Who was the first human-like being on Earth, whose discovery left scientists questioning the origins of humanity? It had short legs…

Human-like being on Earth: Humans, or Homo sapiens, are widely regarded as the most advanced form of life on Earth. These advanced forms possess a highly developed brain, which allows for abstract thinking, complex problem-solving, language, and advanced tool-making. But before human beings, do you know who was the world’s first human being? To know more, read the detailed stories below.

As per The Guardian report, U.S. anthropologist Donald Johanson and his research student Tom Gray in November 1974 were combing through a ravine in the Hadar region of Ethiopia, searching for fossilized animal bones. While examining the silt and ash, Johanson stumbled upon a small fragment of an arm bone. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it belonged to a human-like creature. This discovery would later be identified as part of the fossil of “Lucy,” a 3.2-million-year-old hominid, which is one of the most significant finds in the field of paleoanthropology. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, paleoanthropology is a branch of anthropology dealing with fossil hominids.

The discovery of Australopithecus afarensis, a human-like being with short legs and a small stature, left scientists questioning the origins of humanity. Johanson and Gray ultimately uncovered a total of 47 bones from a single, ancient hominin at the site in Ethiopia. This find, which included parts of the skeleton, was crucial in understanding the early stages of human evolution. The fragments collected by Johanson and Gray amounted to about 40% of a complete skeleton. Subsequent dating revealed that these remains are approximately 3.2 million years old. At the time of the discovery, this was the oldest human-like being ever unearthed by fossil hunters, and she was given the name Lucy.

Fifty years after Johanson and Gray’s discovery, it remains a major milestone in human palaeontology. The pelvis indicated the remains were from a short female, about four feet tall. This find, followed by similar discoveries in Ethiopia and Tanzania, led Johanson and Tim White to announce in 1978 that the bones, including Lucy’s, belonged to a previously unknown hominin species, Australopithecus afarensis, or the Southern Ape from Afar.