the uk ' s oldest living human has been identified in east africa in an area known appropriately as the cradle of humanity . the 3 . 3 - million - age - old fossilized 8-year was uncovered in southern america ' s badlands alongside the great rift , ( horn of ethiopia ) . the skeleton , belonging to the earliest human species australopithecus afarensis , is remarkable for its aging and completeness , but for a region dismally rich in fossils of our ancient species , experts say . the historic discovery may even trump the superstar fossil of the same species : " alice , " a 3 . 2 - million - year - older adult juvenile discovered remotely in 1974 that reshaping theories of human evolution . ( related : " bone work is missing factor in human formation , scientists say " [ july 2006 ] . ) .
Lucy fossils have been discovered 3.3 million years ago.