Lucy, the famous human ancestor whose bones were discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, belonged to the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis that walked on two legs more than 3 million years ago. However, the mystery remained about the movement of her long-lost muscles. Archaeologist Ashleigh Wiseman from Cambridge University turned to computational modeling to recreate Lucy’s muscular anatomy and gain insights into how she moved. The findings indicate that Lucy had a powerful build, with significantly larger leg muscles compared to modern humans. According to a study published in Royal Society Open Science, Lucy’s knee extensor muscles resembled those of humans, suggesting that she could straighten her legs. It is believed that Lucy thrived in both ground and tree habitats, which means her movement was different from any living species today. (Read more Lucy stories.)
Inspired by the work of paleobiologist Oliver Demuth on 3D musculoskeletal models of extinct archosaurs, Wiseman utilized MRI and CT scans to create a muscle map of modern humans. Using virtual models of the Lucy fossil, she examined the range of motion in each joint before overlaying the muscles, guided by traces of scarring where muscles once connected to Lucy’s bones. The result revealed that Lucy had 36 muscles in each leg, with major ones more than twice as large as those in modern humans. Nearly 75% of Lucy’s thighs were muscles, compared to around 50% in modern humans, indicating her powerful build. The research suggests that Lucy was capable of effectively exploiting both ground and tree habitats.
Wiseman’s study, published in Royal Society Open Science, confirms the expectation of a strong muscular structure in Lucy. However, what surprised the researchers was the similarity of Lucy’s knee extensor muscles to those of humans, enabling her to straighten her legs. This suggests that if Lucy exclusively walked on two legs like modern humans, she would have moved in similar ways. The findings also indicate that Lucy likely had a unique movement that is not observed in any living species today, as Australopiths were believed to thrive in both ground and tree environments. (Read more Lucy stories.)
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