Did Australopithecus afarensis Run Like Modern Humans? New Insights from Digital Reconstruction

How Lucy and her kin walked—and perhaps ran—into evolutionary history

A Step Into the Past

Our species' ability to run long distances is often celebrated as a cornerstone of human evolution, enabling ancient hunters to chase prey and traverse vast landscapes. But was this capacity shared with our ancestors? A groundbreaking study published in Current Biology¹ by Karl T. Bates and colleagues explores this question by digitally reconstructing the running performance of Australopithecus afarensis, a key figure in human evolutionary history.

Australopithecus afarensis did not have the lengthened Achilles tendon and shortened muscle fibres that benefit modern runners.

The results shed light on how A. afarensis, best known through the iconic fossil "Lucy," might have moved—revealing stark contrasts with modern humans.