Human ancestors born big brained
A new Homo erectus fossil suggests that females had large, wide pelvises in order to deliver large-brained babies.
Being born with a larger brain meant our ancestor became independent far more quickly than modern human infants.
The new finding, published in Science magazine, conflicts with earlier ideas that suggest they had a tall, thin body shape adapted for running.
Homo erectus is thought to be the first human-like creature to move out of Africa to colonise the world.
The now extinct hominid species may also have been the first to control fire.
The near-complete 1.4 million-year-old female pelvis was found near Gona in northern Ethiopia. As it was pieced together, the archaeologists were struck by the unusual width of the pelvis.
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