When Did Humanity Take Its First Step? Scientists Say They Now Know.

7-Million-Year-Old Discovery Offers "Direct Evidence" of Oldest Human Ancestor That Shared This Crucial Trait with Modern Humans

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Ancient ape fossils offer new clues to humanity’s first steps

Scientists say subtle features in fossil bones point toward early upright walking in human ancestors.

This ancient fossil could rewrite the story of human origins

Scientists may have cracked the case of whether a seven-million-year-old fossil could walk upright. A new study found strong anatomical evidence that Sahelanthropus tchadensis was bipedal, including a ligament attachment seen only in human ancestors. Despite its ape-like appearance and small brain, its leg and hip structure suggest it moved confidently on two legs. The finding places bipedalism near the very root of the human family tree.

Seven-million-year-old ape could be earliest human ancestor

The oldest ancestor of humans may be a seven-million-year-old ape that started walking upright two million years earlier than other hominids.

When did humanity take its first step? Scientists say they now know.

A new analysis of fossils uncovered in Central Africa offers additional evidence that a human ancestor walked upright 7 million years ago.

Anthropologists discover seven million-year-old walking ape that could be earliest human ancestor

Anthropologists have uncovered evidence of an ancient ape species that roamed Africa on two feet seven million years ago, potentially rewriting the timeline of human evolution.Scientists at New York University have employed advanced 3D imaging techniques to examine fossils of what could be humanity’s earliest ancestor. The research focused on the ape known as Sahelanthropus tchadensis, whose remains were first unearthed in Chad's Djurab desert o…