New research seems to suggest that at least one dinosaur roamed the ancient world in a manner similar to humans.

According to a newly published report, the dinosaur Psittacosaurus went from shifted from walking on four feet to two feet about 100 million years ago. The report, authored by Qi Zhao, a PhD student at the University of Bristol and lead researcher at the Institute for Vertebrae Paleontology in Beijing, a total number of 16 fossil specimens, all of which varied in age from one to ten years old, were discovered, confirming the theory that the dinosaur walked similar to modern humans.

The findings, published in a scientific journal Nature Communications, is the first to show the dinosaur evolved over time from a four-legged creature to a two-legged, more human-like animal. The newly discovered dinosaur has been dubbed “parrot dinosaur,” and it is thought to be of the genus of psittacosaurid ceratopsian dinosaurs, which roamed Earth during the Early Cretaceous period. Nearly every species of Psittacosaurus  is defined as a gazelle-sized bipedal herbivore, all of which are characterized by a high, powerful beak on the upper jaw.

While the discovery is significant in terms of better understanding how Psittacosaurus  walked, some say it could provide scientists with a better understanding of how dinosaurs evolved over time. Among the advantages Psittacosaurus would have enjoyed, according to paleontologists, include the ability to see approaching predators, wade deep into waters in search of prey, and maintain the ability to pluck fruit from trees.

Psittacosaurus  could also provide scientists with a better understanding of how bipedal humans evolved over time. According to scientists, in order to remain upright and keep moving, the dinosaurs hip bones needed to support the weight of the of the body. This required an evolutionary change that is estimated to have taken place nearly 3 million years ago.

While the change may be viewed as a minor change, bipedalism led to a number of significant changes. It eventually saved animals energy during movement, and it would have allowed the dinosaur to travel longer distances. The practice would have allowed some dinosaurs to hunt prey over a much larger area and avoid some predators. In fact it is likely that the dinosaur took full advantage of its bipedalism. According to an earlier assessment published by researchers at the University of Chicago, Psittacosaurus is the first dinosaur species that mainly consumed nuts. According to paleontologist Paul Sorvino, the dinosaur had a huge pile of stomach stones allowing it to grind nuts and other planet matter.

According to some scientists, bipedalism provided humans with the same benefits . Humans around the same point in time developed bigger brains and began to hunt across far longer distances.

While the dinosaur is not the first example of past bipedalism, it is one of the first times scientists have discovered bipedalism in dinosaurs. Some of the earliest bipedal examples include Australopithecines, which lived between during the Pliocene era (2.5 million years ago and the Pleistocene era (2.5 million years ago). The genus is estimated to be about 2.3 to 2.4 million years old.

According to Qi, the fossil collection shows the specimens had long legs and short arms, meaning the dinosaur was a quick to walk on all fours. Dallas said the arm bones appear to show continued growth between one and three years of age, but the arm growth shortened and slowed as a dinosaur slowly became dependent on its hind legs. Qi noted that the change took place between four and six years after the dinosaurs were born. Around the age of six, the dinosaurs legs became twice as long as the arms, meaning it likely would have walked upright.

While a number of scientists have attempted to examine how dinosaurs formed over time, measuring dinosaur growth remains a difficult process. According to Qi, scientists are only able to create an accurate depiction of how dinosaurs grew as samples are accumulated. The dinosaur, likely an herbivore distantly related to Triceratops, is one of the most popular dinosaurs for studying how dinosaurs grew over time. The reason largely is based on the number of collected samples of the dinosaur. Many of the samples have been collected in China, Mongolia, Russia, and Thailand.

While bipedalism is often strictly thought of as a human characteristic, a number of bipedal examples exist. Bipedal creatures living today include chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas, which regularly walk on two legs. In addition, ostriches, some species of lizard,  and birds, when not flying, are also bipedal.

While the dinosaur has been studied a number of times, Qi had to receive special permission from officials in Beijing to study samples. Scientist said they were largely surprised that the study worked so well, and that many of the techniques used to understand the  dinosaur could be used in other unrelated studies.

The team of scientists say the study shows just how much information remains locked within dinosaur bones. According to Professor Mike Benton, a co-author of the study and researcher at  the University of Bristol, the study can shed light on the evolution of dinosaurs similar to Psittacosaurus. Four-legged babies and younger Psittacosaurus dinosaurs suggest that over time the dinosaur and others in general became secondarily bipedal.

It remains unclear exactly how much the study will influence scientists’ understanding of how human evolved the ability to walk. A number of studies have sought to better understand how humans evolved over time to walk, and the subsequent advantages from doing so, although it still remains somewhat of a mystery, say some experts.

The paper is published in the latest edition of Nature Communications.