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Ancient Ape Study Sheds Light on Evolution of Human Bipedalism

Three-dimensional CT scans of 6-million-year-old Lufengpithecus skulls reveal a three-phase evolution of human bipedalism, potentially accelerated by climate change.

An artist’s reconstruction of the locomotor behavior and paleoenvironment of Lufengpithecus. This extinct primate lived in East Asia during the Miocene.
6-million-year-old ape ear fossil offers insights into human evolution

Overview

  • New research using three-dimensional CT scans of the 6-million-year-old ape, Lufengpithecus, offers insights into the evolution of human bipedalism.
  • The study suggests a three-phase evolution of human bipedalism, starting from arboreal movement in trees to a combination of climbing, forelimb suspension, and terrestrial quadrupedalism.
  • The research indicates that climate change around 3.2 million years ago may have accelerated the evolution of locomotor diversity in apes and humans.
  • The study focused on the bony inner ear region of Lufengpithecus skulls, using advanced imaging to reveal locomotor patterns.
  • The size and shape of the semicircular canals in the inner ear correlate with how mammals, including apes and humans, move around their environment.