The hobbit is a history of Down?

Researchers have just released a new thesis in the debate over the true identity of fossil human skeletons dating back to more than 18,000 years (called LB1) found in Indonesia's Flores island in 2004.

At the time of the announcement a decade ago, experts call this a new human being, unlike modern humans (Homo sapiens), and under the influence of the Lord of the Rings series, are they named officially "Hobbit" , scientific name Homo floresiensis . However, some anthropologists have repeatedly challenged the existence of "hobbits ," claiming that this is just one case of Homo sapiens suffering from a disease while alive.

'Hobbit' skull (left) with modern human skull - (Photo: University of Adelaide)

In the new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , Professor Robert B.Eckhardt of Pennsylvania State University (USA) thinks LB1 belongs to a person with Down syndrome, mental and physical disabilities. .

The initial analysis of LB1 skulls showed that the specimen's brain was only 1/3 of the average modern person, and "the hobbit" was only about 1 meter tall. However, the new assessment rejected previous conclusions, with data showing that LB1's brain volume falls into the category of people with Down syndrome in the same geographic area.

Eckhard expert with his Australian and Chinese colleagues concluded that the skull in Flores belongs to a modern but unusually developed person. One point to note is that the LB1 appeared about 18,000 years ago, while the ancestors of modern humans settled on Flores and the rest of Indonesia for at least 40,000 years. The incidence of Down syndrome worldwide is more than 1 / 1,000 births, so it may be possible for experts to choose the fossil of a Downed history.

Of course, in the near future, it is expected that Homo floresiensis supporters will continue to provide new evidence to protect their stance.