizing wounds with red-hot iron was one of the few effective ways to prevent serious infections. It was also used to burn diseased tissues and in purification rituals. Each ancient civilization found its own use for fire. And their impact was so profound that their empires would not have been possible. The most powerful civilizations in history used fire to build, conquer and dominate. Without fire, there would be no pyramids, no temples, no armies capable of expanding their borders. In Egypt, fire became an essential pillar for the construction of temples and pyramids, both in the manufacture of bricks and in the work of stone. Furthermore, in the temples of Amun-Ra, fire represented the vital energy of the universe. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians were the first to develop bronze foundries, promoting the manufacture of weapons and tools. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, fire appears as a symbol of power and civilization. In China, the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC) used high-temperature kilns to make jade and bronze objects. But their most shocking discovery came in the 9th century, when they invented gunpowder, changing the history of warfare forever. And in Rome, fire was used in innovative ways. They developed the first heating systems using hypocausts, a method that allowed rooms to be heated under the floor. They also built lighthouses with huge bonfires to guide ships and established the first fire departments to control fires in the city. As you can see, the fire not only gave us heat and food. He gave us civilization. Without their presence, there would be no cities. There would be no empires. There would be no technology. And the most amazing thing is that this advancement was not over yet. Because with the arrival of the Middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution, fire would become the engine of the world. And with the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe entered the Middle Ages, a time of castles, knights and... a lot of fire. Because although gunpowder had not yet reached the continent, fire was already used in almost all aspects of medieval life: from war to medicine, from cooking. to the construction of cathedrals. Think of any medieval movie. What's playing in the background? The hammer hitting the anvil in a blacksmith shop. Blacksmiths were essential in the Middle Ages, and without fire, their work would have been impossible. Swords, armor, horseshoes, nails, hinges, shields, agricultural tools... everything passed through the fire of the forge. Furthermore, in this period the first hydraulic forges appeared , which used the power of water to activate bellows and hammers, increasing the production of iron and steel. But... fire was not only an improvement of construction and change, but also a powerful tool of destruction. During the Middle Ages, its use in the military field completely changed the way conflicts were fought. Although medieval castles were designed to withstand prolonged sieges, their wooden structures and flammable reinforcements made them easy prey for enemy fire. The attacking armies used various incendiary strategies to weaken the fortifications. Arrows with tips wrapped in tar-soaked cloth were thrown over the walls, starting fires that could spread quickly. Another common resource was the use of boiling oil, an oil that was poured from the top of the walls to cause lethal burns and spread panic among the invading troops. These tactics led to the evolution of defensive architecture: fortifications went from being built in wood to being built in stone, which significantly reduced the risk of fire and increased the durability of castles against fire attacks. However, the arrival of gunpowder to Europe in the 13th century changed the rules of the game forever. Although its initial use was limited to fireworks and rudimentary explosives, it soon fueled the development of warfare. The first cannons, with their ability to destroy stone walls, marked the decline of medieval castles and the birth of a new style of combat. Cavalry, which for centuries had dominated the battlefields, lost prominence to armies equipped with firearms. Fire, which for millennia had been controlled manually, was now channeled into lethal explosions that redefined the art of war. But fire was also deeply linked to medicine. As I have told you before, at a time when infections could be fatal and medicine did not yet have modern advances, fire became an indispensable resource for cauterizing wounds. Without antibiotics or effective methods for sterilizing tools, medieval doctors turned to red-hot iron to seal deep cuts and amputations, thus preventing lethal infections. During the Black Death, which devastated Europe in the 14th century, fire was used as a desperate method of prevention. Clothes, corpses and objects of those infected were burned , in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease. Although the concept of bacteria or viruses was not understood at the time, the destruction of contaminated material through fire helped, to some extent, contain some outbreaks. But medicine was not the only medieval discipline that depended on fire. Alchemy, the precursor of modern chemistry, used it as an essential tool to transform matter. For centuries, alchemists believed that fire had the power to purify and transmute substances. They used it to distill liquids, separate elements and experiment with metals, in search of the legendary philosopher's stone, capable of turning lead into gold. Spoilers! It was not achieved. But, unknowingly, these experiments laid the foundations of chemistry, since the use of fire in alchemy led to the development of techniques such as sublimation, calcination and distillation. Many of the devices used in laboratories today, such as stills and smelting furnaces, were born in those dark medieval workshops where fire burned day and night in search of hidden knowledge. Without alchemy and its relationship with fire, modern chemistry might not have existed. But fire was not only an instrument of transformation in alchemical laboratories, but also an essential element for everyday life. Beyond its role in the search for hidden wisdom, it was the source of heat that protected people from the cold in the long medieval winters. In large castles and palaces, fire also played a substantial role in heating. The huge fireplaces located in the main rooms allowed large spaces to be heated, providing some relief from