Friday, March 18, 2016

The mystery of "the Flores man" partially revealed

Identity of the Flores man or are often called "The Hobbit" was partially revealed. The French scientists through their research to make sure that the dwarf was clearly not a human being like us. Nevertheless, the results were not put an end to a great puzzle about the identity of "The Hobbit," this human species remains unclear.

The Flores man was discovered in 2003 by an archaeologist from the Indonesian National Archaeology Center (Pusat Arkeologi Nasional/Arkenas) named EW Saptomo who played a major role in the discovery and also makes him one of the world's most influential archaeologists thanks to these findings.
From left, models representing a Flores Man, a Homo Sapiens and a Neanderthal in Lyon, France. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1YSYml)
Initially, the man thought to have a height of only 1.1 meters was declared as Homo floresiensis. However, soon after its discovery released in the journal Nature, its identity a matter of controversy.

Some scientists believe that "The Hobbit" is a member of the species Homo erectus. However, "The Hobbit" experiencing isolation and evolution so made it shrink. Meanwhile, other scientists assume, the man who weighs an estimated 25 kilograms is Homo floresiensis, totally new species. One group of other scientists said the dwarf was actually a human (Homo sapiens). However, this type had a small brain size is only as big as grapes.
A Homo floresiensis' skull, centre, next to that of a homoserectus from Java, left, and a human skull. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1YSYml)
Antoine Balzeau, a scientist from the Natural History Museum of France, was re-examining the bones of "The Hobbit". He collaborated with Philippe Charlier, an ancient medical mysteries expert of Paris Descartes University. By using a high-tech scanning devices, Balzeau and Charlier analyze the human skull that found in Liang Bua, Flores, Indonesia.

"So far, we base the conclusion on the image which have not many seen before," said Balzeau as quoted of Telegraph on Tuesday, February 18, 2016. Balzeau said, there are plenty of informations contained in each layer of the skull. However, he said, "There is no characteristic of our species."
Revision of some internal features of Liang Bua 1 on cranial thickness, internal structure. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1YSYml)
Although they finding the signs of disease, but Balzeau and Charlier not found the sign of the disease associated with a genetic disorder that causes dwarfism.

The results of this research could successfully eliminate several possibility of the identity of "The Hobbit". Now, the choice is only whether "The Hobbit" is Homo erectus or Homo floresiensis indeed. Clearly, it was not Homo sapiens. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TELEGRAPH]
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