Homo floresiensis is an extinct species of small-bodied humans that lived on the Indonesian island of Flores until surprisingly recent times possibly as late as 50,000 years ago. They are often nicknamed “hobbits” because of their short stature and small brains, reminiscent of the fictional beings from The Lord of the Rings.
Discovery
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Found: 2003, in the Liang Bua cave on Flores Island, Indonesia.
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Discoverers: An international team of Indonesian and Australian archaeologists.
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Fossil name: The most complete skeleton is known as “LB1.”
Physical Characteristics
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Height: About 3 feet 6 inches (1.06 meters) tall.
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Brain size: Around 380 cubic centimeters — roughly one-third the size of a modern human’s brain, similar to that of a chimpanzee.
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Body: Despite their small stature, they had human-like body proportions and could walk upright.
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Features: A mix of primitive and modern traits — their skulls and teeth looked somewhat human, but their wrists, shoulders, and feet were more like early hominins such as Australopithecus.