the harsh European winters. However, the most humble homes only had small stoves, which meant that heat did not reach all rooms and that living conditions during the winter could be extremely harsh. Of course, fire also had a dark side. It was used as a symbol of punishment and power by institutions such as the Inquisition, which condemned those it considered heretics or witches to the stake. The image of people burning in the public square served as a warning to those who deviated from established doctrines, turning fire into a weapon of fear and repression. But, if there was a turning point in history in which fire stopped being just a basic resource to become the true driving force of the world, that was undoubtedly the Industrial Revolution. For millennia, men and women had relied on muscle power, both human and animal, to cultivate the land, build cities, and transport goods. But all that changed radically when fire began to be used as an inexhaustible source of mechanical energy. The key to this transformation was the steam engine, an invention that marked a before and after in the way energy was generated and used. By burning coal in large boilers, high-pressure steam was produced which, when properly channeled, could drive enormous pistons and gears. This mechanism became the heart of factories, ships and locomotives, allowing a level of production and transportation never seen before. Fire, which for centuries had been basic to survival and warfare, now fueled a new era of economic and technological development. In textile factories, steam engines allowed looms to run continuously, speeding up the production of clothing and other goods. In the mines, the power of steam facilitated the extraction of coal and metals at depths that were previously inaccessible. And in transportation, the combustion of coal made possible the creation of a railway system that completely changed human mobility. The railway was, without a doubt, one of the greatest revolutions of the time. Until then, people and goods depended on horse-drawn carriages or sailing boats to get around, making travel slow and inefficient. But in 1804, engineer Richard Trevithick designed the first operational steam locomotive, ushering in a new era in transportation. Thanks to the railway, distances were shortened and cities were connected like never before. Agricultural products and raw materials could quickly reach urban centers, boosting trade and the economy. However, industrialization not only brought development, but also new challenges. The rise of factories and the uncontrolled expansion of cities increased the risks of urban fires. Many European cities still had wooden houses, making them a tinderbox ready to burn. A tragic example of this was the Great Fire of London in 1666, which leveled much of the city in just three days. Following this disaster, new safety measures were implemented, such as the construction of brick and stone buildings, the creation of organized fire brigades, and the improvement of water supply systems. But beyond industry and transportation, the fire also had a spectacular impact on science and chemistry. For centuries, combustion had been a phenomenon surrounded by superstitions and inaccurate explanations. The The ancient phlogiston theory, which claimed that fire was the result of a mysterious substance contained in combustible materials, dominated scientific thought. However, in the 18th century, chemist Antoine Lavoisier debunked this idea and showed that combustion was actually a chemical reaction with oxygen. This discovery opened the door to a deeper understanding of chemistry and laid the foundation for the development of new fuels such as oil and gas, ushering in a new era of energy that would define the 20th century. Thus, fire, which had accompanied humanity since prehistoric times, reached its maximum potential in the Industrial Revolution. What was once simply a flame on a bonfire now powered trains, factories, and entire cities. And although this new world brought with it challenges and dangers, it also put humans on the path to modernity. What no one could foresee at the time was that, with the advent of electricity and fossil fuels, fire would continue to evolve and change history once again. Because the 20th century marked a turning point in the history of fire. If for millennia its presence was limited to homes, forges and battlefields, now it expanded to every corner of the world. One of the areas where its impact was most evident was transportation. At the end of the 19th century, the German engineer Karl Benz promoted mobility by manufacturing the first automobile with an internal combustion engine, in 1886. Although the first vehicles were a luxury available to few, in the following decades, mass production and improved fuels made cars become a vital element of daily life. With the rise of the automobile, fire went from burning in chimneys and oil lamps to roaring under the hoods of millions of vehicles around the world. But the conquest of fire was not limited to the earth. In 1903, the Wright brothers achieved the first controlled flight using a combustion engine, marking the birth of modern aviation. In just a few decades, airplanes became a crucial piece of global connectivity, allowing the transportation of people and goods at speeds never before imagined. During World War II, combustion reached its maximum military expression with jet airplanes and gasoline tanks, which dominated the battlefields and redefined military strategy. And speaking of war, the 20th century was also the most destructive in the history of fire. From the first modern explosives, such as dynamite and TNT, to the devastating firebombings that leveled entire cities like Tokyo and Dresden, fire became a tool of mass destruction. But nothing compared to what happened in 1945, when the fire reached its most extreme point with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In a matter of seconds, the world's population witnessed the power of fire in its most terrifying version, capable of reducing an entire city to ashes and leaving consequences for generations. However, not everything in the 20th century was marked by destruction. The fire also led to one of the greatest feats of the human species: space exploration. In 1969, Apollo 11 took the first humans to the Moon, using rocket engines powered by chemical combustion. If we had not mastered fire, the propulsion necessary to overcome Earth's gravity and travel to space would have been impossible. Today, combustion