Project description DEENESFRITPL Evolution of the human foot The human skeleton undergoes constant remodelling over the lifetime of the individual. Major transitions in human evolution can be seen in many aspects of our postcranial skeleton. The transition from the arboreal environment of our ancestors to become terrestrial bipeds can be seen in our highly specialised foot. The EU-funded FOOTSTEP project will explore locomotor evolution in the human lineage. Specifically, it will study the internal bone structure of the foot of extant non human great apes and humans from a range of populations. Using a cutting-edge geometric morphometric approach, it will analyse the internal bone structure of all tarsals and metatarsals of Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, Australopithecus sediba, Homo naledi, Homo floresiensis and the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot (Homo habilis/Paranthropus). Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective During the course of human evolution, we have transitioned from the arboreal environment of our ancestors to become committed, terrestrial bipeds. These changes are reflected in many aspects of our postcranial skeleton, including our highly specialised foot. Due to the mosaic morphology of fossil hominins, it is remains unknown in what ways their locomotion differed from our own, both in a continued dependence on arboreal environments and in the way they walked bipedally. As internal bone structure, both cortical and trabecular bone, remodel during an individual’s lifetime in response to their behaviour it has the potential to reveal how they actually behaved. FOOTSTEP will answer these questions by using state-of-the-art, whole-bone methods to analyse the internal bone structure of the foot (all tarsals and metatarsals) of extant non-human great apes and humans from a range of populations. These methods will include a cutting-edge geometric morphometric approach. FOOTSTEP will analyse internal bone structure of all tarsals and metatarsals of Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, Australopithecus sediba, Homo naledi, Homo floresiensis and the OH8 foot (Homo habilis/Paranthropus). The project will change our understanding of locomotor evolution in the human lineage, and through including a range of taxa, will resolve questions about locomotor variability among hominins. Results of the project will be disseminated to a broad range of target audiences, via high-impact, open access journal publications, at scientific conferences across three continents and to non-specialists through public outreach activities. The training that I will receive during the fellowship, along with the opportunities available at the University of Kent to further develop my transferable skills, will provide me with the knowledge and experience required to enhance my future career prospects. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogyprimatologysocial sciencessociologyanthropologyphysical anthropology Keywords trabecular cortical cancellous functional morphology locomotion Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF KENT Net EU contribution € 212 933,76 Address The registry canterbury CT2 7NZ Canterbury, kent United Kingdom See on map Region South East (England) Kent East Kent Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
