First known hand fossils of extinct human relative

The long thumb and straight fingers would have allowed Paranthropus boisei to form a powerful grip, similar to how modern humans might grasp a hammer. Other features, such as the broad shape of the finger bones, closely resemble those of a gorilla. 

Louise Leakey

The partial skeleton, unearthed at Koobi Fora, a site on the eastern edge of Lake Turkana, is estimated to be slightly more than 1.52 million years old. The teeth and skull fossils matched previously studied P. boisei specimens, while the hand and foot bones proved to be unique among previously studied hominins, a term referring to all species that emerged after the genetic split from the ancestors of the great apes 6 million to 7 million years ago.

/

/Read More Story Source

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/15/science/fossil-kenya-extinct-human-hand