A recent study published in Current Biology offers a unique insight into the running ability of ancient human relatives, specifically Australopithecus afarensis. The research, led by evolutionary biomechanics researcher Karl Bates, used 3D computer simulations to estimate the muscle mass and running speed of the small hominin, which lived over three million years ago.
Unlike modern humans, A. afarensis was able to walk upright on two legs, but its running ability was significantly slower. The study found that even with human-like muscles, the ancient relative could only reach a maximum speed of around five metres per second, compared to eight metres per second for a digital model of a modern human.
The researchers created a 3D digital model of the ‘Lucy’ skeleton and used it as a basis for their simulations. By modelling Lucy’s bones with the surface area of modern apes, they were able to estimate her muscle mass and simulate her running ability.
According to Bates, even when removed from other factors such as body size, A. afarensis’s physical proportions remained the main reason for its slow running speed. The findings suggest that despite having a unique combination of muscles and bones, A. afarensis was not well-suited for long-distance running, unlike modern humans.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-04194-4