We proudly present the following resources that lecturers, teachers and those involved in outreach activities can freely use!

All data is provided under a CC-BY-4.0 license.

Materials to access:

Download a 3D model of the muscles and bones of Lucy’s legs!

Who was Lucy and why were her muscles important?

Lucy is the famous fossil skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis, an early human relative who lived approximately 3.2 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia. Discovered in 1974, Lucy is one of the most significant fossil discoveries in human evolution.

Her skeleton provides important clues about how our ancestors moved, stood and walked. But bones are only part of the story. Muscles are essential for movement, and understanding how they were arranged can help us investigate how early human ancestors moved through their environments.

The challenge is that muscles do not normally fossilise. Instead, scientists have to use the preserved bones, comparisons with living primates and humans, and anatomical knowledge to reconstruct where muscles were located and how they might have worked.

In 2023, Dr Wiseman published muscle reconstructions of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis), comprising 36 mucles of the pelvis and lower limb. This research used the available fossil evidence and anatomical information to estimate the size, shape and position of Lucy’s muscles.

The resulting 3D model allows you to explore the reconstructed muscles in relation to Lucy’s fossil bones. Rather than simply looking at a picture, you can interact with the model, switching individual muscles on and off and examining how they are arranged throughout the leg.

What data is available?

In the model, you can explore:

• Muscle attachments: Where individual muscles originate and insert on the bones.
• Muscle pathways: How muscles travel through the body and connect different parts of the skeleton.
• Muscle layers: How muscles are arranged in relation to one another, from deeper to more superficial layers.
• Tendons: How muscles connect to bones and how their paths might influence movement.

The 3D model is freely available to download as an .fbx file. This format can be opened using 3D modelling software such as:

• Blender – free, open-source 3D software.
• Autodesk Maya – available free for eligible students and educators.
• MeshLab – free software for viewing and working with 3D models, although some interactive features and colour-coding may not be retained.

Simply download the file and import or drag it into your chosen software. You can then interact with the model, selecting individual muscles and switching them on and off to investigate the anatomy.

Why is it useful?

Reconstructing muscles helps us move beyond the skeleton and investigate how our ancestors may actually have moved.

The position, size and arrangement of muscles can tell us a great deal about how the body worked. By studying muscle attachments, pathways and their relationship to the bones, researchers can investigate the mechanics of walking, the movement of the hip and knee, and how the legs may have been used.

This is particularly interesting for Australopithecus afarensis, because Lucy lived during an important period in human evolution when our ancestors were already walking on two legs (bipedalism), but still retained some anatomical features associated with climbing.

The reconstruction therefore provides an opportunity to explore how the anatomy of our ancestors was adapted for movement, and how the human body has changed over millions of years.

Where can I download the data?

Wiseman, ALA. 2023. Three-dimensional volumetric muscle reconstruction of the Australopithecus afarensis pelvis and limb, with estimations of limb leverage. Figshare. (doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6672258)

Also check out the muscle maps below!

These show where muscles attach to different bones. The muscles here are colour-coded to the .fbx model which is the model where you can interact with muscles.

How to build you own 3D muscles! Step-by-step guide

Glad you asked! This step-by-step video tutorial walks you through the process of building your own 3D muscles using Autodesk Maya. This software is free for academic use.