There Are No Missing Links

The term "missing link" is misleading. Evolution produces a branching tree, not a chain with gaps. At least 20 hominin species are known from the fossil record, and new ones are found almost every decade. Homo sapiens is the last survivor of a diverse family, not the predetermined endpoint of a straight march.

Australopithecus afarensis — the famous "Lucy" — walked upright with a small, ape-sized brain 3.2 million years ago. She was not on her way to becoming human. She was perfectly suited to her own niche, climbing trees at night and walking the savannah by day.