Fossils and human evolution

What are fossils?

The preserved remains, impressions or traces of organisms that lived in the past.

How do fossils provide evidence for human evolution?

They show how human ancestors changed over time and reveal features of organisms from different periods.

Who was Ardi?

Ardi is the fossil remains of Ardipithecus ramidus, dating to approximately 4.4 million years ago.

Why is Ardi important to the study of human evolution?

Ardi provides evidence about the anatomy and locomotion of an early human relative.

Who was Lucy?

Lucy is a famous Australopithecus afarensis fossil dating to approximately 3.2 million years ago.

Why is Lucy important to human evolution?

Her skeleton provides evidence about early hominins, including adaptations associated with walking upright.

What did Richard Leakey discover?

He and his team discovered important early human fossils, including fossils from around 1.6 million years ago.

What can fossils reveal about human ancestors?

Their anatomy, approximate age, and how physical characteristics changed over time.

Why is fossil evidence incomplete?

Fossilisation is rare, and many remains decay or are destroyed before they can be preserved.

How can scientists estimate the age of fossils?

By dating surrounding rock layers and using suitable dating techniques, including radiometric methods where appropriate.