Mysterious Footprints Found in a Cave Reveal They Belonged to a Relative of Humans Who Walked Like a Bear

We are aware of how human beings went through several stages of evolution to look and walk like they do today. However, there used to be a time when two species of humans coexisted in the distant past. A 2021 study published in the scientific journal, Nature, revealed fossilized footprints of two distinct species of humans that lived about 3.7 million years ago in the modern-day region of Tanzania. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

The fossilized footprints were discovered for the first time in Tanzania's Laetoli site back in 1976, providing evidence of bipedal ancient human species in the region. Previous research work on them considered the footprints to be that of a bear cub who might have taken a few steps while standing on two hind legs. In 1978, another set of similar footprints were discovered that belonged to hominids and had attributes similar to those called Australopithecus afarensis. ㅤ

"Given the increasing evidence for locomotor and species diversity in the hominin fossil record over the past 30 years, these unusual prints deserved another look," lead author of the study, Ellison McNutt, an assistant professor of instruction at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University, said per, a publication on Dartmouth University's official website. McNutt further mentioned that humans do not typically walk by crossing their steps but the walking pattern can occur when a person is trying to gain their footing. "The site A footprints may have been the result of a hominin walking across an area that was an unlevel surface," McNutt theorized. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

"As bears walk, they take very wide steps, wobbling back and forth," co-author of the study, Jeremy DeSilva, an associate professor of anthropology, shared with the publication. "They are unable to walk with a gait similar to that of the site A footprints, as their hip musculature and knee shape do not permit that kind of motion and balance," DeSilva noted through the research that they have obtained conclusive evidence from the site A footprints that a second hominin species that used to be a bipedal walked in a different way than other hominin species.

"We’ve had this evidence since 1976. It just took the rediscovery of these wonderful footprints and a more detailed analysis to get us here," he added. Both McNutt and DeSilva were joined by their colleagues to completely excavate five footprints in Laetoli by June 2019, stated Science News. The team of experts used photographs and 3D scanning to study the ancient tracks. The results of the scans indicated that the footprints were left by an individual with a short stature. 

"Given that only two of the ancient footprints are complete enough to analyze thoroughly, the possibility that an ape other than a hominid made the Laetoli impressions can’t be ruled out," William Harcourt-Smith, a paleoanthropologist at Lehman College and the American Museum of Natural History, who wasn’t involved in the research, said per the outlet. "But evidence of cross-stepping points to a hominid track maker."