Overview
- The PNAS paper, which published Tuesday, reports 21 footprints at the GaJi10 lakeshore dated to about 1.43 million years and attributes them to eight Paranthropus boisei individuals.
- Researchers used volcanic‑ash layers for dating and high‑resolution 2D and 3D imaging plus gait models to match foot shape and stride patterns to P. boisei rather than Homo.
- Footprint dimensions yield revised size estimates of up to roughly 1.8 meters tall and about 75 kilograms for some individuals, larger than prior estimates based mainly on skulls and teeth.
- The spatial pattern of the 21 prints is interpreted as eight mostly adult males moving together, which the team says suggests episodes of multi‑male or bachelor‑group behavior rather than lone individuals.
- The tracks join other Lake Turkana finds showing P. boisei and Homo erectus used the same lakeshore habitats, and the authors plan more fieldwork later in 2026 to refine ecological and behavioral interpretations.