In October of 2009, a group of scientists reported the first scientific studies examining the remains of our ancient ancestor, Ardipithecus ramidus. Over 100 specimens of this creature have been recovered from the Middle Awash region of Ethiopia, dated to approximately 4.4 million years old. Of most interest was Ardi, a nearly complete skeleton of a female Ardipithecus.
Why Nominate Ardipithecus?
Ardipithecus is clearly a hominid and one of our direct human ancestors, but given its age, its skeletal structure led to a complete reworking of the way evolutionary scientists believe humans and apes evolved. Since Darwin, scientists have been aware of the close association of apes and humans—what that was believed to mean was that our joint ancestor, estimated at perhaps 6 million years ago, would have been more ape-like. By contrast, Ardipithecus is far more human than was expected, and including bipedal locomotion—the ability to walk on two legs.
Additional Reading
- Ardipithecus ramidus, a Photo Essay
- Bipedal Locomotion
- Human-like fossil find is breakthrough of the year , BBC News, 17 December 2009
