Perhaps the world's most famous early human ancestor, the 3.2-million-year-old ape "Lucy" was the first Australopithecus afarensis skeleton ever found, though her remains are only about 40 percent complete (photo of Lucy's bones). Discovered in 1974 by paleontologist Donald C. Johanson in Hadar, Ethiopia, A.Sep 19, 2549 BE
What is the importance of Lucy?
Because her skeleton was so complete, Lucy gave us an unprecedented picture of her kind. In 1974, Lucy showed that human ancestors were up and walking around long before the earliest stone tools were made or brains got bigger, and subsequent fossil finds of much earlier bipedal hominids have confirmed that conclusion.
What are 3 facts about Lucy?
- She Walked on Two Feet. …
- She May Have Spent a Lot of Times in Trees, Too. …
- She Made Us Rethink the Rise of Big Human Brains. …
- She Was an Adult, but Stood About as Tall as a Modern 5-Year-Old. …
- She May Have Died by Falling Out of a Tree. …
- Her English Name Comes from a Beatles Song.
Who is Lucy the first human?
Australopithecus afarensis On November 24, 1974, fossils of one of the oldest known human ancestors, an Australopithecus afarensis specimen nicknamed “Lucy,” were discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia.
How old is Lucy the first human?
3.2 million years Lucy (Australopithecus)
| Catalog no. | AL 288-1 |
|---|---|
| Species | Australopithecus afarensis |
| Age | 3.2 million years |
| Place discovered | Afar Depression, Ethiopia |
| Date discovered | November 24, 1974 |
Is Lucy an ape or human?
Perhaps the world's most famous early human ancestor, the 3.2-million-year-old ape "Lucy" was the first Australopithecus afarensis skeleton ever found, though her remains are only about 40 percent complete (photo of Lucy's bones).
Why is Lucy such a significant find for paleoanthropologists?
Lucy's Ethiopian name is Dinkinesh, which translates to “you are marvelous.” Peoples of the Afar region call Lucy “Heelomali” which means “she is special.” At the time of Lucy's discovery, she was a shining star in the world of paleoanthropology: she was the oldest, most complete hominin skeleton ever discovered; she …
Was Lucy a chimpanzee?
Lucy (1964–1987) was a chimpanzee owned by the Institute for Primate Studies in Oklahoma, and raised by Maurice K. Temerlin, a psychotherapist and professor at the University of Oklahoma and his wife, Jane.
Who found Lucy’s bones?
Dr. Donald Johanson “Lucy” is the nickname for the Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton that was discovered in the Afar desert of Ethiopia in 1974 by an international team of scientists led by former Museum curator Dr. Donald Johanson.
Who is Lucy and why is she important?
Who is Lucy the Australopithecus? Lucy was one of the first hominin fossils to become a household name. Her skeleton is around 40% complete — at the time of her discovery, she was by far the most complete early hominin known.