'Humanity's closest ancestor was pigeon-toed'

A part-human and part-ape-like creature that existed two million years ago in South Africa, had a pigeon-toed gait, human-like front teeth, and was an able climber, new research has found.

A part-human and part-ape-like creature that existed two million years ago in South Africa, had a pigeon-toed gait, human-like front teeth, and was an able climber, new research has found.

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The fossils discovered four years ago in Malapa near Johannesburg show a mixture of primitive features of australopiths and advanced features of later human species.

The researchers led by Prof Lee Berger believe the new species is currently the best candidate for a direct ancestor of our own genus Homo.