Footprints Reshape What Scientists Know About Extinct Human Relative
Advanced imaging and bone comparisons found traits linked to bipedalism in Sahelanthropus tchadensis, strengthening the case for an early human ancestor.
- A new study in Science Advances presents evidence that Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a seven-million-year-old fossil species, was capable of upright walking, suggesting bipedalism evolved early in the human lineage.
- For decades, researchers argued over whether the ancient fossil could walk on two legs, as early research focused on the skull, which provided limited insight into how the species actually moved.
- NYU anthropologist Scott Williams identified a femoral tubercle in Sahelanthropus that anchors the iliofemoral ligament, critical for upright walking; researchers also found a relatively long femur supporting bipedal behavior.
- Separately, researchers found 21 footprints at Lake Turkana in Kenya dating to 1.4 million years ago, revealing that Paranthropus individuals were taller than previously thought and traveled in groups.
- According to study lead Kevin Hatala, these findings provide a "snapshot" of early hominin life, reshaping scientists' understanding of human evolution and our ancient relatives' movement and behavior.
46 Articles
46 Articles
‘A moment in time’: Fossil footprints shed new light on the extinct ‘Nutcracker Man’
By Mindy Weisberger, CNN (CNN) — Scientists have revised the longstanding picture of “Nutcracker Man” — an extinct hominin, or human relative, nicknamed for its large teeth and powerful jaw muscles — thanks to fresh analysis of fossil footprints from a site in Kenya. Nutcracker Man, whose species is scientifically known as Paranthropus boisei, lived in eastern Africa from about 2.3 million to 1.2 million years ago, and this new evidence suggests…
Kenyan footprints shed light on prehistoric human cousin Paranthropus - The Tribune
Footprints left on a muddy lakeshore in northern Kenya around 1.43 million years ago are providing new insight into the size and behavior of a species in the human evolutionary lineage that was the last of its kind, known for extensive anatomical adaptations for eating tough vegetation. The species, Paranthropus boisei, is known mostly from […]
Ancient footprints offer rare glimpse into lives of extinct human relatives
A remarkable set of footprints preserved along the shores of Kenya’s Lake Turkana from more than one million years ago is giving scientists an unusually detailed look at how one of humanity’s extinct relatives may have lived, moved and socialized.
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