"Lucy" remains one of the most famous prehistoric traces of humanity, and while previous technologies couldn't showcase how Lucy walked, new modeling could do just that. With the help of 3D reconstruction of Lucy's leg muscles, a 3D digital re-creation showed how she would walk.
Lucy the Australopithecus Afarensis was a Species Said to be an Early Relative of Homo Sapiens
According to the story by ARS Technica, Lucy was part of Australopithecus afarensis, which was an extinct species said to be the early relative of homo sapiens. It was noted that Lucy's species was among the first to be able to walk erect.
However, it took a while for scientists to come to an agreement regarding her bipedalism extent. Now, with the help of a 3D digital re-creation of Lucy's anatomy, specifically her muscles, they were able to show how she walked fully erect, especially with the combination of computer simulations.
Royal Society Open Science Journal Research Paper Shows Simulation and Modern Technology in Use
A research paper published in the Royal Society Open Science journal showed the results of the simulation and how modern technology was able to give scientists a visual representation of how Lucy would have walked.
Ashleigh Wiseman, the author of the paper,m noted that the ability of Lucy to walk upright can only be discovered through reconstructing "the path and space that a muscle occupies within the body."
Lucy's Muscles Suggested She was also Proficient in Bipedalism, Just Like Modern Humans
Wiseman noted that human beings are the only animal capable of standing upright "with straight knees." It was also noted that the muscles of Lucy suggested that she was also proficient with regards to bipedalism, just like modern humans.
The author also noted that aside from being proficient with bipedalism, it was also possible that she was "at home in the trees." This comes as a huge development in trying to understand Lucy, one of our earliest ancestors.
Lucy was First Found in Ethiopia in 1974 in Hadar
The remains of Lucy were first found in Ethiopia in 1974 in Hadar. There were numerous paleoarchaeologists that surveyed the site to look for fossil signs relating to human origins.
These paleoarchaeologists included Mary Leakey, Donald Johanson, and Yves Coppens. Those interested can learn more about this early ancestor from a publishing by Nature.
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Lucy was Estimated to be Over 3 Million Years Old
It was noted that the first findings happened in November 1971 when Johanson found a fossilized upper shinbone and lower-end femur. The bones, also known as AL 129-1, were dated back over 3 million years.
Lucy was reportedly also known as AL 288-1 and was named after "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," a 1967 tune by the Beatles. The song had reportedly been playing loudly and on repeat within the camp during the discovery.
When scientists reconstructed Lucy, they found that she stood around 1.1 meters tall and weighed just 64 pounds.
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