Spine reveals ancient human relative climbed like apes, walked like us

A two-million-year-old fossil may alter our understanding of one of our early human ancestors.

A report about a two-million-year-old primate fossil was published in the journal e-life by an international team of researchers from 16 different universities.

The study included the finding of a vertebrae from Australopithecus sediba, a human cousin, as well as previously found vertebrae fossils.

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Not only could A sediba walk upright like a person, but she could also climb like an ape, according to the research.

Two specimens, a juvenile male and an adult female, were discovered in Malapa, South Africa, and were used to define the species.

Extra bones belonging to the female specimen, dubbed MH2 and called Issa, have now been unearthed and studied by experts.

The new bones are lumbar vertebrae from the animal's lower back, a portion of the anatomy that can disclose a lot about how it moved.

"The lumbar region is critical to understanding the nature of bipedalism in our earliest ancestors and to understanding how well adapted they were to walking on two legs," says Professor Scott Williams, lead author of the study.

(With inputs from agencies)