Modern human men evolved unique hip 'spring' for efficient walking, Israeli-led study finds
A new Tel Aviv University study challenges assumptions about the Neanderthal pelvis, finding that modern human males evolved a distinct walking mechanism.
An Israeli-led study has revealed that modern human men possess a unique hip geometry, enabling efficient walking, while Neanderthals and women share an older, ancestral blueprint. Prof. Yoel Rak of Tel Aviv University led the research, which compared Neanderthal and modern human pelvises. The team found that while Neanderthal pelvises resembled those of modern human females in most measurements, the modern male pelvis underwent significant evolutionary changes.
These changes position the hip joints farther forward in males, creating a built-in shock-absorbing mechanism that stores potential energy in thigh muscles. This energy is released with each step, effectively "springing" the body upward and facilitating long-distance walking. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthal pelvis anatomy, suggesting that the modern male pelvis is the evolutionary innovation, not the Neanderthal pelvis. The findings also explain some of the sexual dimorphism observed in human anatomy.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
