Lucy was not alone F. A. Jones 03.23.01 Paleontologists working in the plains of Africa have discovered the fossil remains of a species that may be a new human relative. The discovery of the remains, including a skull, was made in northern Kenya in 1999. Previously, the oldest human ancestor was believed to be Australopithecus afarensis, and was described from remains determined 3 to 4 million years old. The remains of A. afarensis were given the now famous name “Lucy”. Because of the lack of other fossil hominid bones from this period, A. afarensis was believed to be the common ancestor to modern humans. However, the new fossils suggest that Lucy might have shared the African plains with another species, given the name Kenyanthropus platyops, which means “the flat faced man of Kenya”. Based upon the shape of the fossil skull and the type of teeth it has, paleontologists have suggested that the new species may have eaten different foods than A. afarensis, such as small fruits and birds. The discovery is important for it suggests that there may have been a greater diversity of hominids than previously thought. There remains much to be discovered about the evolutionary history and ancestry of humans. J. N Wilford "Skull May Alter Experts' View of Human Descent's Branches." New York Times, March 22, 2001. ©2001 The Aurora Collection, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Site Development by: Interactive Multimedia. Inc.