Discovering Ardi

Presenting another chapter in the ongoing search for answers about our ancient human ancestors, Discovering Ardi focuses on the arduous 15-year effort that led to the dramatic announcement in 2009 that researchers had unearthed remains of the world's oldest hominid—Ardi (short for Ardipithecus ramidus), a 4.4-million-year-old specimen that predates the famous “Lucy” by more than a million years. As documented in this Discovery Channel production directed by Rod Paul, the quest began in the early 1990s in a desert in Ethiopia, where fragments of a jaw were found, ultimately leading to the excavation of 90 bones of a young female who apparently straddled two worlds, being neither ape nor fully human. Using digital reconstruction, forensic drawings, and motion-capture photography of models, scientists have created a representation of Ardi and her environment. An international team of experts (several of whom are interviewed here) have determined that the creature lived in what was then dense forest, possessed a small brain, and was bipedal (able to walk upright)—a characteristic that signals a huge forward leap in evolution. In addition to capturing the painstaking and exciting nature of the detective work involved (filming took place for 10 years at sites in Ethiopia, labs in Tokyo and California, artists' studios, and other locales), Discovering Ardi presents detailed theories on the development of early hominids and describes new research suggesting that even older creatures may be waiting in the wings. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)