It was already pretty hot by the time Donald Johanson and his graduate student, Tom Gray, arrived at the site at Hadar, Ethiopia, on the morning of November 24, 1974. The two had initially set out to map the location but decided to have a look around for any signs of fossils while they were there.

The 3.2-million-year-old fossil, discovered 50 years ago, is considered to be one of the most significant early hominin specimens.

Lucy may be the best-known prehuman fossil in the world. But other famous fossils have given us important insight into our evolutionary history.

On the anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she means to science, and what she taught us about ourselves.

Stunning Discovery of ‘Lucy’ Fossil Revealed Humans Were Walking On Feet 3.2 Million Years Ago Experts find human evolution a complicated subject. Over the years, with discoveries worldwide, the subject of evolution has garnered more clarity.