Bones of ape living 12m years ago point to genesis of upright walking

[wnylib]

4. True. But we could examine what the environment was

like 12 mya for this new find and what it was like where the esrlist HE fossils have been found. Compare them for similarities that could lead toward bipedalism.

Environmental factors that would favor upright walking could be a loss of forest habitat when glaciation affected global and regional climates. Standing up in high grass gives a better view of predators and prey -- and favors an increase in height, too.

But there could be other factors -- faster running upright, a need for upper limbs and feet/hands to use tools, carry items, and.fight predators -- with weapons. The record as it stands.now has HH making tools (snd weapons) before HE comes on the scene with upright posture.

My guess is that this new discovery represents a transitional stage.between HH and HE earlier than previously believed.