"Hobbit" Discovered: Tiny Human Ancestor Found in Asia

[prayin4rain]

"Hobbit" Discovered: Tiny Human Ancestor Found in Asia

Hillary Mayell
for National Geographic News
October 27, 2004


Scientists have found skeletons of a hobbit-like species of human that grew no larger than a three-year-old modern child (See pictures). The tiny humans, who had skulls about the size of grapefruits, lived with pygmy elephants and Komodo dragons on a remote island in Indonesia 18,000 years ago.
Australian and Indonesian researchers discovered bones of the miniature humans in a cave on Flores, an island east of Bali and midway between Asia and Australia.

Scientists have determined that the first skeleton they found belongs to a species of human completely new to science. Named Homo floresiensis, after the island on which it was found, the tiny human has also been dubbed by dig workers as the "hobbit," after the tiny creatures from the Lord of the Rings books.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1027_041027_homo_floresiensis.html

Wow...I just thought this was interesting and wanted to share...Has anyone heard of this?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Cool!

[Killarney]

2. I read that story yesterday on abcnews.com

So interesting!

As the fundies gasp and say:
But these people couldn't have existed because the Bible doesn't mention them! Just like the dinosaurs! They did not exist!

[Skinner]

3. Fascinating stuff.

That's the first I've heard of this.

[Ravenseye]

4. Did They Find More Than One?

The way it reads they sort of imply that there are more, but only talk about the one skeleton.

If there is only one skeleton, it'd be far more likely that it was just a midget or something.

And if it's not and there are multiple. Very cool. Wonder why they died out.

[Hand]

6. Yes!

The article says that the researchers have found at least seven. The first was female, the subsequent ones have been both genders.

This is quite fascinating and amazing!

:hi:

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. If they discover an Orc I'm going to freak. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. I thought the same thing when I read the article.

It opens up the imagination.