Ancient Fossil Footsteps Found in Kenya May Hint That an Early Human Relative Was Larger Than Previously Thought
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Researchers uncovered a series of 1.4‑million‑year‑old footprints at Kenya’s Koobi Fora site, showing hominin, hippopotamus and antelope tracks together. The hominin prints, attributed to at least seven individuals, may belong to Homo erectus or the larger‑than‑expected Paranthropus. The findings could revise assumptions about the body size and social behavior of early human relatives.
- ▪The trackway was first noticed in 1978 by a team led by paleontologist Kay Behrensmeyer and later re‑examined in 2016 and 2023.
- ▪Footprints from at least seven hominin individuals were identified alongside deeper hippopotamus and antelope prints.
- ▪Scientists suggest the tracks could have been made by Homo erectus or by Paranthropus, a species previously thought to be shorter.
- ▪If the footprints belong to Paranthropus, their size indicates this early human relative may have been taller than earlier reconstructions.
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| Publication time | Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:08:12 +0000 |
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Ancient Fossil Footsteps Found in Kenya May Hint That an Early Human Relative Was Larger Than Previously Thought The trackway sheds light on how some hominins moved around their environments and with one another Riley Black | Science Correspondent July 27, 2026 3:08 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source An overview of the excavated track surface with a mix of deeper hippopotamus and antelope footprints and shallower hominin tracks visible Kay Behrensmeyer Fossil tracks found in the 1.4-million-year-old rock of Kenya have revealed a few fleeting moments of our early relatives’ history. The footprints record the steps of multiple individual hominins, preserved alongside those of ancient hippos and water birds.
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