remains extremely important in the exploration of the cosmos, with reusable rockets like SpaceX's Falcon 9, which have changed the way we imagine the future of civilization outside of Earth. And although electric systems have largely replaced oil lamps and wood stoves, combustion remains crucial in gas stoves, heaters and heating systems in millions of homes. Furthermore, fire has maintained its relevance in gastronomy, giving rise to innovative techniques such as smoking, grilled cooking and molecular cuisine, where controlled flames are used to modify foods in surprising ways. But the most amazing thing was yet to come, because with the advancement of technology, fire was preparing for a new era: the 21st century. Fire is still a fundamental tool, but it has evolved. If there is one place where fire continues to play a crucial role, it is in energy production. Although renewable energies such as solar and wind have come a long way in recent decades, most of the world's electricity still relies on combustion. Thermal power plants burn coal, natural gas and oil to generate heat, which is then converted into electricity. And although these methods are being replaced little by little, they continue to feed much of the world. But perhaps the most advanced version of fire is the one we are still trying to master: nuclear fusion. Unlike nuclear fission—which is what is used in current nuclear power plants and which generates radioactive waste—nuclear fusion is the same process that powers the Sun. It involves joining hydrogen atoms to generate energy, a process that does not leave toxic waste and could provide unlimited clean energy. In the south of France, scientists from around the world are building ITER, the largest nuclear fusion experiment ever conducted. If they are successful, humanity could enter a new era where starfire illuminates our cities without polluting the planet. By the way, on my other channel “Science of Science” I talk to you about all this in a video. I recommend it to you. But hey, until nuclear fusion is a fact, we continue to face the dangers of fire in its most destructive form: forest fires. Every year, millions of hectares of forests are devoured by fires that destroy entire ecosystems. Forest fires have always existed, but in the 21st century they have increased alarmingly due to climate change. High temperatures and prolonged droughts have made forests more flammable than ever. Added to this is the human factor: carelessness with campfires, poorly extinguished cigarette butts or power lines in poor condition have caused some of the most devastating fires in recent decades. For example, in 2019, Australia suffered one of the worst wildfires in its history, with more than 10 million hectares destroyed and billions of animals lost. In 2020, California experienced one of its most severe fire seasons, with smoke plumes reaching as far as the East Coast of the United States. In recent years, countries such as Greece, Brazil and Spain have faced uncontrollable fires that have endangered human lives and entire habitats. And recently, in January 2025, the city of Los Angeles was the scene of a series of catastrophic wildfires that affected the metropolitan area and surrounding regions. These fires, exacerbated by adverse weather conditions such as Santa Ana winds and a prolonged drought, led to extreme fire danger. Resulting in the destruction of thousands of structures and the evacuation of more than 150,000 people. In addition, at least 24 fatalities were recorded, which underlines the seriousness of the situation. Fire, once humans' most powerful ally, has become a global threat. Of course, the fight against these forest fires is also being renewed. In the future, early detection methods will make it possible to identify fire outbreaks before they get out of control. Drones with thermal sensors, surveillance satellites and artificial intelligence systems could make firefighting much faster and more efficient, saving millions of hectares of forests and reducing the loss of human and animal life. In addition, science is working on creating new fire-resistant materials, which could prevent fires in buildings and forests. More advanced fire retardant fabrics, retardant paints and thermal protection systems are being developed for key infrastructure, thereby reducing the impact of fires on society. And changing the subject, if there is a place where fire is still essential, it is in space. From the first rockets to current missions , fire has been decisive in leaving Earth. Rocket engines work by burning highly energetic fuels, generating an explosive reaction that propels ships to extreme speeds. Space travel depends on combustion, and although NASA and other agencies are exploring alternatives such as electric rockets and ion propulsion, the reality is that fire is still the best option for traveling through space. However, research into cleaner and more efficient fuels will allow space travel to be more sustainable, with less environmental impact and greater possibilities of reaching distant destinations, such as Mars or beyond our solar system. But fire is not limited to being used in engines. On the International Space Station, scientists have experimented with combustion in microgravity to better understand how fire spreads in space. These studies not only help design more efficient engines, but could also be vital to preventing fires in future space colonies. And, although on Earth we have fire extinguishing systems, in space a small fire can be catastrophic. Imagine it: a fire on a spaceship or at a base on Mars cannot be put out simply with water. That's why NASA has developed new types of fire retardants and containment systems that could save lives on future interplanetary missions. So, even if humanity moves away from Earth in search of new worlds, we will continue to carry fire with us. Fire made us human. And in the future, it will continue to accompany us in every step of our evolution. But here I leave you a question: if in the future we stop using fire, if we find sources of energy that no longer require flames or combustion... will it continue to be part of our identity? Leave it to me in the comments, because this topic gives rise to a lot of debate. And if you liked this journey through the history of fire, don't forget to subscribe and activate the bell so you don't miss more stories like this. Because remember... knowledge is an essential requirement for survival. See you in the next video. Thanks a lot!