By: Marcia DiStefan

What is a Hobbit?

     Also known as Homo Floresiensis Existed 18 000 years ago Liang Bua is located on the island of Flores in Indonesia LB1 is the most complete skeleton of the Hobbit that has been discovered Homo Floresiensis was given the nickname after the Lord of the Rings films by J.J.R. Tolkien

Discovery of LB1

• Nearly Complete Skeleton (missing one arm) •Adult Female •Just over a meter tall •Brain 1/3 the size of ours •Small teeth and protruding jaw

Other Characteristics of a Hobbit • Very short legs •Large feet for the length of their body •The shape of their pelvis, legs and feet prove they walked upright •Narrow nose, a protruding brow which stuck out over there eye sockets and a retreating chin

Where did Hobbits Evolve From?

Could Hobbits Evolved from Homo Erectus?

       Hobbits my have evolved from Homo erectus Lived 1.8 million years ago Hobbits are possibly Homo erectus with a growth condition (microcephly) Hobbits could be a Homo erectus that shrunk to adapted to the small island Doubts about this theory because LB1’s tiny brain dates back farther than H. erectus Hobbits are more primitive than H. erectus If the foot was only evidence of the Hobbit it would be much easier to determine that Hobbits were dwarfed descendents of H. erectus

Could Hobbits have Evolved from Homo Habilis?

   Hobbits my have evolved from Homo Habilis Lived around 2 million years ago Both had small brains, long neck and several other characteristics

Effects of the Hobbit on the 21

st

Century

Species Can Adapt to Their Surroundings  Once thought only animals could adapt to surroundings  When Hobbits moved to island of Flores they shrank in size  Larger animals often become smaller (Stegodons)  Smaller animals often are over sized

Discoveries That Influenced the 21 st Century     Hobbits may have manufactured several tools that were thought to have been made by Homo sapiens (humans) Homo sapiens moved to Flores 11 000 years ago and used the same techniques as the Hobbits who were there before them Evidence that Hobbits tamed fires Once thought humans were the first to tame fire

Glitches in Evolution

  The discovery of Hobbit’s shows there are several glitches in evolution we are not aware of Quite possibly other species out there all over the world

The Hobbit

There is so much more information to be discovered about the Hobbit before we can determine its exact origin. Its possible that the Hobbit could be evolved from a species we have yet to discover.

Picture References

• http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2009/02/06/fullsize/LB1_skeleton.jpg

• http://donsmaps.com/hobbitsflores.html

• http://www.boneclones.com/images/bh-033b-lg.jpg

• http://www.boneclones.com/images/bh-033-md.jpg

• http://mentone-educational.com.au/freestyler/gui/files/s_03-1.gif

• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ifNvMe6zXXc/SZc8toJ9klI/AAAAAAAAAOs/vYBw0lEpQ h4/s320/floreselephant.jpg

• http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00582/news-graphics 2004-_582191a.gif

References

         Bosveld, J. (2009). 85: Hobbit Humans: Small Head, Big Feet. Discover , 30 (1), 68. Retrieved from Science Reference Center database.

Groves, C. (2008). WALKING WITH HOBBITS. Australasian Science , 29 (2), 16.

Retrieved from Science Reference Center database.

Wong, K. (2005, February). The Littlest Human. Scientific American 58-65.

Wong, K. (2009, November). Rethinking the Hobbits of Indonesia. , Scientific American , 66-73.

(2006). It's a hobbit… no, it's a human… no, it's a hobbit. New Scientist , 192 (2573), 18. Retrieved from Science Reference Center database.