The fossilized remains of a human- like species that dwelled 2 million years ago shows that the ancestor ate forest food and used its unique anatomy to climb trees and walk upright on the ground.
Researchers have come up with a vivid and 3D model of the “ape-like human with pigeon toes”. This creature is known as the Australopithecus sediba which highly resembles the modern human.
Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg had described the creature that it had a combination of the features found in an Australopithecus and those similarities in Homo sapiens.
In a report that was among six research papers regarding the species, Australopithecus sediba, published on April 11, 2013 in the journal Science, scientists metioned a mixture of ancient and modern traits were discovered in the pelvis, hands and teeth. Its chimpanzee-like heel meant the human species walked with its feet and knees rotated inward, according to the research.
"We have more complete specimens of fossils than for any other early hominin species that has ever been discovered. What this means is that we can make assessments of the anatomy and behavior of this species with a great deal of confidence," Berger told Reuters.
The researchers will further study this case to see how these fossils of early human relatives known as hominin compare to other remains, to put together the pieces of evolution.
