'Hobbit' skull found in Indonesia is not human, say scientists

'Hobbit' skull found in Indonesia is not human, say scientists

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:12 AM on 22nd January 2009


The 3-D landmarks superimposed on the 'hobbit' helped researchers conclude that the fossil is not human

Scientists analysing a 'hobbit'-sized skull found five years ago have claimed that it is not human.

The fossil was discovered in Indonesia and named Homo floresiensis, or 'hobbit', but its species was not known.

Now researchers at the Department of Anatomical Sciences at Stony Brook University claim the shape of skull is consistent with a scaled-down human ancestor but not with modern humans, Science Daily reports.

They used 3-D shape analysis to study the size, shape and asymmetry of the cranium.

They compared it with other extinct homini species as well as with modern humans and apes.

Karen Baab said: 'The overall shape of the skull, particularly the part that surrounds the brain looks similar to fossils more than 1.5 million years older from Africa and Eurasia, rather than modern humans, even though Homo floresiensis is documented from 17,000 to 95,000 years ago.'

The researchers believe their findings counter one scientific theory that says the creature was a diminutive human that had suffered microcephaly, which leads to a smaller cranium.

They concluded that the skull had not suffered microcephaly because the difference between its right and left sides were not as great as would be expected in that case.

Dr Baab recognised, however, that the controversy as to the evolutionary origins of the 'hobbit' will continue.

The results of the study correspond with findings made about the rest of the creature's skeleton.

A range of primitive features have been documented in both the upper and lower limbs of Homo floresiensis, highlighting the many ways that these hominins were unlike modern humans.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1126459/Hobbit-skull-Indonesia-human-say-scientists.html