Dart's discovery challenged prevailing theories of human evolution in the 1920s, which favored Europe or Asia, proposing instead that our ancestors originated in Africa.
Using unconventional tools, Dart meticulously examined the fossils, revealing distinct features like human-like teeth and a spinal cord positioning indicative of bipedalism.
In his groundbreaking paper, Dart labeled his find Australopithecus africanus, suggesting it represented an extinct ape species crucial to understanding human evolution.
Dart's work significantly shifted the anthropological narrative, confronting racial biases of the time and asserting Africa's role as the cradle of humankind.
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