The world’s most well-known early human ancestor may stroll upright like a modern-day human thanks to totally bendable knee joints, analysis suggests.
‘Lucy’ was from an extinct ape-like species that lived in Africa greater than three million years in the past.
She was dug up in Ethiopia in 1974, and on the time was probably the most full recognized early human ancestor.
But solely now have her decrease limb muscle tissue been absolutely digitally reconstructed, by researchers hoping to place an finish to a decades-old debate amongst scientists relating to how she walked.
The outcomes from a group on the University of Cambridge, printed within the Royal Society Open Science journal, present Lucy may straighten her knee joints, stand upright, and stroll on two legs like we do as we speak.
But her legs had been additionally discovered to be far larger and extra highly effective than ours, permitting her to dwell in timber like apes, which means she was equally well-equipped to adapt to life in open grasslands and dense forests alike.
The Cambridge scientists stated the findings might assist make clear how bodily motion has developed in people, “including those capabilities we have lost”.
How Lucy’s legs had been reconstructed
A group led by Dr Ashleigh Wiseman made a 3D mannequin of Lucy’s legs and pelvis muscle tissue, with 36 in every leg.
The main muscle tissue in her calves and thighs had been greater than twice as giant as these in trendy people – the one remaining animal that may stand upright with straight knees.
Dr Wiseman, of Cambridge’s McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, stated: “Lucy’s ability to walk upright can only be known by reconstructing the path and space that a muscle occupies within the body.”
She added: “Lucy’s muscles suggest that she was as proficient at bipedalism as we are, while possibly also being at home in the trees.”
Lucy’s leg and pelvis muscle tissue had been digitally recreated. Pic: University of Cambridge
The historical past of Lucy
Lucy’s discovery within the Nineteen Seventies was monumental as a result of her skeleton was 40% full, with 47 out of 207 bones intact.
It included components of her arms, legs, backbone, ribs, pelvis, decrease jaw, and cranium.
She was discovered to belong to the Australopithecus afarensis species, and given her title because the archaeologists who discovered her had been listening to Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles on the time.
Researchers stated she would have been a younger grownup when she died, simply over one metre tall and beneath 30kg.
Since then, some consultants have advised she would have crouched and waddled like chimpanzees, whereas others believed she would have moved extra like a human.
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