On this day in 1974, paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson and his research team uncovered the partial skeleton of an early hominin in Ethiopia’s Afar region. Nicknamed “Lucy,” the fossil belonged to the species Australopithecus afarensis and became one of the most important finds in human evolutionary science. The discovery provided clear evidence of upright walking more than 3 million years ago, reshaping theories about the physical development of early human ancestors.
Lucy’s skeleton, representing about 40 percent of an individual, offered exceptional detail on limb proportions, pelvis structure, and locomotion. At the time, debates over whether bipedalism or brain expansion came first were intensifying. Lucy’s anatomy strongly suggested that walking on two legs preceded significant increases in brain size, offering a major breakthrough in understanding early human behavior and adaptation.
Today, Lucy remains a cultural and scientific icon. Her discovery on November 24 continues to influence research, education, and the public’s understanding of where humans originate, and how early our ancestors took their first steps upright.
Sources & Further Reading:
– Cleveland Museum of Natural History
– National Museum of Ethiopia
– Journal of Human Evolution Archives
(One of many On-This-Day stories brought to you by Headcount Coffee — where history meets the morning cup.)
