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Human ancestors walked comfortably upright 3.6 million years ago, new footprint study says [Laetoli]
Scientific American ^
| March 20, 2010
| Katherine Harmon
Posted on 03/23/2010 8:20:49 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
A comparison of ancient and contemporary footprints reveals that our ancestors were strolling much like we do some 3.6 million years ago, a time when they were still quite comfortable spending time in trees, according to a study which will be published in the March 22 issue of the journal PLoS ONE... Although some researchers have argued that the 4.4 million-year-old ancient human Ardipithecus ramidus ("Ardi") described in October 2009 was adept at walking on her hind legs, many disagree... Likely left by Australopithecus afarensis, the same species as "Lucy," these prints show an upright gait, but it has remained controversial just how fluid and modern this creature's walk would have been. "Based on previous analyses of the skeletons of Australopithecus afarensis, we expected that the Laetoli footprints would resemble those of someone walking with a bent knee, bent hip gait typical of chimpanzees, and not the striding gait normally used by modern humans," David Raichlen, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona in Tuscon and lead author on the study, said in a prepared statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: ardi; ardipithecus; ardipithecusramidus; godsgravesglyphs; laetoli; laetolifootprints; paleontology
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To: SunkenCiv
To: Eaker
Dude, you can't walk upright worth a damn after 3.6 million years of practice? It's not like I work on it every single day.
To: colorado tanker
It had to be related to The Monolith.
23
posted on
03/24/2010 3:26:39 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: Beowulf9
I think you’re onto something. :’) Looks like I missed some festivities, #12 and #17 deleted by the mod. Oooh.
24
posted on
03/24/2010 3:33:49 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: ikka
He got that name because when the Scottish archaeologist found him, he said, “I kennewick him up”.
25
posted on
03/24/2010 3:34:56 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: SunkenCiv
So easy, even a caveman could use them!
To: YHAOS
Probably wore pink satin pants too.
27
posted on
03/24/2010 3:52:59 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: JoeProBono; YHAOS
28
posted on
03/24/2010 3:54:11 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: Larry Lucido
Some people wonder why we lost our sense of smell...
29
posted on
03/24/2010 3:54:51 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
To: SunkenCiv
"
Probably wore pink satin pants too."
Ya think? LOL!
30
posted on
03/24/2010 4:40:39 PM PDT
by
YHAOS
(you betcha!)
To: SunkenCiv
"
Hillary’s favorite:"
She's dreaming.
Now, Palin . . . maybe so. LOL!
31
posted on
03/24/2010 4:42:45 PM PDT
by
YHAOS
(you betcha!)
To: YHAOS
32
posted on
03/24/2010 5:35:32 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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