Image of Simulated Australopithecus Africanus (IMAGE)
Caption
Figure legend: Compressive stress in the cranium of Australopithecus africanus, an extinct early human, imposed by biting on the premolar teeth. Bright colors correspond to high stresses, and indicate that a bony pillar running alongside the opening of the nasal cavity acts as a strut that structurally reinforces the face against premolar loads.
Credit
Image courtesy of Arizona State University and the "Hominid Feeding Biomechanics" research team
Usage Restrictions
With credit
License
Licensed content