FAMILY TREE
Hints about locomotion found within fossil’s internal structure
Ancient human species loved to climb
Modern humans are the only primates alive today that habitually walk on two legs, and it is thought that ancient human ancestors also moved around in this way, with evidence suggesting that bipedalism emerged around seven million years ago. However, new research led by the University of Kent suggests that one hominin species that existed just two million years ago still spent a lot of its time climbing in the trees.
The research team, which included biomechanical engineers and palaeontologists, studied two fossilised leg bones found in Sterkfontein in South Africa. The fossils came from a hominin, believed to be either an early Homo species or Paranthropus robustus. The shape of the leg bone was similar to modern humans, leading to the conclusion that the species walked on two legs. But when the scientists used CT scans to peer inside the fossils, they found that the internal structure – particularly the head of the femur – suggested that the hominins had highly
evidence that they spent a lot of time in the trees. p+t has Deen challenging to
resolve debates regarding the degree to which climbing remained an important behaviour in our past. Evidence has been sparse, controversial and not widely accepted, and as we have shown in this study, the external shape of bones can be misleading,” said Dr /attheY 5kinner Yho co led the research p(Wrther analysis of the internal structure of other bones of the skeleton may reveal exciting findings aDoWt the eXolWtion of
other key human behaviours such as stone tool making and tool
use. Our research team is now expanding our work to look at hands, feet, knees, shoulders and the spine.”
“This could offer vital clues about when bipedalism emerged among our ancient human relatives”