More than three million years ago, in the area that is now Ethiopia, our early human ancestors lived in a landscape that consisted of rivers, wetlands, and scattered woodlands. However, new research has revealed that danger lurked in the water. Australopithecus afarensis, the species best known from the famous fossil known as “Lucy”, shared this habitat with a large ambush predator nicknamed “Lucy’s Hunter”. Keep reading to learn more about this discovery and what it meant for our ancestors.
Who Was Lucy?
The iconic Lucy is perhaps one of the best-known and most remarkable fossil finds in the world. She belongs to the species Australopithecus afarensis, an early branch of our human lineage that lived in East Africa approximately 3.9 to 2.9 million years ago. “Lucy” is the most complete skeleton ever found for such an ancient hominin, consisting of about 40% of the body. She was discovered in 1974 in Hadar, Ethiopia, within the Afar Triangle, which has yielded hundreds of important fossil discoveries. Due to this, Lucy has become vital for helping scientists understand how early human ancestors lived and evolved.
Australopithecus afarensis was a small-bodied hominin with relatively short legs, long arms, and a small skull. Australopithecus afarensis showed traits that reflect upright walking and an ability to climb. This hints at a lifestyle that was still at least partially arboreal. However, it also showed that the ability to walk on two legs came before the increased brain size that is typical of modern humans. It’s estimated that female Australopithecus afarensis were approximately 3 ft 5 in, and males were larger at around 4 ft 11 in.
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