h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There is no formal evidence for either Australopithecus africanus or A. afarensis (think Lucy) and the controlled use of fire. It is widely believed across the entire anthropological community that controlled use of fire did not come into play until the early Homo species erectus. All accounts prior to the erectus species of fire usage in early man is unfounded, and generally an instance of accidental fire or natural fire.

Also: Culture is now well recieved as occuring in other primate groups. The tool kit used by the Bonobo (Pan troglodytes) Chimp varies throughout a geographic region and is dependant on the environment and the cultural transmission of culture from parent to offspring.

On Civilization: Your account is wholly inaccurate. All that is neccessary for a technical 'civilization' is a quasi-sedentary lifestyle, and a written language. Example: Ancient Egypt is considered a 'civilization' because it was a sedentary community with a written form of language, monument building, city planning, agriculture, and defense are ultimately products of sedentary lifestyle, not civilization. The American Indians who built the site of Cahokia near St. Louis is not necessarily considered a civilization because we have no evidence of written language.

This entry should be stricken from the record, it is inaccurate and a foolish account of human culture and civilization.