Little Foot (IMAGE)
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In the foreground (right) is a depiction of an early Homo human ancestor characterized by relatively greater bone strength of the femur in the thigh compared to the humerus in the arm. In the background (left) is a depiction of an older human ancestor, Australopithecus, characterized by more equivalent strength in the bones of the arm and thigh. The authors’ findings document a shift in relative bone strength between these two ancestors, signaling a fundamental change in how they used their upper limb during daily interactions with the surrounding environment. In early Homo ancestors, it appears that the upper limb was no longer appreciably used in weight-bearing activities, such as arboreal movements, that appear to have characterized Australopithecus ancestors.
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Kris J Carlson
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