Humans, Flores 'hobbits' existed together

[Shirleypal]

Humans, Flores 'hobbits' existed together: study
By David Mark for AM

Posted Sun Aug 2, 2009 12:01pm AEST
Updated Sun Aug 2, 2009 12:17pm AEST

'Very, very primitive': Debbie Argue compared bone fragments from the hobbits to other hominids. (REUTERS)

Audio: Aust researchers develop new theory about the Hobbit of Flores (AM) Map: Canberra 2600
They were just one metre tall with very long arms, no chins, wrist bones like gorillas and extremely long feet.

In 2003, archaeologists excavating in a cave on the Indonesian island of Flores made a discovery that forced scientists to completely rethink conventional theories of human evolution.

They reported the discovery of a new species of human, one that lived as recently as 12,000 years ago, at the same time as modern humans.

But others disagreed, arguing the one-metre-high skeleton was a modern human that suffered from a deformity known as microcephaly.

The debate has raged ever since. But Debbie Argue, a PhD student from the ANU's Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, believes she has settled the question by comparing bone fragments from the hobbits to other hominids.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 643415.htm