Editorial: Human behavior, cognition, and environmental interactions for the lower paleolithic

The Lower Paleolithic is commonly considered as a long period ca. 3.3 to 0.3 Ma, from the earliest evidence of lithic production to the apparition of new core technologies, such as the Levallois. Several Hominins (i.e., Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis, Homo ergaster, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo antecessor...) as well as different “cultural traditions” (for instance Oldowan and Acheulean) have coexisted or have succeeded one another. Also considering the geographical extension (Africa, Asia, and Europe), we observe different Lower Palaeolithic cultural expressions under distinct environmental contexts and chronologies. Due to their latitudinal and longitudinal distribution, these traditions cover various climatic phases including roughly long and intense cold and cool periods. This Research Topic, born under the impulse of the session “Lower Palaeolithic across time and space: what are we talking exactly about?” organized as part of the 19th UISPP worldwide congress, aims to investigate the variability of the Lower Palaeolithic cultural traditions across spatial and temporal scales, raising questions about the possible interaction between humans and climatic/environmental conditions.