Discovery of fossil history of 4.4 million years old

On October 2, American scientists announced the discovery of the oldest fossil skeleton of the human ancestor, Ardi, of the genus Ardipithecus ramidus, which is 4.4 million years old.

The oldest fossil still known as Lucy, belonging to the genus Australopithecus afarensis, discovered in 1974, dates back to 3.3 million years.

Ardi weighs about 50kg, has a small brain and female gender. Ardi has evolutionary traits that blend and grow over current chimpanzees or orangutans. Scientists think it is possible that humans and the remaining monkeys on Earth have the same ancestors, not the successive links in evolution.

Image of Ardi reconstruction (Photo: National Georgraphic)

Ardi was found in the Afar desert region in central Awash, Ethiopia, only 74km from Lucy's skeleton of the genre. According to scientists, Ardi stands up, moves with his legs when on the ground, but still uses both his feet and hands.