Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Thumb of the Swartkrans Ape-Man

Abstract

ONE of the most noteworthy differences between man and the higher anthropoids is that while man has a good opposable thumb, in the anthropoid the thumb is somewhat degenerate. It was mainly on this character that Osborn decided that man could not have evolved from an anthropoid.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BROOM, R., ROBINSON, J. Thumb of the Swartkrans Ape-Man. Nature 164, 841–842 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/164841c0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/164841c0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing