The concept of man evolving from some ape or chimpanzee ancestor is central to the evolutionary theory of man. On October 1, 2009, paleontologists announced the discovery of a relatively complete Ardipithecus ramidus fossil skeleton. The fossil is the remains of a small-brained 50 kg (110 lb) female, nicknamed “Ardi”, and includes most of the skull and teeth, as well as the pelvis, hands, and feet. It was discovered in Ethiopia’s harsh Afar desert at a site called Aramis in the Middle Awash region.

From the pelvis and limbs and the presence opposable toes (abductable hallux), researchers have concluded that while Ardi could walk on two feet (bipedal) and climb trees using four limbs (quadrupedal), the walking ability was more primitive than Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) and could not walk or run for long distances.

Evolutionary paleontologists have estimated that Ardi predated Lucy the iconic early human ancestor which was discovered in 1974 just 74 km (46 mi) away from Ardi’s discovery site.

Not to be forgotten is the dubious history of the Lucy to human link . In 1982, Paleontologist Herbert Wray published an article in Science News, explained: “Lucy’s limb proportions indicate that she had not yet developed an efficient upright gait.”

After conducting a quantitative study of Lucy, paleontologist Charles E. Oxnard concluded in his 1984 book entitled The Order of Man noted that, it “is now being recognized widely that the australopithecines [Australopithecus afarensis] are not structurally… similar to humans.”

In the journal publication Natural History, Stephen Gould, in 1986, took the same stand against the human ancestry of A. afarensis: “In short, he [Oxnard] sees Australopithecines [Lucy] as uniquely different from apes and humans, not as imperfect people on the way up.”

While Ardi is stirring controversy among evolutionists as to exactly where it fits into the evolutionary Tree of Life, it does little to answer the questions:  how did apes become human? Given the limited measurements of the fossilized bones without any corresponding molecular or genetic transitional link data, Ardi is very likely to find itself relegated to the same branch as the infamous Lucy—simply a fossilized ape.