The theory of human evolution postulates that modern homo sapiens ancestors were ancient apes. The assertion of this theory is the latest research that has studied a well-preserved skeleton four million years ago. Scientists at Texas A&M University have published their work in Science Advances discussions about what their findings suggest.
The team of four scientists – Thomas C. Prang, Kristen Ramirez, Mark Grabowski and Scott A. Williams studied the skeletal remains of Ardipithecus ramidus, also known as Ardi, which dates back 4.4 million years. The old skeleton was found in Ethiopia and one of its hands was exceptionally well preserved, which eventually formed the basis of the research results.
Comparing the shape of Ardi’s hand with several other specimens of the hands of humans, monkeys, and recent monkeys, which was measured from bones in museum collections around the world, the researchers compared the type of locomotor actions used by early hominids or fossil human relatives.
Talking to Texas A&M Today, assistant professor of anthropology and lead author of the paper, Thomas Prang said that the bone shape provides clues to certain types of adaptation to habits or lifestyles. By making connections between bone form and behavior between living forms, scientists could make inferences about the behavior of extinct species, such as Ardi, that cannot be observed directly.
Thomas also said that their study found further evidence of a major evolutionary leap between the type of hand represented by Ardi and all subsequent hominin hands, including that of a famous 3.2 million-year-old well-preserved skeleton found in the same area since the 1970s.
Thomas said that this “evolutionary leap” occurred at a crucial time when hominins are adapting to a more upright human-like shape, and the oldest evidence for the manufacture of stone tools and the use of stone tools, such as animal fossil cuts have been discovered since this period. The study agrees with the classical idea first proposed by Charles Darwin in 1871 that the use of hands and upper limbs for manipulation occurred in early human relatives in connection with upright walking, says Thomas.
Scientists believe that the evolution of human hands and feet most likely happened in a correlated way. By studying the ancient skeleton, researchers believe that it could preserve the skeletal features that were present in the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees and, if necessary, could provide researchers with an excellent perspective on the placement of the origin of human offspring. in an upright position, in a better light.
The results of this study published on Tuesday provide clues as to how the first humans began to walk upright and make similar movements that all people perform today.