Tool-Making Hobbits

- 20 Jul 2006

By Liz Quinn

Page 2 of 2

Courtesy of Mark Moore

Stone tools dating back to 840,000 years ago found at Mata Menge on the island of Flores.

Mike Morwood, one of the archaeologists who discovered the Hobbit species, disagrees. He claims that modern humans first appeared on the island around 11,000 years ago, which is after the Hobbit became extinct. This suggests that it was not possible for more advanced humans to have made the tools and that the Hobbit species most likely continued making similar stone flints to their ancestors. "The brain of the Hobbit is similar in size to that of Homo habilis that lived in Africa about two million years ago, and that species also made stone tools," Morwood says.

Another team of scientists have analyzed the Hobbit's skull and created virtual models of its brain, concluding that despite its small size, it had some advanced morphological features. The researchers, including Dean Falk, an expert on brain evolution from Florida State University, produced the model based on the negative imprint of the outside surface of the Hobbit's brain which was present in skulls. The print indicated unusual development in the frontal part of the brain that is associated with planning behavior in modern humans, so it may be that it is not the overall size of the brain that is important for tool-making but rather, the complexity of the brain's internal 'wiring'.

The new research by Brumm and his colleagues does support previous arguments that the Hobbit species is a result of long-term adaptation and evolution on Flores. According to Morwood, human species reached south-east Asia two million years ago. He thinks that the Hobbit isn't the only new homonid species in the area and that other new human species will be discovered on nearby islands.

For more information:

Full length TV shows to download from Firstscience.tv Video: Human Evolution [Firstscience presents]
How and when did the first human evolve? We travel through Africa, Europe and North America in search of an answer to one of the most enduring mysteries of all. Where did we come from?