Lucy's Child

In 1974, Donald Johansson and his team of paleontologists found a hominid fossil skeleton. It was the oldest hominid skeleton that had been found to that date. This Australopicthicus Aferensis was fondly named Lucy because the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was keeping the scientists company as they dug through the African soil.

Just this week, the paleontology community was abuzz with the news of a new find, aptly called “Lucy’s Baby.” It was the skeleton of the youngest Aferensis species that has been found to date. Read more here.

Archaeological finds are never with out some controversy. You may have heard about the controversy that surrounded the discovery and unearthing of the Tyranosaurus, Sue. The property of this dinosaur, named for the lady who first spotted her, became world news! For details of the controversy surrounding Lucy’s Baby, click on these links:

Identification of Lucy's Child

Lucy's Child Discrepancies

No matter which side of the line you fall regarding this discovery, there can be no dispute that finding the fossil remains of humans, dinosaurs or even more common and prolific sea creatures is an exciting event for the one who makes the discovery.
If you’d like to learn more about rock hounding, check out this link

fossil hunting