The New York State Museum is hosting a free presentation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Lucy, one of the most iconic fossils in the study of human evolution. On Sunday, November 17, 2024, geochronologist Dr. Jim Aronson will present a look into his pioneering work on the groundbreaking excavation of Lucy’s remains in Hadar, Ethiopia.
Lucy or Dinkʼinesh (“you are marvelous” in Amharic) is a collection of several hundred pieces of fossilized bone comprising 40 percent of the skeleton of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis. It was discovered in 1974 at a site in the Awash Valley of the Afar Triangle, by Donald Johanson, a paleoanthropologist of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Lucy has been dated to about 3.2 million years ago.
The State Museum event, “Opportunities of Dating an Older Woman: Lucy and the Beginnings of Humankind – The Geology and Natural History of How She Lived and Died,” will take attendees on a journey through the discovery and analysis of Lucy’s ancient environment.
Dr. Aronson, who was part of the team that unearthed the fossils in 1974, will share firsthand accounts of his experiences in the Afar Triangle and provide insights into the methods he used to reconstruct the world in which Lucy lived — a lush ecosystem that stood in stark contrast to the arid landscape of the region today.
Dr. Aronson will also discuss the discovery of the “First Family,” a group of 13 hominins found near Lucy’s remains. This discovery provided information about how these early ancestors of humans lived and died. The lecture will offer new perspectives on how science has uncovered the details of our evolutionary past and celebrate this milestone in paleontological history.
This event will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at 1 pm at the New York State Museum’s Huxley Theater in Albany.
Established in 1836, the New York State Museum is the oldest and largest public museum in the United States. Home to leading scientists, historians, archeologists, and anthropologists, its collections represent the State’s rich cultural and natural heritage from the past and present, including a staggering 20+ million artifacts spanning 480 million years ago to today.
Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website.
Illustrations: “Australopithecus Afarensis, Lucy” by Carlos Lorenzo and Dr Jim Aronson in Ethiopia.
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