Which of the following species was the first human known to use fire and expand out of Africa?

Homo erectus is recognized as the species that first demonstrated the ability to control fire and subsequently expanded out of Africa. This species emerged approximately 1.9 million years ago and is considered a significant milestone in human evolution due to its use of fire for warmth, protection, and cooking, which would have provided various survival advantages.

The ability to control fire allowed Homo erectus to adapt to new environments, which played a crucial role in their migration out of Africa into regions such as Asia and Europe. Additionally, the development of more complex tools and social structures marked a significant evolutionary advancement during their time.

While other species such as Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens also used fire and expanded beyond Africa at later stages, it was Homo erectus that laid the foundation for such developments within the evolutionary timeline.