The controlled use of fire by ancient hominins – a group that includes humans and some of our extinct family members – is hypothesized to date back at least a million years, to around the time that archaeologists believe Homo habilis began its transition to Homo erectus. That is no coincidence, as the working theory, called the “cooking hypothesis,” is that the use of fire was instrumental in our evolution, not only for allowing hominins to stay warm, craft advanced tools, and ward off predators but also for acquiring the ability to cook. Cooking meat not only eliminates pathogens but...