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Perimortem fractures in Lucy suggest mortality from fall out of tall tree

Author

Listed:
  • John Kappelman

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Richard A. Ketcham

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Stephen Pearce

    (Austin Bone and Joint Clinic)

  • Lawrence Todd

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Wiley Akins

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Matthew W. Colbert

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Mulugeta Feseha

    (Paleoanthropology and Paleoenvironment Program, Addis Ababa University)

  • Jessica A. Maisano

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Adrienne Witzel

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

The Pliocene fossil ‘Lucy’ (Australopithecus afarensis) was discovered in the Afar region of Ethiopia in 1974 and is among the oldest and most complete fossil hominin skeletons discovered. Here we propose, on the basis of close study of her skeleton, that her cause of death was a vertical deceleration event or impact following a fall from considerable height that produced compressive and hinge (greenstick) fractures in multiple skeletal elements. Impacts that are so severe as to cause concomitant fractures usually also damage internal organs; together, these injuries are hypothesized to have caused her death. Lucy has been at the centre of a vigorous debate about the role, if any, of arboreal locomotion in early human evolution. It is therefore ironic that her death can be attributed to injuries resulting from a fall, probably out of a tall tree, thus offering unusual evidence for the presence of arborealism in this species.

Suggested Citation

  • John Kappelman & Richard A. Ketcham & Stephen Pearce & Lawrence Todd & Wiley Akins & Matthew W. Colbert & Mulugeta Feseha & Jessica A. Maisano & Adrienne Witzel, 2016. "Perimortem fractures in Lucy suggest mortality from fall out of tall tree," Nature, Nature, vol. 537(7621), pages 503-507, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:537:y:2016:i:7621:d:10.1038_nature19332
    DOI: 10.1038/nature19332
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen, He & Khan, Faisal & AbouRizk, Simaan & Fu, Gui, 2024. "Understanding of causality and its mathematical representation in accident modeling," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).

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