By the evening edition.
Discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores, Indonesia, theHomo floresiensisa fossil species that lived 700,000 years ago, is nicknamed the “hobbit”. Measuring approximately one meter in height, he exhibits characteristics of dwarfism. Many mysteries continue to surround this species.
The remains of a small human belonging to the species Homo floresiensis were discovered on the island of Flores, Indonesia. Dated to be 700,000 years old, these fossils include an adult arm bone and some teeth, which suggest a stature of around one meter and a weight of around 25 kg.
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This species, nicknamed “hobbit” because of its small size, in reference to the characters of the writer Tolkien, would have rubbed shoulders with other surprising island animals such as pygmy elephants, Komodo dragons and giant rats, according to an article in the British newspaper The Guardian .
These discoveries, initially made in 2003 with more recent fossils, continue to fascinate researchers, who are still wondering about the particular evolution of this isolated human species.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this discovery is the reduced size ofHomo floresiensismuch lower than that of its known human contemporaries. This dwarfism is considered an evolutionary response to the island environment of Flores, where limited resources and the absence of predators would have favored the development of smaller individuals, a phenomenon called island dwarfism.
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Several hypotheses on the origin ofHomo floresiensis
“Island dwarfism was previously well known from the fossil remains of megafauna on islands in the Mediterranean and Indonesia, which were miniature versions of their mainland ancestors”told the Guardian Dr Gert van den Bergh, a paleontologist and co-author based at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Two main hypotheses are put forward to explain the origins of these “hobbits”. The first is that the species Homo floresiensis would come down from theThe man stood upa larger species having migrated from Africa to Asia before becoming isolated on the island of Flores.
Similarities with other ancestors
“The tiny arm bone is similar in anatomy to previously discovered 'hobbit' skeletons, while a pair of teeth recently discovered at the same site resemble hobbit teeth.The man stood upalthough much smaller »observe The Guardian.
The second hypothesis suggests an even older lineage, with ancestors like A handy man or even australopithecines, species also small but only identified in Africa. “The feet, wrists and other parts of the skeleton ofHomo floresiensis rather bring it closer to relatives of the human species who appeared 2 million years ago”underlines National Geographic.
Advances in the discovery of this species
However, this idea remains speculative, as no fossils of these species have been discovered in Asia. “Both hypotheses have gaps and only future discoveries will help us tell the full story of these tiny humans.”concludes National Geographic.
Recent discoveries have, however, clarified certain aspects of this species. The fossils found indicate that the first Homo floresiensis were even smaller than their descendants, shows the scientific journal Nature in one study, which shows a gradual change in height over generations.
Homo floresiensis embodies a fascinating facet of human evolution, offering insight into the extreme adaptations that human ancestors may have undergone to survive in isolated and austere environments.
