What year was the famous fossil known as "Lucy" discovered?

The fossil known as "Lucy" was discovered in 1974, making that the correct choice. Lucy is a significant anthropological find as she belongs to the species Australopithecus afarensis. The discovery provided crucial evidence about early human ancestors, indicating they walked upright and helping to fill in gaps in our understanding of human evolution.

The context of her discovery reflects the excitement in paleoanthropology during the 1970s, with researchers like Donald Johanson and his team conducting fieldwork in the Afar region of Ethiopia, where Lucy was ultimately unearthed. This find was pivotal because it dated back approximately 3.2 million years, offering rich insights into the physical characteristics and lifestyle of early hominins.

The other years presented are not associated with the discovery of Lucy; thus, they do not hold the same historical and scientific relevance to the study of human evolution.