'Astonishing' fossil ape discovery revealed

[Judi Lynn]

By Helen Briggs
@hbriggs
6 November 2019



VELIZAR SIMEONOVSKI

What the ape might have looked like


Fossils of a newly-discovered ancient ape could give clues to how and when walking on two legs evolved.

The ability to walk upright is considered a key characteristic of being human.

The ape had arms suited to hanging in the trees, but human-like legs.

It may have walked along branches and even on the ground some 12 million years ago, pushing back the timeline for bipedal walking, say researchers.

Until now the earliest fossil evidence for walking upright dates back to six million years ago.

The four fossils - of a male, two females and a juvenile - were unearthed in a clay pit in Bavaria between 2015 and 2018.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50305423

[dameatball]

1. Fascinating. I would not have guessed Bavaria.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Alps Ape

So Bavaria was tropical at the time? Or did this guy carry a sleeping bag?

[Baked Potato]

3. Thanks