Posted on 09/20/2007 1:34:19 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Scientists: Hobbit Wasn't a Modern Human Sep 20 04:18 PM US/Eastern By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID AP Science Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Scientists, wringing their hands over the identity of the famed "hobbit" fossil, have found a new clue in the wrist. Since the discovery of the bones in Indonesia in 2003, researchers have wrangled over whether the find was an ancient human ancestor or simply a modern human suffering from a genetic disorder.
Now, a study of the bones in the creature's left wrist lends weight to the human ancestor theory, according to a report in Friday's issue of the journal Science.
The wrist bones of the 3-foot-tall creature, technically known as Homo floresiensis, are basically indistinguishable from an African ape or early hominin-like wrist and nothing at all like that seen in modern humans and Neanderthals, according to the research team led by Matthew W. Tocheri of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
That indicates that it is an early hominin and not a modern human with a physical disorder, they contend.
"It seals the deal," Tocheri said in a telephone interview.
The specimen he studied lived on the Indonesian island of Flores about 18,000 years ago, a time when early modern humans populated Australia and other nearby areas.
Scientists had thought humans had the planet to ourselves since Neanderthals died out about 30,000 years ago, and the discovery of Hobbits indicates another evolutionary cousin who coexisted longer, Tocheri said.
It isn't known whether humans and Hobbits coexisted on that island, he said, but it is clear we shared the planet for some time.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
And Neanderthals were Orks? Maybe there really was a Middle Earth.
These Helen Thomas threads have really got to stop........
Cool!
Mike Morwood is the archaeologist who was in charge of excavating the Hobbits. In his book, A New Human, he says that the Hobbits are most closely related to these (Stranger In A New Land) folks in Georgia and/or Homo-Habilis.
The wrist on the left resembles that of African apes, older hominids and Homo floresiensis. The one on the right is closer to Neanderthals and modern humans (Image: Science)
Interesting! An extremely primitive man-like creature coexisiting with modern man. Just like crytozoologists have been saying for years.
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Thanks Blam. Still no word on whether the specimen was Stoor, Harfoot, or Fallohide. |
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BTTT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7003502.stm
A team of scientists working in Georgia has unearthed the remains of four human-like creatures dating to 1.8 million years ago.
In the journal Nature, the researchers outline details of the partial skeletons uncovered in a Medieval town.
The bones reveal a mixture of primitive and advanced features, team leader David Lordkipanidze explained.
These early hominids may have been among the first to leave Africa to colonise the rest of the world.
Discovered in the early 1990s, the Dmanisi site has proved a rich source of remains and artefacts from the dawn of the Pleistocene Epoch.
Studying the various skulls and jaws has given scientists important information about the early species that lived here.
But, until now, they had little information about the rest of the skeleton.
Ancient pioneers
The remains uncovered at the town of Dmanisi consist of the partial skeleton of an adolescent individual associated with a skull, and the "post-cranial" remains of three adults.
The upper limbs are relatively primitive
The specimens are among the oldest hominids to be found outside Africa.
In many respects, the well-preserved fossils resemble Homo erectus, a species from the genus Homo that first appeared in Africa some two million years ago and quickly spread throughout Europe and much of Asia.
They have remarkably human-like spines and lower limbs that would have been well suited for long distance travel. Their feet had well-developed arches.
An apparently small difference in the size of males and females also puts them in the same company as Homo erectus and Homo sapiens.
However, they also have relatively small brains and primitive upper limbs, traits which they share with the earlier Homo habilis, and even with the more primitive Australopithecus, which first appeared in Africa some four million years ago.
The most famous example of Australopithecus is the so called "Lucy" specimen found in north-eastern Ethiopia in 1974 which led scientists to rethink existing theories about early human evolution.
I remember a recent History Channel (or one of that sort) production on this very issue.
The thing that struck me most directly was that the locals had legends about the small folk and their antics.
Well, who knew you once had Hobbits living right next door!
Oops, wrong Georgia! ;o)
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