Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
11:34
High-resolution, High-speed, Three-dimensional Video Imaging with Digital Fringe Projection Techniques
Published on: December 3, 2013
16.1K
Ardipithecus ramidus postcrania from the Gona Project area, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia
Scott W Simpson1, Naomi E Levin2, Jay Quade3
1Department of Anatomy, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-4930, USA; Institute for the Science of Origins, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Journal of Human Evolution
|March 25, 2019
Summary
New fossils reveal Ardipithecus ramidus had a unique locomotion combining tree climbing and bipedal walking. Analysis of ankle and foot bones shows greater adaptation to bipedality than previously understood.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Hominin Evolution
Background:
- Functional analyses of Ardipithecus ramidus postcrania indicate a unique locomotor pattern.
- Previous fossil evidence for Ar. ramidus locomotion was primarily from the Aramis area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze newly discovered Ar. ramidus fossils from the Gona Project study area.
- To broaden the understanding of Ar. ramidus locomotor patterns, particularly hip, ankle, and foot function.
- To investigate hominin hand evolution through newly discovered manual remains.
Main Methods:
- Functional analysis of postcranial fossils, including a partial skeleton (GWM67/P2) and isolated manual remains.
- Comparative analysis of anatomical features related to locomotion (hip, ankle, foot).
- Examination of a scaphoid bone with a fusing os centrale.
Main Results:
- Reinforced interpretations of Ar. ramidus exhibiting mixed locomotor adaptations (terrestrial bipedality and arboreal clambering).
- Documented greater adaptation to bipedality in the Ar. ramidus ankle and hallux than previously recognized.
- Identified a fusing os centrale within the scaphoid bone, offering insights into hominin hand evolution.
Conclusions:
- Ardipithecus ramidus possessed a complex locomotor repertoire combining arboreal and terrestrial behaviors.
- The newly analyzed fossils expand our knowledge of early hominin locomotion and hand anatomy.
- Further research on early Pliocene hominin fossils continues to refine our understanding of human evolution.
Related Concept Videos
02:18Fischer Projections
16.4K
Learning to draw Fischer projections of molecules and understanding their relevance plays a crucial role in the visual depiction of organic molecules. A Fischer projection is a two-dimensional projection on a planar surface to simplify the three-dimensional wedge–dash representation of molecules. This is especially helpful in the case of molecules with multiple chiral centers that can be difficult to draw. Here, all the bonds of interest are represented as horizontal or vertical lines. While...
16.4K
02:06Newman Projections
20.7K
Different notations are used to represent the three-dimensional structure of molecules on two-dimensional surfaces. One of the most commonly used representations is the dash-wedge formula. The dashed wedges, solid wedges, and the plane lines indicate the groups situated behind the plane, coming out of the plane, and in the plane, respectively.
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as...
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as...
20.7K
01:03IR Frequency Region: Fingerprint Region
1.9K
IR spectra are divided into two main regions: the diagnostic region and the fingerprint region. The diagnostic region of the spectrum lies above 1500 cm−1. The absorptions resulting from single-bond vibrations of the N–H, C–H, and O–H stretch at higher wavenumbers and appear on the left side of the spectrum. The stretching absorptions of the C≡C and C≡N occur between 2100–2300 cm−1. In contrast, those arising from stretching absorptions of the...
1.9K
01:29Coordinates and Map Projections
603
Coordinates and map projections are essential tools in accurately representing the Earth's surface for various applications, ranging from navigation to spatial analysis. The latitude and longitude coordinate system is a universally recognized framework for defining locations. Latitude specifies the distance of a point north or south of the equator, measured in degrees from 0° at the equator to 90° at the poles. Longitude indicates a location's position east or west of the prime meridian,...
603
02:40The Eukaryotic Promoter Region
18.7K
The eukaryotic promoter region is a segment of DNA located upstream of a gene. It contains an RNA polymerase binding site, a transcription start site, and several cis-regulatory sequences. The proximal promoter region is located in the vicinity of the gene and has cis-regulatory sequences and the core promoter. The core promoter is the binding site for RNA polymerase and is usually located between -35 and +35 nucleotides from the transcription start site. The distal promoter regions are...
18.7K
01:17Region of Convergence
916
The z-transform is a powerful mathematical tool used in the analysis of discrete-time signals and systems. It is a crucial tool in the analysis of discrete-time systems, but its convergence is limited to specific values of the complex variable z. This range of values, known as the Region of Convergence (ROC), is fundamental in determining the behavior and stability of a system or signal. The ROC defines the region in the complex plane where the z-transform converges, which can take various...
916