Dwarf hominid fossil found on Indonesian island

A hitherto unknown fossil hominid lived on a remote island, possibly surviving to the beginning of recorded history, while our ancestors spread across the world. Nicknamed a “hobbit,” the small hominid had only one-third our brain capacity. Some anthropologists, like University of Pittsburgh’s Jeffrey Schwartz, dispute whether the little guys, who appear to have used tools and built fires, belong in Homo, but Homo floresiensis remains a major discovery. Details here

5 replies on “Dwarf hominid fossil found on Indonesian island”

  1. Hobbits and Ogres and Dwarves, oh my!
    We were having a discussion about this last night, and I pointed out that while Neanderthals were short, they were also stocky and had a brain size closer to ours. The inevitable comparison was “hobbits” vs. “dwarves”. Now all we need is to find bigfoot (==orc/ogre), and we’ll have a whole set of Tolkienesque races! (Collect ’em all! :)

    • Re: Hobbits and Ogres and Dwarves, oh my!

      Now all we need is to find bigfoot (==orc/ogre), and we’ll have a whole set of Tolkienesque races! (Collect ’em all! :)

      Well, I’m not expecting any fossilized Ents to turn up anytime soon. Then again, maybe they have, and we just thought they were petrified trees.

      • Re: Hobbits and Ogres and Dwarves, oh my!

        Now all we need is to find bigfoot (==orc/ogre), and we’ll have a whole set of Tolkienesque races! (Collect ’em all! :)

        Well, I’m not expecting any fossilized Ents to turn up anytime soon. Then again, maybe they have, and we just thought they were petrified trees.

        Think You Can Work Those Into Your Timeline?

        • Re: Hobbits and Ogres and Dwarves, oh my!

          Now all we need is to find bigfoot (==orc/ogre), and we’ll have a whole set of Tolkienesque races! (Collect ’em all! :)

          It might find its way into the timeline. Meanwhile, this might be our orc.

          • Re: Hobbits and Ogres and Dwarves, oh my!

            Now all we need is to find bigfoot (==orc/ogre), and we’ll have a whole set of Tolkienesque races! (Collect ’em all! :)

            It might find its way into the timeline. Meanwhile, this might be our orc.

            We’re missing elves…

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