Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) skull

3D Model

Reconstruction of AL 288-1 “Lucy,” Australopithecus afarensis Johanson, White, and Coppens, 1978, skull

“Lucy” is the nickname for the Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton that was discovered in the Afar desert of Ethiopia in 1974 by an international team of scientists led by former Museum curator Dr. Donald Johanson. When the partial skeleton was found, it was the oldest and most complete early human ancestor ever found, with 40 percent of the skeleton unearthed. Lucy has served as an important reference that has expanded researchers’ understanding of the morphology and anatomy of the earliest human ancestors and increased our knowledge of human evolution.

Reconstruction by: CMNH Casting Lab

Scanner: Artec Spider

Image by Hailey Majewski, CMNH