Homo floresiensis brings new credibility to field of cryptozoology

[indigobusiness]

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Discovery of Homo floresiensis brings new credibility to field of cryptozoology

All of a sudden, Big Foot no longer seems like a mere myth. Scientists have discovered a new species of Homo: "little people" living on the Indonesian island of Flores. It was one of the most unexpected and exciting scientific discoveries of the year.

News summary:
Source: http://www.lorencoleman.com/top_cryptozoology_2004.html

In the 1940s, the Scottish-born zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson began using a word he coined, "cryptozoology," to describe a new subdiscipline of zoology that studied hidden, as yet-to-be-discovered large animals .

The Discovery of Homo floresiensis The story is as remarkable as the finding of the first coelacanth, the 65 million year extinct "living fossil" found off Africa in 1938.

snip

In 2003, Pepsi sponsored a Japanese expedition in search of the Yeti, and Disney announced that 2005 might be the Year of the Yeti because of their new exhibition in Orlando.

So it is not surprising to hear that Nicolas Cage, the actor in 2004's successful movie, National Treasure, was telling the trade magazines that "scientists are convinced that somewhere in the Asian mountains of Tibet there is a short red-haired two-legged apeman....I'm fascinated by that kind of thing; fascinated by the as-yet undiscovered, but possible.

Yukon Bigfoot In June, a "Bushman" sighting near Teslin, Yukon, a Tlingit village, became the most frequently discussed Bigfoot story of the year.

http://www.newstarget.com/003222.html

[toymachines]

1. i love cryptozoology

the day that story broke i was so excited. i am glad this story has gotten people's attention.

[indigobusiness]

2. I know what you mean.

Anytime a little light gets shone on the mysterious it is exciting.

[qwghlmian]

3. From what I understand, there is

serious doubt about Homo Floresiensis. Some are stating quite authoritatively that it is not a new species, but a Homo Sapiens with a disorder that caused midget proportions.

[On the Road]

4. I Guess the DNA Would Settle That Question

or a sophisticated analysis of bone shape. Those physical anthropologists can deduce remarkable things from small bone fragments.

[indigobusiness]

5. Here is more about the controversy

Indonesian 'hobbit' legends may be factual

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=qw1104048723735B253

http://www.iol.co.za/data/picdb/d/9/newspic41818f5e7e352
Tiny relative: Homo floresiensis had a brain size of 380cc - just a quarter of modern Man's. Photos: AP

Tiny hominid is big news in human evolution

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=qw1099008721740B252

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x16404

The orang pendek footprints found in Indonesia had more of an ape-like prehensile big-toe. I don't know about these.

[gottaB]

6. look at the teeth

see the chart here:

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001697.html

[lazarus]

7. Here's what I love about this controversy

It's being investigated. Scientists are doing research. They're trying their best to arrive at the truth.

That's why I pick science over pseudoscience or mysticism every single time.

[dutchdoctor]

8. so if this really is a new human species..

..that either still lives or became extinct only very recently (less than 4000 years ago..), would this be another easy to understand argument to use against creationists? I mean, there's obviously no mention of these people in the bible.. Or would they just say things like: "god put those bones there" or "They became extinct because they didn't accept Jesus as their Saviour"? Just wondering..