Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid which lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. A. afarensis was slenderly built, like the younger Australopithecus africanus. It is thought that A. afarensis was ancestral to both the genus Australopithecus and the genus Homo, which includes the modern human species, Homo sapiens. The most famous fossil is the partial skeleton named Lucy by Donald Johanson and colleagues, after they played the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" over and over in celebration of their find.

Fossil Australopithecus Afarensis  Wikipedia

Ardi: Human-like fossil find is breakthrough of the year   BBC - December 18, 2009

  Before 'Lucy,' there was 'Ardi': Oldest hominid skeleton provides new evidence for human evolution   PhysOrg - October 1, 2009

Discovery in Ethiopia casts light on human origins   Science Daily - October 1, 2009

The skeleton of an early human who lived 4.4 million years ago shows that humans did not evolve from chimpanzee-like ancestors, researchers reported on Thursday. The 4-foot (1.2 meter) tall, 110 pound creature is a million years older than "Lucy" -- the skeleton of another species called Australopithecus afarensis that is one of the best-known pre-humans.

Ardi's Secret: Did Early Humans Start Walking for Sex?   National Geographic - October 1, 2009
Oldest "Human" Skeleton Refutes "Missing Link"   National Geographic - October 1, 2009

An artist's reconstruction of the face of Ardipithecus ramidus was made possible by a digital reconstruction of skull parts from two individuals. The face of "Ardi" did not project as much as those of modern apes, but was not as flat and massive as the later australopithecines. Researchers who studied the species suggest this difference is related to the small size of the species' incisor teeth compared to those of chimps. Based on the relatively small size of its brow ridge and canine teeth, scientists suggest this fossil is of a female.

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