Lucy, the famous fossil discovered in Ethiopia 50 years ago, is still revealing secrets. This ancient hominid, named after the Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, " was found by a team of scientists in 1974. The 3. 18-million-year-old bones, including dental remains and parts of the pelvis and femur, make up about 40% of Lucy's skeleton. She walked on two legs and was about 1. 1 meters tall and 29 kg.

Lucy's discovery showed that human-like creatures existed long before we thought. Her bones helped scientists understand our early ancestors better. They even think she had back problems due to a deformed vertebra. Later finds in Ethiopia, South Africa, and Kenya made us question how different species of hominids emerged.

Some studies suggest Lucy spent a lot of time in trees and may have died from a fall. Recent research shows that newborns of her species had immature brains, like human newborns today. This means they needed a lot of parental support to survive.

Experts say Lucy is like an aunt or cousin to us, not a grandmother. Her bones are studied often, but they no longer leave Ethiopia. New technology helps scientists learn more about her and other early human ancestors.

Meet Lucy: The Ancient Hominid That Changed Our Story

Actions