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As in a modern human's skeleton, Lucy's bones are rife with evidence clearly pointing to bipedality. Her distal femur shows several traits unique to bipedality. The shaft is angled relative to the condyles (knee joint surfaces), which allows bipeds to balance on one leg at a time during locomotion. There is a prominent patellar lip to keep the patella (knee cap) from dislocating due to this angle. Her condyles are large and are thus adapted to handling the added weight that results from shifting from four limbs to two. The pelvis exhibits a number of adaptations to bipedality. The entire structure has been remodeled to accommodate an upright stance and the need to balance the trunk on only one limb with each stride. The talus, in her ankle, shows evidence for a convergent big toe, sacrificing manipulative abilities for efficiency in bipedal locomotion. The vertebrae show evidence of the spinal curvatures necessitated by a permanent upright stance.

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Q: What evidence suggests that Lucy walked upright?
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Related questions

The Skeleton of the hominid nicknamed Lucy gave anthropologists evidence that?

Upright walking evolved after large brains


The first hominid that is believed to have walked upright is?

Australopithecus afarensis, specifically the famous fossil specimen known as "Lucy," is believed to be one of the earliest hominids that walked upright. With a unique combination of ape-like and human-like characteristics, Lucy provides important insights into the evolution of bipedalism in our early ancestors.


Why is Lucy important?

Lucy is important because she represents a significant discovery in the field of paleoanthropology. As one of the most complete early hominin fossils ever found, Lucy provides important insights into human evolution and our understanding of the common ancestors shared between humans and apes. Her discovery has helped shape our knowledge of how and when early hominins adapted to walking upright.


Is Lucy human or monkey?

monkeyAnswer:Neither. Lucy is the common name of the skeleton of an individual Australopithecus afarensis. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago.This hominid was significant as the skeleton shows evidence of small skull capacity akin to that of apes and of bipedal upright walk akin to that of humans. The evidence would indicate Lucy and her kin had separated from the primate branch which includes monkeys and apes but had not yet evolved into humans.


Who were The first species that is believed to have walked upright?

The first species believed to have walked upright on two legs is Australopithecus afarensis, with the most famous example being the fossil "Lucy" discovered in Ethiopia. This early hominin species lived approximately 3.9-2.9 million years ago.


What could Lucy do that gorillas couldn't?

Lucy was an upright ape, without the opposable big toe unlike a gorilla. Also she was alot weaker in the arm strength than a gorilla. As I mentioned earlier she walked upright and had a different diet to the gorilla which lives off of leaves and fruit. She lived more out on the African planes than a gorilla does. Hope this helped


What could Lucy do that the gorilla couldn't?

Lucy was an upright ape, without the opposable big toe unlike a gorilla. Also she was alot weaker in the arm strength than a gorilla. As I mentioned earlier she walked upright and had a different diet to the gorilla which lives off of leaves and fruit. She lived more out on the African planes than a gorilla does. Hope this helped


What did Lucy the ape teach us?

Lucy the ape, an Australopithecus afarensis, taught us about early hominid behavior, anatomy, and locomotion. By studying her fossils, scientists have gained insights into the evolutionary history of humans and our ancestors. Lucy's discovery also provided evidence that upright walking evolved before large brains in human evolution.


How did Lucy walk upright?

Lucy, an Australopithecus afarensis specimen, walked upright due to specific adaptations in her skeletal structure, such as a rounded pelvis, angled femurs, and a stabilized foot structure. These adaptations enabled Lucy to efficiently walk on two legs, a key characteristic of early hominins.


What does Lucy have to do with evolution?

I presume you mean the fossil primate, Lucy. Lucy provides evidence that hominids walked upright before developing a large brain; the fossil has a "modern" pelvis but a small brain - if you saw the animal alive, you might think it is a rather odd looking ape - appearing like a chimp but walking upright. The fossil concerns the evolution of modern man.


Was Lucy a tree climbing ape or did she walk upright?

both. she had ape-like features such as her shouders that would allow her to climb, and she had human-like feature such as her pelvis that would allow her to walk upright.


What is important about Donald Johansons discovry of Lucy in 1974?

Donald Johanson's discovery of Lucy in 1974 was significant because Lucy was one of the most complete hominid fossils ever found, providing important insights into human evolution. This discovery supported the theory that early hominids walked upright and lived in both trees and on the ground. Lucy's age and anatomical features helped scientists understand the transition from ape-like ancestors to early humans.