Around 4 million years ago, Australopithecus afarensis began walking upright on the ancient African savannah, a pivotal moment in human evolution. This unique ape, capable of standing tall, paved the ...

Scans of eight fossilized adult and infant Australopithecus afarensis skulls reveal a prolonged period of brain growth during development that may have set the stage for extended childhood learning in ...

A new study led by paleoanthropologists reveals that Lucy's species Australopithecus afarensis had an ape-like brain. However, the protracted brain growth suggests that -- as is the case in humans -- ...

A sculptor's rendering of "Lucy," Australopithecus afarensis, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on August 28, 2007. Dave Einsel / Getty Images About 3.2 million years ago, among the prehistoric ...