London: Life-like models of the three human ancestors - Australopithecus Afarensis, Homo Erectus and Neanderthal man - have been re-created in 3-D from ancient bones.
The models, charting the ascent of man, show the most forensic details ever of how three of our ancient ancestors would actually have looked when they walked the Earth
Re-created from ancient bones, using 21st century techniques for a new BBC show, the models show how Australopithecus Afarensis, Homo Erectus and Neanderthal man lived thousands of years ago.
The programme`s producers claim while Australopithecus Afarensis was an established walker 3.2 million years ago, it was Homo Erectus that shed his body hair while Neanderthal man was the first metrosexual.
The extraordinary research is unveiled in a new BBC2 series, Prehistoric Autopsy, presented by historians George McGavin and Professor Alice Roberts to be screened on consecutive nights this week.
Following the show, the models will be touring museums around the UK.
"When you dig things out of the ground, it`s a bit like Silent Witness. You can tell a lot about a skeleton, if you know how to read it," executive producer Jane Aldous said.
A team of anatomists, anthropologists, archaeologists, sculptors and model makers, led by paleoartist Viktor Deak, created our pre-historic ancestors from the fragmented remains of ancient bones, using the latest scientific research.
They recreated a life-size skeleton of the three individuals and built up their muscles with modelling clay before wrapping their bodies in fibreglass to create moulds, the report said.
PTI
