The two hominins, Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, both walked on two legs, but had different gaits – primarily in how they pushed off with their big toes at the end of the step – according to advanced analysis of the fossilized footprints.
"It doesn't seem like one was faster or more agile than the other. All evidence suggests that both species were quite skilled at walking on two legs, even if they did it in slightly different ways," says Kevin Hatala, biology lecturer at Chatham University, via email to TT.
The fact that both types of footprints have been found at the same location is exciting, according to him.
"The two hominins must have lived near each other, and almost certainly been aware of each other. It's possible that they competed for certain resources, or lived peacefully side by side without direct competition. We don't have all the answers yet, but this raises many interesting questions," he says.
The study is published in the scientific journal Science.
