1.4-million-year-old footprints discovered in Kenya indicate a previously unknown large-bodied hominin species.

What it means

This is about a set of 1.4-million-year-old footprints discovered in northern Kenya, which researchers attribute to a human relative (likely *Homo erectus*). The footprints are unexpectedly large, suggesting that this early human ancestor had a taller stature and larger foot size than previously assumed, providing new data on hominin body size and locomotion. The study was published in the journal *Science*.

Accuracy & sourcesSourced

The claim is highly solid, as it is directly from a peer-reviewed paper in *Science*, which is a top-tier scientific journal. Science Daily's reporting is a secondary summary of the primary source, but the provenance tier indicates the claim originates from the actual paper.

How new

This is genuinely new research, published within the past few weeks.

Go deeper

• Science Daily summary