Oldest human ancestor: 7 million
Interesting Engineering••science
Key Points:
- New research provides strong evidence that Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a seven-million-year-old species, was bipedal, supporting its status as the oldest known human ancestor with upright walking ability.
- The study identified a femoral tubercle—an attachment point for the iliofemoral ligament crucial for bipedalism—found only in hominins, along with other key traits linked to upright walking.
- Using 3D geometric morphometrics and trait comparisons, researchers found Sahelanthropus had a relatively long femur compared to its ulna, resembling early hominins like Australopithecus rather than apes.
- Three critical features indicating bipedalism were confirmed:
