Evolution of human foot arches put the necessary pep in our upright steps
Arch mobility could be the key to our species' successful bipedalism. Deposit Photos Efficiently standing up and walking and running on two feet stands out among the traits that separates Homo sapiens from great apes—and we can owe a lot of that to a raised medial arch. While crucial, the mechanics behind bipedal walking are still a bit of an evolutionary mystery. A study published May 30 in the journal Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology found that helpful and spring-like arches may have evolved for the purpose of helping us walk on two feet. [Related: Foraging in trees might have pushed human ancestors to walk on two feet.] The team found that the recoil of a flexible arch repositions in the ankle upright for more efficient walking and is particularly effective for running. “We...