Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis)

Lucy is the nickname for an important fossil of Australopithecus afarensis, an early human ancestor that lived about 3.2 million years ago. Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, her skeletal remains provided key evidence that our ancestors walked upright. Lucy was covered in hair, had a small brain, and a pelvis suited for bipedal walking, combining traits of both apes and humans. Her discovery helped scientists understand human evolution, showing that walking upright preceded the development of larger brains. Lucy's remarkable preservation offers invaluable insights into our evolutionary history.