After Caird: Aapmens, het verhaal van de evolutie van de mens
(1994)
This
is one of the most famous fossils of a hominid.: the skeleton of Lucy. This
female of Australopithecus afarensis (the same species as the one
making the trail of the preceding page) got her name because the Beatles'
song 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds' was played in the camp during the period
of collecting the bones. This skeleton has not been found all at once but
it has been collected during a long period. It is one of the most complete
skeletons. Loose jaws and teeth are the most common fossils because they
are the most resistant parts. A more or less complete skeleton is extremely
rare. The age of this fossil is estimated 3.2 million years. The brain volume is still very small: it really is an upright walking ape.
Know more?
The
Story of Lucy
This species didn't yet use tools. The first real human-like fossils from the genus Homo date from about 2 million years ago. They are from Homo habilis which means: handy, tool-using man. This species, too, had such a small brain volume that some people doubt whether this is really a species of Homo or not. From Homo habilis on, a radiation of Homo-species has developed of which we are the only one remaining. How exactly this family tree is constituted, is subject of much discussion. Read the newpapers!
Know more?
Human evolution
in 3D (3D images of skulls; click on the human figure to see our own
family tree)