When I realized, in 1978, that Lucy did represent a new species of human ancestor, and that I had an opportunity to name this new species, I realized this was a revolutionary step in understanding human origins.

Generally thought to be members of the species Australopithecus afarensis they are estimated to be about 3. Lucy's Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins. S.

Along with Maurice Taieb and Yves Coppens he is known for discovering the fossil of a female hominid australopithecine known as "Lucy" in the Afar Triangle region of Hadar Ethiopia.