From NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/science/28TINYcnd.html?hp&ex=1098936000&en=2774fc8a6fca056d&ei=5094&partner=homepageIn a written commentary accompanying the article, two anthropologists not connected with the find, Dr. Marta Mirazon Lahr and Dr. Robert Foley of the University of Cambridge, say it is "among the most outstanding discoveries in paleoanthropology for half a century."
The first little Floresian, an adult female, was found in September 2003, buried under about 20 feet of silt that coats the floor of the Liang Bua cave in Flores. A team of paleoanthropologists headed by Dr. Peter Brown, of the University of New England in Armidale, Australia, identifies the skeleton, which is not fossilized, as a very small but otherwise individual, similar to Homo erectus. Because the downsizing is so extreme - smaller than modern human pygmies - they assign it to a new species.
In a companion report Dr. Morwood, an archaeologist who is also at the University of New England, estimates that the skeleton is 18,000 years old. He has since found the remains of six more individuals in the cave, with dates ranging from 95,000 to 13,000 years ago, he said in an interview.
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I first heard about this on NPR this afternoon. This is a totally awesome find. I wonder if they are "fairies" ( wink wink). The locals say their ancestors spoke of the little cave-dwellers in lore. This is awesome because according to the dating ( which floored the scientists) these little Mini-Me's lived alongside more "modern man."
The puzzle of our evolution gets another funky piece added to the pile. More mysterious peeps among the tribes of man!
I thought Burtworm and Dr. Weird would enjoy hearing about this discovery though they are probably already in the know.
Off to watch "Lost" and play git-fiddle.
Y'all have a great night.
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