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