Nov. 24 will mark 50 years since Arizona State University’s Donald Johanson discovered the Lucy fossil skeleton. It’s a find that shook the world of paleoanthropology and that still spawns new research.
The saying goes that “big things come from small beginnings,” so we asked Johanson — the founding director of ASU’s Institute of Human Origins — to show us the first tiny bone of Lucy that he spotted, and how it led to his discovery of Lucy’s skeleton in Hadar, Ethiopia.
The 3.2-million-year-old fossilized skeleton of a creature called Australopithecus afarensis, considered a direct human ancestor, preserved enough of her spine, pelvis and lower legs to show that Lucy and her kind were walking upright — like we do. The find is important because it suggests that our ancestors started walking upright before their brains (and skulls) began growing larger.
ASU is celebrating Lucy with a year of special events, including a gala, a symposium and a monthly lecture series. Learn more on the Institute of Human Origins website.
Spotlighting details of the discovery
This video is the first in a monthly series on ASU News leading up the November anniversary.
Up next in September: What might Lucy have looked like when she was alive? There's no time machine to take us back 3.2 million years, but a very special artist shows us how he has fused human anatomy with prehistoric finds to make a lifelike re-creation of Lucy.
October: The crown jewel: Finding a complete skull for Lucy.
November: Donald Johanson on the momentous discovery and the future of related research.
More Science and technology
AI-driven cyberattacks more sophisticated and scalable, but ASU expert offers solutions
Cyberattacks used to be engineered by crafty hackers looking to infiltrate computer systems. Artificial intelligence now allows hackers to create a new scale of attacks that penetrate banking,…
ASU computing school director honored with prestigious award
Today, in an increasingly complex world, lawmakers and leaders must make big decisions, and they must often do so very quickly.Because of this, data visualization is an increasingly important…
Discovering new materials using AI and machine learning
The United States, in recent years, has been struggling with a supply shortage of critical materials needed for advanced materials discovery and manufacturing. Widespread delays have impacted sectors…