Australopithecus sediba

Australopithecus sediba is an extinct species of early human ancestor that lived around 1.9 million years ago in what is now South Africa. It shows a mix of traits, combining features of both earlier australopithecines and later Homo species, suggesting it may have played a key role in human evolution. A. sediba had a smaller brain than modern humans but exhibited more advanced adaptations for walking upright and subtle changes in hand structure, hinting at the beginnings of tool use. Its discovery has provided important insights into the transition between apes and modern humans.