The Discovery of Lucy

AL 288-1, commonly known as Lucy or Dinkʼinesh, is a collection of several hundred pieces of fossilized bone comprising 40 percent of the skeleton of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis. This remarkable discovery has provided valuable insights into the evolutionary history of early hominids.

Ardipithecus: Lucy’s Predecessor

Before Lucy, there was Ardi, an early hominid that predates Australopithecus afarensis. Ardipithecus is more than a million years older than Lucy and offers a glimpse into the characteristics of the last common ancestor shared by humans and chimpanzees.

The Significance of Australopithecus

Lucy, a 40%-complete skeleton of a female Australopithecus, has played a crucial role in our understanding of human evolution. By studying the remains of Australopithecus, scientists have been able to piece together a timeline of our evolutionary history.