The same lake was walked by two early human species 1.5 million years before
Around 1.5 million ago, it is likely that the shores where Lake Turkana now lies in Kenya were occupied by the different species. According to Science, two sets of footprints that trace each hominin’s path are the first ever geological evidence of this type of example. These footprints form part of an overall picture which tells the story of what life was like in that area.
The footprints provide a window to the history of occupation in a relatively short time, says Craig Feibel, Rutgers professor of geology and author of the research. We can see that not only were there two species of hominids, but also all the birds and antelopes and other animals on the shoreline of Lake Michigan 1.5 million years before.
Almost a Species-to-Species Contact?
An individual’s footprint is hypothesized as having been left by Homo Erectus. Feibel believes that these prints are from a short period of time.
Feibel has a good deal of certainty about this. They were made on the shore of a large lake. Water could have washed away the prints, or they could have been baked by the sun if the time between creations had been longer. Rain or waves did not wash away the prints. The prints did not have any cracks and were unlikely to be baked by the sun.
The sand and soil were probably gently covered by the wind, which may have blown a layer of soil or sand on top. This preserved them. Feibel claims that the prints “show you were they in the same location at the same time.” The prints cannot prove that two early humans passed or interacted with each other. While it’s entertaining to think of two early human types exchanging high-fives or stories about fishing, no proof exists that such an encounter occurred.
Footprints are not affected by weather or animals. This study was a result of both luck and fame. Louise Leakey, who organized the project, was responsible for its fame. She is a palaeontologist in her third generation and a granddaughter of Louis Leakey, perhaps the best-known of all palaeontologists. Feibel, a third-generation paleontologist and granddaughter of Louis Leakey — perhaps the most famous paleontologist in history — has been working with Leakey Foundation Africa since 1981.
Fortune smiles upon the prepared
This fortune was brought about by the fact that the team had been looking at the site for bones. The team changed its direction when they found the first footprint and then the second. Feibel says that once they understood what the footprints were, they began to clear a larger area. They found many more.
At first, it was not clear whether the prints belonged to two different species. Feibel says that he would have never recognized the prints as being different. He visited the site following the initial excavation. Learn more about Discovering our Roots – An Introduction to Human Evolution (19459007)
Footprints:
Their significance
Kevin Hatala was brought on board as a member of the team. Hatala is a biology professor and author of this paper at Chatham University, Pittsburgh. Hatala is a hominid footprint expert who has studied them since 2012. He and his team analyzed the footprints using multiple imaging techniques including 3-D analyses. They determined that the stride patterns and anatomy were different enough for them to conclude with confidence that the prints belonged to two distinct species. These footprints are a great way to add more information than other artifacts. Hatala stated in a recent press release that “with these types of data we can see the way living individuals moved around millions of years back and possibly interacted with one another, or with other animals.” This is something we cannot get from stone tools or bones.
This excavation shows the value of using different research techniques to examine an area with a lot of resources. Feibel says that the region has a wealth of fossils, including tracks and trail signs as well as bones and teeth from countless species. It’s an exciting place to work, because so much is yet to discover.
