Campfire stories may have sparked early societal learning

Getting warmer: A scene from the 1981 movie Quest For Fire ... early human life changed for the better after learning how to control fire.

A new study suggests that the communal fire helped early people expand their minds and imaginations.

Don't underestimate the value of sitting around a campfire, listening to stories, singing songs and letting yourself stare mesmerised into the flickering flames. These activities may have played an essential role in early societies.