Laetoli footprints reveal bipedal gait biomechanics different from those of modern humans and chimpanzees.

ABSTRACT: Bipedalism is a key adaptation that shaped human evolution, yet the timing and nature of its evolution remain unclear. Here we use new experimentally based approaches to investigate the locomotor mechanics preserved by the famous Pliocene hominin footprints from Laetoli, Tanzania. We conducted footprint formation experiments with habitually barefoot humans and with chimpanzees to quantitatively compare their footprints to those preserved at Laetoli. Our results show that the Laetoli footprints are morphologically distinct from those of both chimpanzees and habitually barefoot modern humans. By analysing biomechanical data that were collected during the human experiments we, for the first time, directly link differences between the Laetoli and modern human footprints to specific biomechanic

SUBMITTER: Hatala KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5013756 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature