Lucy's weight

Alex Duncan (aduncan@mail.utexas.edu)
10 Oct 1995 02:28:41 GMT

In article <45b6t8$go2@news.cc.ucf.edu> Thomas Clarke,
clarke@acme.ist.ucf.edu writes:

>Do we know that Lucy weighed less than 100 pounds? If fat Lucy a
>possibility? Can't you tell seomthing about stresses and so forth by
>looking at muscle/bone attachment points? From stresses you could
>infer body weight.

Lucy's mass has been calculated numerous times, by numerous workers,
using a number of different methods similar to what you describe. Her
mass consistently is estimated at 28 - 30 kg (no more than 66 lbs).

Alex Duncan
Dept. of Anthropology
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712-1086
512-471-4206
aduncan@mail.utexas.edu