How many mutations did it take for Australopithecus afarensis, ie. 'Lucy', to evolve into modern humans?

Question

Australopithecus afarensis lived about 3.18 million years ago, modern humans, homo-sapiens evolved about 1 million years ago. Anyone can see the similarities but also the obvious differences between them.
I'm trying to work out the average change per year ratio, for this. So can anyone help me?

I am actually disappointed so far as no one has helped me at all. In fact all the answers do not even go near proving evolution.
Perhaps there is no proof that men evolved from apes, but then what happens to the fact of evolution?

Answer 1

In DNA usage, form follows function, and generally, because we share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, we are like them, not just superficially, but internally and mentally. With A afarensis, although there is no surviving DNA, we can assume that we share more than 99% of our DNA with them. But that's about as far as we can assume at the moment.

To respondent SHARDOTE - Lucy is not, nor ever was thought to be a hoax, A afarensis was described before she was found, Lucy just happened to be the most complete skeleton found, and confirmed that partial skeletons had, in fact, been correctly categorised.

Answer 2

It's impossible to tell. We don't have any DNA from A afarensis, we only have fossils. The only thing scientists can do is work out the genetic differences between us and our nearest living relatives, the chimpanzees, to see how many mutations separate us - but we can't do this with fossils.

And in response to the previous poster, no, Lucy has definitely not proved to be a hoax. She was discovered by Donald Johanson in 1974, and since then several more specimens of A afarensis have been found, including most recently an almost complete skeleton of a young female, nicknamed Selam.

You may be thinking of "Piltdown man", which was "discovered" in 1912 and unmasked as a forgery in 1954.

Answer 3

I am in agreeance with the previous answerer. The homo-sapiens may have evolved relatively recently, but there is simply no way to determine which mutations it took for A. afarensis to evolve into modern humans. Subtle changes in bone structure show that the afarensis has changed, such as cranium width and braincase length, but those are, again, relatively small. Fossils also do not show what the afarensis may have looked like externally, so it is further impossible to determine what mutations occurred.

Answer 4

Homo Sapiens does not have to be descended from any of the humanoids identified - common ancestry is sufficient link hence there will always be some doubt though there will be more obvious links to some than others.

Answer 5

Uh didn't 'Lucy' get proved to be a hoax?