Latest Tracy Kivell Stories

  [ View Video] New analysis of two-million-year-old hominid bones found in South Africa provide the clearest evidence of evolution’s first major step toward modern humans, evidence that is leading some experts to believe the findings will change longstanding views on the origins of humans. The well-preserved bones, from Australopithecus sediba, are from a part-human, part-ape species that have never been seen before now. The hands are similar to man, it has sophisticated ankles...

A new study discovered that the wrist bones of some primate species challenge the theory that humans evolved their two-legged upright walking style from a knuckle-walking ancestor."We have the most robust data I've ever seen on this topic," said Daniel Schmitt, a Duke University associate professor of evolutionary anthropology. "This model should cause everyone to re-evaluate what they've said before."The findings are published in this week's journal Proceedings of the...