Humans have been walking on two legs for 7 million years, fossil analysis reveals

Before evolving, our ancestors initially walked on four legs and learned to balance on two legs. This transition, considered a pivotal moment in human evolution, has allowed scientists to pinpoint the exact time period in which it occurred. A recent study shows that about 7 million years ago, human ancestors walked upright. And, this is much earlier than researchers had previously predicted. These conclusions were drawn after detailed analysis of thigh and arm fossils. The fossil was found in the Jurab desert in Chad where the intact skull of a species was found. Coalanthropus chadensis Found in 2001. It is said to be the oldest representative species of humanity.

in Study, the team of researchers compared the discovered fossils to equivalent bones from humans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Along with this, they looked at the mechanics of bones and how they use species.

They used a total of 20 different characteristics of bones to determine whether or not Coalanthropus chadensis walking on two or four legs. The external shape of the remains and their internal structures were also accessed using microtomography imaging.

Through analysis, the team concluded that habitual binomialism is the most likely scenario. This means that while the species used both hands and feet to climb trees, they preferred to walk on two legs while on the ground.

He also noted the differences between species climbing trees and how gorillas and chimpanzees do it today. These species did this by using a firm hand grip instead of leaning back on their leg bones and fingers.

“Curvature and cross-sectional geometrical properties of the ulna … are invariably indicative of arboreal behavior, including climbing and/or ‘careful climbing,’ rather than terrestrial quadrupedalism,” the researchers wrote in their study published in Nature.

The team believes that the species probably lives in environments with palm groves, forests and grasslands where they walk on both legs as well as climb trees.