00:55 2004-10-31
Australian and Indonesian scientists have discovered a species of tiny human beings who lived on the remote Indonesian island of Flores 18,000 years ago.
The UK magazine Nature reports that skeletal remains show that the hominins, nicknamed by some scientists as 'hobbits', were only one metre tall, had a brain one third the size of that of modern humans, and lived on an isolated island long after Homo sapiens had migrated through the South Pacific region, China Radio International reported Friday, reports Xinhua News.
According to Reuters, the small hominids, dubbed "Flores man," were first unearthed in a limestone cave on the remote island of Flores in 2003 by Australian and Indonesian scientists and the findings published to great acclaim this week in the journal Nature.
"They are now stored in a steel cabinet in the office," Thomas Sutikna, the archaeologist who first discovered the prized skull of a "Flores man," told Reuters on Friday, referring to the National Archaeology office in Jakarta.
"In 2004 we also found the lower part of a jaw, parts of legs and arms and some teeth."
The findings have stunned anthropologists, as the remains represent a new creature more closely resembling the fictional hobbits of the Lord of the Rings trilogy than modern humans.
Small tools and the remains of a pygmy elephant, or Stegodon, hunted by the hominids for food have also been unearthed.
Speculative minds raise the possibility that even today, in some remote corner of Earth, a primitive line of humans remains to be discovered.
That's probably pushing it. But the new discovery chips away at our smug notion that human evolution is a steady march toward bigger and brainier. In a tough environment, smaller may fare better. Meanwhile, our long reign as the sole human species on Earth appears to be shorter than we thought, informs International Herald Tribune.
Further there has been a generally accepted notion that language CAN ONLY EVOLVE with large brains. Also, that large brains were a consequence of the devlopment (evolution) of opposing thumbs.
I have not read the scietific report. However I have two main comments on the find.
First, there will have to be a huge rethink on how we evolved, diverged, from the great apes. Development of an opposing thmub leading to devlopment of more sophisicated tools thrugh the chian of events to language. At every step convential theory has our brains growing larger. The current cut off for the homo genis a 500cc adult brain, the latest find is a whopping 25% less.
Second. This is something more closely related to the work I do. The neuro evolution of language has to be redefined. In my work I have read and studied the psychology of langauge and development. You will be amazed at how close that is related to our hearing.... But back to the point. Langauge has always been considered a higher brain function. Therefore requiring more brain power and further membership (at minimum) of the homo genis. However the only species that has generaly been accepted of using a language is homo sapians, US.
So what has that got to do with the find. Well there is evidence along with the skeltons of tools comparable to those of early humans being used by this new spiecies. In addition they where hunting animals 500kg (a little over 1000 lbs). For a spiecies this small it would require not only social cooperation but almost certainly a langauge, planning and all the social skills we generally only associate with humans.
This will certainly chake up the theorists. Probably second only to Darwin's original theory in shppang our understanding of human evolution. A find whose siginificane will only be fully understood in decades to come.
Originally posted by trekkieIt truly is exciting , isn't it? Just think what else we may discover as we continue to explore the world? Perhaps fairy folk have existed? There are all sorts of possibilities, aren't there.
Further there has been a generally accepted notion that language CAN ONLY EVOLVE with large brains. Also, that large brains were a consequence of the devlopment (evolution) of opposing thumbs.
I have not read the scietific report. However I have two main comments on the find.
First, there will have to be a huge rethink on how we evolved, diverged, fro ...[text shortened]... of human evolution. A find whose siginificane will only be fully understood in decades to come.
I can tell you that this revelation has shaken the archaeoplogical world to its core!!!! I personally think that the sciences have needed a revelation like this to demonstrate that although we think that we know almost everything, that some things can still make everyone sit back and reconsider their stance on things. This has only resolved me to look harder and longer at the "opinions" that I hold on many topics in my field.
Another, interesting fact came to my attention as a result of the "Flores" story is that as recently as 1992 a kind of gazelle/antelope type thing was discovered living in the Chinese desert/plains. Apparently it has been around for thousands of years, but no-one had noticed it!!!!!
Originally posted by martin williams
Pygmies aren't as small as these skeletons.
Most are 4ft 6 to 5 ft tall.
Almost giants against Messrs Baggins and Gamgee.
Pygmies grow to less than 150cm average height. I don't see the big difference, really -- *average*, so some full-height adults are far less than that. So Pygmies were a little shorter, on the average, thousands of years ago. Who cares? "Hobbit-like" is still a sensationalist misnomer, in my book.
-f
Originally posted by fierceHey! They are hobbits!
Pygmies grow to less than 150cm average height. I don't see the big difference, really -- *average*, so some full-height adults are far less than that. So Pygmies were a little shorter, on the average, thousands of years ago. Who cares? "Hobbit-like" is still a sensationalist misnomer, in my book.
-f