[z3n]

Oh how this stuff changes quickly.

When I took anthropology in the 90’s, they were saying that early pre-humans split off from three dwellers and lived in the savanahs and stepps and needed to stand to see farther. Now they are saying standing started in trees, which evokes monkeys more than apes.

Also, back then (unless my memory fails me) Australopithecus was in another fork, and not an ancenstor to humans.

[ETL]

[gundog]

I recall, from the early 80s, being taught that Australpithicus was a direct ancestor.

[marktwain]

When I took anthropology in the 90’s, they were saying that early pre-humans split off from three dwellers and lived in the savanahs and stepps and needed to stand to see farther. Now they are saying standing started in trees, which evokes monkeys more than apes.

Not if you actually read the article.

It says this specimen is a transitional form that lived in a mixed forest and savanah environment.

[Blueflag]

All I have to say about this nonsense is that learned or acquired traits are not inherited. Behavior does not alter or create Genes. The Genes for a human pelvis and foot had to be there already, before they could, over time, becomes more prevalent in the population.

[tallyhoe]

Learned to walk upright in the trees?

That is a nice (feat)!!!!

[Fedora]

Your memory is correct. "The team found that the sockets of Selam's shoulder joints point upward, as they do in apes. Likewise, the bony ridge that runs along her shoulder blades is set at a similar angle as in chimpanzees. . .Ward agreed that the shoulder development of the growing A. afarensis "doesn't seem particularly humanlike. . ."": "Lucy's Baby" a Born Climber, Hinting Human Ancestors Lingered in Trees: Australopithecus afarensis' shoulders pointed upward, new fossil study suggests. (2012)