'Lucy's baby' found in Ethiopia

[DoYouEverWonder]

20 September 2006

The 3.3-million-year-old fossilised remains of a human-like child have been unearthed in Ethiopia's Dikika region.

The female Australopithecus afarensis bones are from the same species as an adult skeleton found in 1974 which was nicknamed "Lucy".

Scientists are thrilled with the find, reported in the journal Nature.

They believe the near-complete remains offer a remarkable opportunity to study growth and development in an important extinct human ancestor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5363328.stm

[valerief]

1. Little Ricky? nt

[lapfog_1]

2. There is certainly some 'xplaining to do! - especially for those

crazy neighbors - you know... Fred and Ethel Creationist.

[NanceGreggs]

3. Thanks, I really needed that!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[corporatemedia]

5. From the bones, scientists have this re-creation of Little Ricky -

Courtesy of:

2 Political Junkies

[praeclarus]

4. is 3.3 million more than 6000? ...

WTF.

[pinniped]

6. The BBC are known heretics.

.

[Thor_MN]

7. Talk about your cold cases...

Was what I thought when I read a headline "3.3 million year old remains of toddler found"

[ShortnFiery]

9. Lucy's got a lot of 'spaning to do! :P eom

[xchrom]

8. i think the thing i find so interesting is that

the theory we developed from a savanah setting is changing.

they bring that up in the article talking about the length of her arms and the development of her shoulder blades.

new theory suggests human lineage has more in common with tree climbers -- than savanah walkers.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. But they also know she walked upright

She just hadn't lost the shoulders that gave her good tree mobility. That would seem to show the lifestyle was in transition.

[xchrom]

11. indeed.

i grew up with the theory that we were Savannah creatures -- i mean it was like written in stone --lol -- if you'll pardon me.

now they believe our ''uprightness'' comes from our being arboreal creatures.

i.e. orangutans stand more upright than gorillas.