Anthropologists have figured out how humans learned to walk

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Антропологи выяснили, как люди научились ходитьOpen the Australopithecus species lived in tropical forests.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool (UK) has established that the ancestors of modern humans learned to walk on two legs directly on the trees.

It was done on the basis of the analysis of the nearly complete skeleton of an elderly woman, who died approximately 3.67 million years ago.

As already told “RG”, found 20 years ago, the remains received the code name “Little foot” (Little Foot). Before scientists announced that it was representative of previously unknown species of Australopithecus called Australopithecus Prometheus.

Analysis of the skeleton showed that this early ancestor of humans could walk on two legs. However, he lived mainly in trees, feeding on plant food. Studying bones helps to understand how evolved our species.

By the way, Little Foot is the first Australopithecus fossil ever discovered with intact limbs. His legs were longer than arms. This is an important conclusion because ardipithecus (ancient genus of hominid that lived about 4.4 million years ago Australopithecus) his hands were long legs, which made them closer to the primates.

“Moreover, Little foot was the same hip, as we do, that is, he could give a great effort from the body to the leg and back, says Professor Robin Crompton from the University of Liverpool. – But the legs have a Little Foot was shorter than in modern humans. Therefore, they could not so well carry objects as we are, but much better than we used to climb these trees.”

According to the authors of the work, open Australopithecus species lived in tropical forests, mainly on trees and only occasionally come down to wander through the meadows.

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