Ancient 1.5 Million-Year-Old Footprints Show Earliest Evidence of Modern Foot Anatomy and Walking

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Source: Newswise

Newswise — The George Washington University professor Brian Richmond and his colleagues have discovered a set of 1.5 million-year-old human ancestor footprints in Kenya that show the earliest direct evidence of a modern human style of upright walking called bipedalism. The discovery of ancient hominin footprints is an incredibly rare event, and the new prints are the second oldest in the world after the 3.7-million year-old prints in Laetoli, Tanzania, making this one of the most important discoveries in recent years regarding the evolution of human walking. For the first time ever, research establishes a methodology for three-dimensional analysis and comparison of ancient human footprints.

Matthew Bennett, Bournemouth University professor and lead of the study, said, “Our findings from Ileret show that by 1.5 million years ago, hominins had evolved an essentially modern human foot function and a style of bipedal locomotion that we would recognize today.”

In a project led jointly by Jack Harris, Rutgers University professor; David Braun, University of Cape Town; and the National Museums of Kenya, the research team excavated two distinct sedimentary layers in a single outcrop at Ileret, Kenya, to reveal footprints preserved in fine-grained mud. These surfaces have been dated precisely through interbedded volcanic ash layers to 1.51 to 1.53 million years old and were digitally scanned by Bennett to create three-dimensional digital elevation models of the prints, which are accurate to a fraction of a millimeter.

The international team from the United Kingdom, United States, South Africa, and Kenya found that the prints were probably formed by the species Homo erectus. The unique structure of the modern foot is characterized by an adducted big toe that is in line with the other toes, large and robust heel and ankle bones, and a pronounced longitudinal arch and short toes—all of which are evident in the fossil footprints.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/549430/

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. But Sarah says it is only 3000 or so years old. With Dino prints. You betcha!

[Kittycat]

4. Yeppers. She saw the footprints herself, and I believe her

:rofl:

[margotb822]

5. Maybe these "reporters" should check their story with Palin

I see no mention of dinos and their time frame is way off.

:sarcasm:

[Lucinda]

2. You always bring the best stuff!

Thanks again. :)

[Adsos Letter]

3. My pleasure...

:)

[Warren DeMontague]

6. La La La I Can't HEAR YOUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!