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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.
However solely now have her decrease limb muscle mass 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 College 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 immediately.
However her legs had been additionally discovered to be far greater 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 could assist make clear how bodily motion has advanced in people, “together with these capabilities we’ve misplaced”.
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 mass, with 36 in every leg.
The most important muscle mass in her calves and thighs had been greater than twice as massive 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 Analysis, stated: “Lucy’s capability to stroll upright can solely be recognized by reconstructing the trail and area {that a} muscle occupies inside the physique.”
She added: “Lucy’s muscle mass counsel that she was as proficient at bipedalism as we’re, whereas presumably additionally being at house within the timber.”
Lucy’s leg and pelvis muscle mass had been digitally recreated. Pic: College of Cambridge
The historical past of Lucy
Lucy’s discovery within the Seventies was monumental as a result of her skeleton was 40% full, with 47 out of 207 bones intact.
It included elements of her arms, legs, backbone, ribs, pelvis, decrease jaw, and cranium.
She was discovered to belong to the Australopithecus afarensis species, and given her identify 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 below 30kg.
Since then, some consultants have recommended she would have crouched and waddled like chimpanzees, whereas others believed she would have moved extra like a human.
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