Final answer:
Orrorin tugenensis was discovered in Kenya in 2001 by Martin Pickford and Brigitte Senut, and its anatomical traits suggesting bipedalism indicate it might be an early relative of humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Orrorin tugenensis was discovered in Kenya in the year 2001. The important discovery was made by a geologist named Martin Pickford from the Collège de France and a paleontologist named Brigitte Senut from France's National Museum of Natural History. Dated to be approximately 6 million years old (MYA), Orrorin has significant implications for understanding human evolution. Its features like the large femoral head and thick dental enamel suggest this species was bipedal and thus potentially an early relative of modern humans. These findings cast doubts on the place of australopithecines in the direct lineage to humans, as Orrorin is ancient yet shares more similarities with modern humans.