Scientists found a hip bone from a small human ancestor called Paranthropus robustus. This species lived a long time ago, around the same time as our direct ancestors. The bone shows that they walked upright, like us. This finding also shows that Paranthropus was smaller than we thought, which made it more vulnerable to large predators in its environment.
The name Paranthropus robustus was given in 1938. Fossils have been found mainly in one area in South Africa called the Cradle of Humankind. Most of these fossils are skulls and teeth, which tell us a lot about their brains but not about how they lived.
Finding the hip bone, thigh bone, and shinbone in Swartkrans Cave is important. These bones look like smaller versions of human bones. They prove that P. robustus walked on two legs instead of moving like an ape.
This species was small, about 1 meter tall and weighing 27 kilograms. It lived in an area where big animals, like hyenas, were also present. This made it hard for P. robustus to survive, even with tools.
This discovery changes our understanding of how they lived and reproduced.
Vocabulary List:
- Ancestor /ˈæn.ses.tər/ (noun): A person typically one more remote than a grandparent from whom one is descended.
- Vulnerable /ˈvʌl.nər.ə.bəl/ (adjective): Open to attack criticism or harm; susceptible to physical or emotional injury.
- Environment /ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/ (noun): The surroundings or conditions in which a person animal or plant lives or operates.
- Discovery /dɪsˈkʌv.ər.i/ (noun): The act of discovering or finding something; a new and significant finding.
- Understanding /ʌn.dərˈstæn.dɪŋ/ (noun): The ability to comprehend or grasp the nature of something; knowledge.
- Species /ˈspiː.ʃiz/ (noun): A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
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