Discovery of Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the 'hobbit' - Witness History podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Homo floresiensis (The Hobbit): An extinct species of small-bodied hominin discovered on the island of Flores, Indonesia.
• Liang Bua: The cave on Flores where the Homo floresiensis remains were found.
• Stegodon: An extinct pygmy elephant found in the same layers as Homo floresiensis.
• Paleoanthropology: The study of human evolution through fossil remains.
• Geochronology: The science of dating geological events and materials.
• Australopithecines: Early hominin ancestors from Africa.
• Homo erectus: An extinct species of hominin known from Java.
• Limb Proportions: The relative lengths of arms and legs, used to compare different hominin species.
• Radiocarbon Dating: A method of dating organic materials up to around 50,000 years old.
• Cryptozoology: The study of animals whose existence has not yet been proven.

Discovery and Initial Assessment

• September 2, 2003: Mike Morewood, leading a dig at Liang Bua cave on Flores, contacts Peter Brown with a tooth found at 5 meters depth.
• Brown identifies the tooth as non-modern human due to its elongated crown and three fused roots, similar to Australopithecines and Homo habilis from millions of years ago.
• The tooth's characteristics suggest an age much older than the initially estimated 14,000 years, prompting further investigation.
• The discovery of stone tools and Stegodon bones dating back 800,000 years on Flores adds to the intrigue.
• Shortly after the tooth discovery, the team unearths a skeleton, later known as LB1, Homo floresiensis.

Expedition and Analysis

• Brown travels to Indonesia to examine the skeleton, initially skeptical due to the claimed age of 14,000 years.
• The presence of Stegodon bones in the same layer leads Brown to believe the dating is inaccurate, as Stegodon extinction in Southeast Asia was thought to be much earlier.
• Upon examining the lower jaw, Brown immediately recognizes it as belonging to a human relative, not a modern human.
• Brown brought mustard seeds to measure the volume inside the skull to estimate brain size.
• The skull is remarkably small, about half the size of a modern human skull, with a brain size comparable to an orange.
• Features like the brow ridge and bone thickness resemble Homo erectus or early hominids from Africa, but the location and supposed age are inconsistent.
• Brown concludes that the skeleton represents a new species, distinct from any other found in the region.

Research and Dating

• The archaeological team focuses on Stegodon fossils, stone tools, and evidence of human activity in the cave.
• Geochronologists attempt to refine the dating of the site using indirect methods, as radiocarbon dating is ineffective beyond 50,000 years.
• The discovery of arm bones in the following year reveals limb proportions similar to Homo afferensis (Lucy), with long arms and short legs.
• Brown proposes two possible explanations for the presence of Homo floresiensis:
  • Homo erectus reached Flores and underwent size reduction over time.
  • An unknown, small-bodied hominin like Australopithins reached Flores.

Physical Characteristics

• Homo floresiensis stature is estimated from leg bones, ranging from 0.9 to 1.2 meters tall.
• Bones of infants are also found, indicating the species reproduced on the island.
• The shape of the pelvis suggests they gave birth to small-brained offspring.
• The bones indicate they were very muscular, possibly similar to chimpanzees in strength.
• The shoulder joint suggests they were capable climbers.
• Tooth wear indicates a diet primarily consisting of vegetation.
• The first individual found was estimated to be 35-40 years old at the time of death.

Reaction and Controversy

• The discovery is published in Nature, and the species is nicknamed "Hobbit."
• The name "Hobbit" was suggested by Henry Gee, editor at Nature, due to the small size and cave-dwelling habits of the species.
• Brown expresses frustration with the "Hobbit" nickname due to its association with fantasy and cryptozoology.
• A dispute arises over the bones' ownership between the Centre for Archaeology and Teuku Jacob, a prominent Indonesian paleoanthropologist.
• Jacob removes the bones to his laboratory without permission, allegedly damaging them in the process, particularly the pelvis.
• The bones are eventually returned to the Centre for Archaeology in Jakarta.

Later Findings and Revised Timeline

• Further excavations and dating refine the timeline, placing Homo floresiensis existence between 70,000 and 50,000 years ago, not 14,000 years ago.
• This revised timeline suggests that modern humans arrived on Flores around 50,000-60,000 years ago, potentially contributing to the extinction of Homo floresiensis and Stegodon.
• However, Brown disputes this theory, citing a lack of evidence for modern humans on Flores before 11,000 years ago.
• Alternative explanations for the extinction include a massive volcanic eruption that wiped out vegetation.

Conclusion

• The discovery of Homo floresiensis was a remarkable event in paleoanthropology, considered by Brown as "the discovery of the century."
• The completeness of the skeleton and its unexpected characteristics made it a unique and significant find.
• The discovery has generated numerous research articles and continues to contribute to our understanding of human evolution and adaptation.
• The find was so remarkable that Brown stated, "if they discovered an alien spaceship on Flores, I would have been less surprised."