h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It seems to me that to assume that the footprints were made by "Lucy" is a departure from the presentation of the facts. I agree that it is unlikely that that individual would have made the footprints. Let us analyze what we know. The tracks were purposeful as they led in a straight line with two individuals walking side by side. We know that a younger individual unafraid of the two larger individual was following in their steps. The group was walking close to where a volcano was discharging ash without signs of panic or fear. It was an ongoing discharge as the footprints were quickly covered and preserved by another fall of ash. As was stated before, the footprints and stride were comparable to those of humans of the modern era. This makes a strong argument that it was indeed a family group of humans who made these prints. Now the strata below and above were dated by a method to between three to four million years ago. If your view is that man could not have possibly have been around at that date, then possibly the dating method is wrong.