Early human reconstruction shows 3.2 million-year-old Lucy could stand as erect as we can
Pictured: Lucy's muscle attachment areas, right, and the full reconstruction, left
3D model shows lower limb muscles of fossil known as 'Lucy'
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What is Lucy?
A cross-section of muscle modelling approach, guided by muscle scarring and MRI data
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How did researchers determine Lucy's muscle model?
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Pictured: a comparison of the modelled muscles of Lucy's legs with those of a modern human
Dr Wiseman added: "We are now the only animal that can stand upright with straight knees. Lucy's muscles suggest she was as proficient at bipedalism as we are, while possibly also being at home in the trees. "Lucy likely walked and moved in a way that we do not see in any living species today." "Australopithecus afarensis would have roamed areas of open wooded grassland as well as more dense forests in East Asia around three-four million years ago. "These reconstructions of Lucy's muscles suggest that she would have been able to exploit both habitats effectively."