Ancient human cousin's bones reveal if it could use tools
Scientists just found a partial skeleton of Paranthropus boisei, an ancient human cousin, at Koobi Fora in Kenya.
These bones—dating back about 1.52 million years—are the first time we've seen more than just skulls and teeth from this species.
Could P. boisei use tools?
The hand bones look surprisingly human-like, meaning P. boisei could grip objects tightly and precisely—just what you need for using stone tools.
This finally answers the debate about whether they could use tools, a skill once thought unique to our own Homo group.
Walking on 2 feet
The foot bones reveal a full bipedal setup, with arches like ours, showing P. boisei walked upright efficiently.
Since they lived alongside early humans in East Africa, these fossils give us new clues about how different ancient species moved and possibly interacted.