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Palaeontology

Fossil foot reveals new human species

By T.K. Randall
March 29, 2012 · Comment icon 36 comments

Image Credit: Wikipedia
The fossilised bones from a 3.4 million-year-old human ancestor have been found in Africa.
While there aren't enough of the bones to definitively identify the species, scientists have been able to determine a lot from just a few tiny bone fragments. It is believed that the creature would have been able to walk upright but would have only done so some of the time. It is also not the only human ancestor known to have lived in Africa at that time, the species of the famous specimen "Lucy" discovered in 1970 would have lived alongside them.
Scientists have obtained a fascinating new insight into the evolution of humans and our ability to walk. It comes from the fossilised bones of a foot that were discovered in Ethiopia and dated to be 3. 4 million years old.


Source: BBC News | Comments (36)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #27 Posted by Leonardo 12 years ago
As of right now, 2012, Hominini refers to humans (and ancestors, austros, paratha, ardi, etc) chimps and bonobos while Hominin replaces Hominid which used to refer to humans and chimps but now as Hominin only refers to humans and ancestors. The terms and what they refer to constantly change as new animals are found and as Hominoid DNA is further studied. I was just pointing out a technical error in what is a very confusing and constantly changing classification system. My emphasis. Which is fine, as this is agrees with what both Swede and my 11-year old link stated. As for Hominid, is that ter... [More]
Comment icon #28 Posted by Imaginarynumber1 12 years ago
My emphasis. Which is fine, as this is agrees with what both Swede and my 11-year old link stated. As for Hominid, is that term now used as reference to the group including all the Hominins plus all the other Great Apes and their ancestors? Hominid isn't being used anymore. Hominin has replaced it.
Comment icon #29 Posted by Swede 12 years ago
Hominid isn't being used anymore. Hominin has replaced it. Not necessarily: http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Primates.html .
Comment icon #30 Posted by Leonardo 12 years ago
Hominid isn't being used anymore. Hominin has replaced it. I am aware that hominin is used today, as hominid was used 20 years or so ago. It does not follow from that, however, that hominid is no longer used. It is used today (as the link Swede posted shows) as an abbreviation to refer to the Family Hominidae, which includes the Hominins and all the Great Apes and their ancestors. Just as Swede originally posted, and my 11 year-old link also demonstrated.
Comment icon #31 Posted by Imaginarynumber1 12 years ago
Like I said, I'm going by what is being taught in anthropology classes right now.
Comment icon #32 Posted by Swede 12 years ago
Like I said, I'm going by what is being taught in anthropology classes right now. Perhaps you could supply a reference? .
Comment icon #33 Posted by Imaginarynumber1 12 years ago
Perhaps you could supply a reference? . Sure. Jurmain, Robert, et. al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 8th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011. This was the text I used last. I also have my notes from lectures which has the classifications, but I believe those are in storage. I will look for them. As I also stated, the classifications are always changing as new discoveries are found and various samples of primate DNA are analyzed. What I posted was what I was taught last spring. I do not believe it has changed since then, but I could be wrong. Edit; After reviewing several more sites an... [More]
Comment icon #34 Posted by Swede 12 years ago
Sure. Jurmain, Robert, et. al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 8th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011. This was the text I used last. I also have my notes from lectures which has the classifications, but I believe those are in storage. I will look for them. As I also stated, the classifications are always changing as new discoveries are found and various samples of primate DNA are analyzed. What I posted was what I was taught last spring. I do not believe it has changed since then, but I could be wrong. Edit; After reviewing several more sites and books that I have, it would appear tha... [More]
Comment icon #35 Posted by Leonardo 12 years ago
Sure. Jurmain, Robert, et. al. Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 8th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2011. This was the text I used last. I also have my notes from lectures which has the classifications, but I believe those are in storage. I will look for them. As I also stated, the classifications are always changing as new discoveries are found and various samples of primate DNA are analyzed. What I posted was what I was taught last spring. I do not believe it has changed since then, but I could be wrong. Edit; After reviewing several more sites and books that I have, it would appear tha... [More]
Comment icon #36 Posted by thewild 12 years ago
Learn something new everyday!
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