bipedalism
Standing on two
Bipedalism is locomotion on two feet.
The term describes the upright walking that distinguishes humans from most other mammals.
Birds are also bipedal, as were many dinosaurs.
In evolutionary biology, the shift to bipedalism freed early human ancestors' hands for tool use: The development of bipedalism was a crucial step in human evolution.
Vertical or morally sound
- verticalityState of being upright
- erectVertical in position
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
spine · uprightness · stability · standing · poise · equilibrium · proprioception
Extended single footstep
- walkingLocomotion on foot
- ambulationMovement by walking
- heel strikeFoot's rear touching down
- toe-offGait's propulsive endpoint
Bipedal primate family
- australopithecineExtinct African human ancestor
- paleoanthropologyScience of ancestral human remains
- fossilsPreserved ancient organism traces
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
natural selection · phylogeny · speciation · divergence · common ancestor · morphology · ancestry · primates
Palms without burdens
- tool useManipulating objects purposefully
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
- long-distance travelMovement across great spans
- carrying capacityPopulation an environment sustains
visual range · energy efficiency · endurance · hunting · foraging
Abnormal bend in backbone
- erect postureBody held vertically straight
- gluteal musclesPosterior hip musculature
- sacrumFused vertebrae above tailbone
- vertebral columnSegmented axial skeletal structure
hip joint · calcaneus · metatarsals · center of gravity · weight distribution
Walking on bent fingers
- brachiationArboreal arm-swinging movement
- chimpanzeeGreat ape, genus Pan
- gorillaLargest great ape
- orangutanLarge red-haired Asian ape
primatology · arboreal · terrestrial · bonobo · gibbon
upright
Vertical or morally sound
- verticalityState of being upright
- erectVertical in position
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
alignment · spine · uprightness · stability · standing · poise · equilibrium · proprioception
stride
Extended single footstep
- walkingLocomotion on foot
- ambulationMovement by walking
- heel strikeFoot's rear touching down
hominid
Bipedal primate family
- australopithecineExtinct African human ancestor
- paleoanthropologyScience of ancestral human remains
- fossilsPreserved ancient organism traces
adaptation · natural selection · phylogeny · speciation · divergence · common ancestor · morphology · ancestry · primates · mutation
free hands
Palms without burdens
- tool useManipulating objects purposefully
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
- long-distance travelMovement across great spans
carrying capacity · visual range · energy efficiency · endurance · hunting · foraging
spinal curvature
Abnormal bend in backbone
- erect postureBody held vertically straight
- gluteal musclesPosterior hip musculature
- sacrumFused vertebrae above tailbone
vertebral column · hip joint · calcaneus · metatarsals · center of gravity · weight distribution
knuckle-walking
Walking on bent fingers
- brachiationArboreal arm-swinging movement
- chimpanzeeGreat ape, genus Pan
- gorillaLargest great ape
orangutan · primatology · arboreal · terrestrial · bonobo · gibbon
- walkingwalking, brisk walking, strolling, ambling, sauntering
- human evolutionhuman evolution, hominid, hominids, hominins, hominin
- primate traitsopposable thumbs, grasping hands, prehensile, binocular vision, arboreal
- humanityhuman, human being, humans, people, mankind
- mammalsbears, bats, sheep, cats, anteater
- human survival skillstool use, shelter, cooking, hunting, fishing