3.2 Million-Year-Old Fossil That Rewrote Human History Now On Display In Abu Dhabi

2026-02-05 04:21:53

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, Lucy transformed what researchers understood early about human evolution

PUBLISHED: Thu 5 Feb 2026, 11:45 AM

By:
Mazhar Farooqui

Lucy is 3.2 million years old, small enough to have stood just over a metre tall, yet central to one of the biggest questions in science: how humans began.

This world-famous fossil is now on display in Abu Dhabi, allowing visitors to see up close one of the most important finds in anthropology. The fossil, formally known as Australopithecus afarensis, is a centrepiece at the newly-opened Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, next to the Louvre.

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Around 40 per cent of Lucy's skeleton is preserved, unusually complete for remains this ancient. The fossil is being presented as part of The Human Story gallery.

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For scientists, Lucy's importance goes far beyond her fame; her bones contain rare clues about how early human ancestors moved, lived and evolved.

"Lucy is one of the most complete and carefully studied fossil skeletons ever discovered; to stand beside a 3.2-million-year-old individual whose bones record so much detail about her body, her movement and her environment is an extraordinary scientific privilege,” said Dr Mark Jonathan Beech, Scientific Research Lead at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.

Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, Lucy transformed what researchers understood early about human evolution, particularly the moment when our ancestors began walking upright. Features of her pelvis, femur and spine provided early evidence that Australopithecus afarensis walked upright, helping clarify when bipedalism first emerged in human evolution.

Named after Beatles' song

She was nicknamed Lucy after the Beatles' song 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds', which was playing at the expedition camp on the night of the discovery.

More than five decades later, the fossil has travelled far from that Ethiopian dig site.

In Abu Dhabi, visitors can now see Lucy on loan from the Ethiopian government, "Having Lucy here at Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi means that researchers and visitors in the UAE can engage directly with one of the world's most celebrated fossils, rather than seeing her only in books or on screens,” Dr Beech said.

The display includes not only the fossil itself but also a reconstruction of what Lucy may have looked like in life: a young female hominin (human relative) who once walked across ancient landscapes millions of years before recorded history.

The museum describes Lucy as an honoured guest from Ethiopia, where she remains a national treasure.

"We are extremely privileged that Lucy has travelled from Ethiopia to visit the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. It is a great honour that the Ethiopian Heritage Authority has entrusted our museum to host such an esteemed guest,” Dr Beech added.

In Ethiopia's Amharic language, Lucy is known as Dinkinesh, meaning "you are marvellous". Dr Beech said the name reflects her exceptional preservation, with around 40 per cent of the skeleton intact.

Her display forms part of the museum's wider narrative, spanning from the origins of the universe 13.8 billion years ago to the evolution of life on Earth.

Alongside Lucy, visitors can also see other headline exhibits, including a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named Stan, reinforcing Saadiyat's growing status as a major hub for culture and natural history.