Humans may have been shaped in part by an unexpected force: repeated exposure to high-temperature burn injuries. New research suggests this long history has influenced how the body repairs damage, responds to infection, and reacts under severe trauma.

For over a million years, the ability to control fire has been central to human progress. It enabled cooking, warmth, and later technological development, helping drive both cultural and genetic change that distinguishes humans from other species. At the same time, this close relationship with fire introduced a unique and persistent risk of high-temperature injuries.

Humans experience burns, and survive them, far more often than other animals. While most species instinctively avoid fire, humans have integrated it into daily life. As a result, minor burns are a common experience for most people.

A study published in BioEssays, led by researchers at Imperial College London, proposes that this repeated exposure to burns may have shaped human evolution. The findings suggest that humans developed genetic traits that differ from other primates and mammals, influencing how the body handles both mild and severe burn injuries.