Muddy Footprints Reveal Ancient Human Neighbors
Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lake shore suggest that two early human ancestors, Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, were likely neighbors 1.5 million years ago. The footprints, discovered in 2021 in what is now Koobi Fora, Kenya, show that the two species co-existed and may have even influenced each other.
Researchers were able to distinguish between the two species based on the shape of the footprints, which revealed differences in the anatomy of the foot and how it was being used. The footprints of Homo erectus, which was similar to how modern humans walk, were characterized by a heel-first strike, followed by the rolling of the weight over the ball of the foot and toes, and then pushing off again. In contrast, the footprints of Paranthropus boisei were distinct and unlike anything seen before, with more mobility in the big toe compared to H. erectus or modern humans.
The findings suggest that these early human ancestors may have had different ways of walking, running, stumbling, and sliding on prehistoric muddy slopes. “It turns out, there are different gait mechanics – different ways of being bipedal,” said paleontologist William Harcourt-Smith.
The discovery provides a glimpse into the daily lives and behaviors of human ancestors, shedding light on the evolutionary history of human walking. The study’s authors believe that the two species may have seen each other and even influenced each other, suggesting a complex and dynamic relationship between early human relatives.
