Just as the chimpanzee "separate", humans walked upright

Text ｜ Feng Weiwei

From left to right, the 3D leather thickness change diagram of the femoral 3D cortex (post -view) of Charian Shahe, existing humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. Image source: FRANCK Guy

In one study, French scientists put forward the earliest known -known people -the Chad of the Shahe people walked with their feet about 7 million years ago through analysis of legs and forearm fossils. Related results were published on August 24th in "Nature".

In 2001, a large number of fossils discovered in Toros-Menalla made people named a new species of early people (including existing humans and other category groups of extinction)-Chadsha. This species dates back to about 7 million years ago.

Analysis of a nearly complete skull when discovery shows that Chadsha people may walk in both feet -this is a typical feature of human genus as an upright walking animal. The arms and leg bones discovered at the same place were not described before, which provided an opportunity for verifying the assumption.

The Guillaume Daver, Franck Guy, and colleagues of the University of Prowti provided an analysis of left thigh bones (femoral bones) and a pair of forearm bones (ulnar), which was found in the original location of the Shah people in the Chad in 2001. The author revealed that the anatomical structure of the femur indicates about 7 million years ago. The Chadsha people walked with both feet on the ground and supported the prediction of skull evidence.

Both feet movements are very common in this ethnic group, and may also be on the ground on the ground. Different chimpanzee (the latter uses the back of the toe bone as support).

Human beings are likely to be separated from the chimpanzee group between 10 million and 7 million years ago. This differentiation has led to a very different form between the two species, such as the obvious difference in the bones of the limbs, which is related to the chimpanzee four -footed movement and the human two -footed movement.

In addition, the author emphasizes that the characteristics of the ulnar are consistent with the characteristics of adapting climbing, but the conclusion needs to be treated with caution. For example, the functional pattern of the ulnar indicates that the Chada people can climb trees up and down, and this may be achieved through some form of grip and irregularities.

The author summarizes that in general, these evidence shows that shortly after humans and chimpanzees differentiated, early humans evolved their ability to walk, while retaining the characteristics of bone bone that allowed climbing.

Related thesis information:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04901-z

(Cover picture source: Sabine RiffAut, Guillaume daver, France Guy))

"China Science News" (2022-08-26 The 2nd Edition International Title "Human Walking Plastic Upright 7 million years ago")

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Capture | Jiang Zhihai

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