2-million-year-old bones shed light on human spine and bipedalism

Amazing stuff!

"Modern humans have been evolving and developing the ability to walk upright for over two million years, new research into a fossilized spine of an early human ancestor has revealed. ...
The structure of the fossilized A. MH2 vertebrae suggests that the A. sediba would have walked comfortably on two legs, but other aspects of the species' bone structure indicate that it would probably still have spent a significant amount of time climbing trees. The knee and ankle bones of the A. sediba "demonstrate clear evidence for bipedal locomotion," the study states, explaining that they possess human-like traits such as the ankle joint and the angle of the femur bone. Most importantly, the well-preserved MH2 spine indicates a clear curvature, more so than any other early human fossil, backing up the hypothesis that the species was well adapted to walking on two legs. ...

The upper body of the A. sediba was still well-equipped for climbing, with powerful trunk musculature that would have been suited for climbing and traveling via treetops rather than on the ground. Its shoulder blade is most similar to that of an orangutan, and it has an elongated humerus bone much like non-human ape species.

What is notable, however, is that, as mentioned in a 2011 study, the hand features a relatively long thumb and short fingers, similar to modern humans, indicating the ability to create complex stone tools. ..."

2-million-year-old bones shed light on human spine - The Jerusalem Post The Australopithecus sediba is estimated to have lived nearly two million years ago and is thought to be a predecessor to the Homo genus, to which modern humans – Homo sapiens – belong.

New fossils of Australopithecus sediba reveal a nearly complete lower back (open access)