The enigmatic Burtele foot fossil, unearthed in Ethiopia back in 2009, has finally been categorized with a species name by Arizona State University scientists alongside their global peers. This fossil is linked to a human species more primitive than the famous Lucy, the once-believed oldest human ancestor.
Yohannes Haile-Selassie, a paleoanthropologist from ASU, emphasized that additional specimen discoveries in the region have contributed to classifying the foot into a specific species.
In a video shared by the ASU Institute of Human Origins, Haile-Selassie highlights the Burtele foot’s unique anatomical features. “Having opposable big toe, like what you’re seeing here, allows you to climb up trees, because you can grasp branches, unlike modern humans, that we can’t, because our big toe is lined up with the rest of the digits, and we can’t really move it like our thumb,” he explained.
The research also unveils the ancient species’ dietary preferences, which included trees and shrubs. These findings were detailed in the journal Nature.
New research by ASU paleoanthropologists: Two ancient human ancestors were neighbors
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