Topic ID #7044 - posted 2/21/2010 3:54 PM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
How a hobbit is rewriting the history of the human race
The Observer, Sunday 21 February 2010
The discovery of the bones of tiny primitive people on an Indonesian island six years ago stunned scientists. Now, further research suggests that the little apemen, not Homo erectus, were the first to leave Africa and colonise other parts of the world, reports Robin McKie
Read the article here.
How a hobbit is rewriting the history of the human race
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
How a hobbit is rewriting the history of the human race
The Observer, Sunday 21 February 2010
The discovery of the bones of tiny primitive people on an Indonesian island six years ago stunned scientists. Now, further research suggests that the little apemen, not Homo erectus, were the first to leave Africa and colonise other parts of the world, reports Robin McKie
Read the article here.
Post ID#17394 - replied 2/22/2010 3:20 PM
StarRider
Kinda got the cart ahead of the horse here? I believe there are legitimate criticisms of the separate species theory still to be resolved.
Post ID#17395 - replied 2/23/2010 5:47 AM
Dmack89
StarRider, not sure I understand your point, are you suggesting that H. florensis is or is not (may or may not be) a seperate species? It seems pretty clear that they are to me - and that wherever they branched off the line of our ancestry - they did not lead to modern humans, but rather became an evolutionary dead end. If you are suggesting anything other than that, please explain.
The point of this article seems to focus on the potential that they are an early branch, which may have left Africa earlier than typical H. erectus, thereby providing even greater evidence that the are not our direct ancestors. What is ivery nteresting is that it seems they may have independently develop some stone tool technology. That has some major implications for our theories on tool use by our ancestors.
Post ID#17398 - replied 2/23/2010 4:20 PM
StarRider
That's pretty much exactly what I'm saying. Whether or not these "Hobbits" are a separate species is very much in doubt and is the subject of hot debate. John Hawks' blog has some interesting posts on the subject; the Larons Syndrome similarities are compelling. There are other possible pathological explanations for these people. This was one of my rainy afternoon Google selections, and as with some other areas of scientific investigations (coughAGWcough) some of the proponents spin interesting stories while ignoring very real problems with their pet theories. This may indeed be a new species, but from what I've read I am highly skeptical, for numerous reasons.