Walking Upright: Unique to Humans

Those who reject belief in God assume that humans evolved mechanically and that there was no need for a creator. Unfortunately, the media promotes stories that cater to those who dismiss faith in God, making it easier for them to identify as “none” when asked about their religious beliefs. A recent article is an example of not fully explaining the design required to enable walking upright. 

A Reuters News Agency article by Mike Blake titled “How Humans Evolved to Walk Upright” fails to mention a critical design feature for walking upright. The article discusses a study of pelvis designs in primates by Harvard University evolution biologist Terence Capellini. It suggests that the shape of the human pelvis explains how humans walk upright. However, upright posture involves more than just the pelvis.

The opening into the skull that connects the spinal cord to the brain is called the foramen magnum (Latin for “great hole”). It is positioned at the center of the human skull but located towards the rear in other primates. Besides the pelvis, the foramen magnum’s position is an essential part of the design that supports bipedalism, or walking upright on two legs. The human pelvis also plays a crucial role in forming the birth canal that allows the passage of babies with larger brains. The position of the foramen magnum is an essential component of the design that enables bipedalism, or walking upright on two legs.

The Reuters article mentions that researchers identified over 300 genes involved in the design that enables walking upright. The lead author of the study stated that it is not just a single gene but many DNA regulatory elements that must work together to accomplish what seems so simple to humans. Chimpanzees sometimes walk on two legs, but it requires more effort because they lack the unique human design features. Birds, kangaroos, and a few other animals walk on two legs, but they do so because of anatomically different designs.

Bipedalism grants humans the ability to use our hands for carrying objects, using tools, creating art, raising and cooking food, while also allowing us to observe our surroundings from a higher vantage point. We can walk and run long distances because of our distinctive body design. Was this unique design merely an accident of natural selection, or the work of an intelligent Creator?

— John N. Clayton © 2025

References: reuters.com, nature.com, and britannica.com