'Hobbit' Discovered: Tiny Human Ancestor Found

[MajahTR]

Interesting article from National Geographic Online...

"Hobbit" Discovered: Tiny Human Ancestor Found in Asia

Hillary Mayell
for National Geographic News
October 27, 2004


Scientists have found fossil skeletons of a hobbit-like species of human that grew no larger than a three-year-old modern child. The tiny humans, who had skulls about the size of grapefruits, lived with pygmy elephants and Komodo dragons on a remote island in Indonesia as recently as 13,000 years ago.
Australian and

Read the rest of the article:
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1027_041027_homo_floresiensis.html

[Desi Baggins]

Such an amazing discovery to have come out after hobbits have become so popular. I wonder if they had big feet for there small bodies?

[Andorinha]

I present this "cautionary" article without having the expertise to judge whether the original report is closer to the "truth," or this more current re-appraisal:

   
Is the Flores "hobbit" a new human species?  -Nov.2004

Abstracted from the journal "Science" 11/12/04

"The tiny skeleton of an 18,000-year-old human found in a cave on the  Indonesian island of Flores was proclaimed last month to be a newly discovered species, Homo floresiensis. Yet some scientists are now making the case that this is actually a modern human with microcephaly, a deformity causing a very small brain and head. Among these are the Australian researchers Maciej Henneberg, a paleopathologist of  the University of Adelaide, and archaeologist Alan Thorne of the Australian National University in Canberra. Henneberg, in an Oct. 31 letter in the Adelaide Sunday Mail, compared the Flores skull to a 4000-year-old microcephalic modern human skull known from Crete. Thorne, like Henneberg , favors a multiregional continuity model of human evolution, with worldwide populations interbreeding over the past 1.9 million years to produce modern humans. Thorne has worked with early Australian aboriginal fossil remains dating from as early as 45,000 years ago, some of whom he believes are descended from Homo soloensis or 'Solo Man,' a late Homo erectus offshoot from Java. Also taking the view that the Flores skeleton is from a diminutive modern human is Indonesian paleoanthropologist Teuku  Jacob of Gadjah Mada University. Jacob, a long-term director of early human research in Java who has worked extensively on both Homo erectus and 'Solo Man' sites, is now studying the Flores skull at his laboratory in Jakarta. "

For full synopsis: www.athenapub.com/archnew2.htm


It will just be too danged bad, sigh, if this "hobbit" turns out to be nothing more than one of my misplaced little brothers...

[Desi Baggins]

An interesting report...I will be interested to find out what the final desicion will be Hobbit or just a dwarf human...

[Fangorn]

The recurrent use of the term 'Java' leads me to believe this is all a rouse, and my own inherrent paranoia, begs for sublimation.

Java script is a known attack point for those interested in Linux subjugation of the world. Not being a 'Gates' follower myself, open-sourcing is both a forced admission and almost necessary evil. However, there are still hold-outs.

IT professionals agree. Many are dwarvish, perhaps even smaller in their thinking. Are they Hobbitish? This new discovery may at last answer the question. Is Bill Gates, Sauron?

[Ninhiisenen]

Hmm... I'm interested in this discovery of a new human-like species, but aren't Far Eastern people generally smaller overall than descendents of Europe or Africa or elsewhere? I don't happen to agree with those who put a popular name to something, it causes too many expectations. I remember doing a report on that humanoid ancestor's remains they found and only after working night and day and hearing a Beatles song did they name it Lucy. Just my $0.02