7,00,000-year-old fossil confirms existence of ancient, 3-feet tall 'hobbit' humans

Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the 'hobbit'. (Images credit: humanorigins.si.edu)

Researchers have unearthed the fossilised remains of a diminutive ancient human in a remarkable discovery on the Indonesian island of Flores, offering new insights into the mysterious evolutionary journey of the world’s smallest known human species. The find, which includes a tiny arm bone from an adult, is believed to belong to the species ‘Homo floresiensis’, often referred to as the “hobbit” due to its remarkably short stature.

The fossil, dating back 7,00,000 years, is the earliest evidence yet of the Homo floresiensis species, which roamed Flores alongside an array of unique island fauna, including pygmy elephants and giant rats.

Measuring just 1 meter in height, this ancient human’s diminutive size is thought to be the result of island dwarfism—a phenomenon where species evolve smaller sizes due to the unique environmental pressures of isolated islands.

“Island dwarfism was well known before from fossil remains of megafauna on islands in the Mediterranean and Indonesia, that were miniature versions of their mainland ancestors,” Dr. Gert van den Bergh, a palaeontologist at the University of Wollongong and a co-author of the study (in Nature Communications), explained to The Guardian.

“As long as animals are concerned, no one has a problem with island dwarfism, but when it comes to hominins it seems somehow more difficult to accept.”

Since the discovery of the first Homo floresiensis fossils two decades ago, the species' origins have been hotly debated within the scientific community. Some experts have questioned whether these small-statured humans were truly a distinct species or merely modern humans suffering from a growth disorder. Others have speculated that they were related to a more primitive, smaller ape-like species.

The latest discovery, however, strengthens the theory that Homo floresiensis descended from Homo erectus, an archaic human species known as Java Man, which also inhabited Southeast Asia. The tiny arm bone, similar in anatomy to previously discovered Homo floresiensis skeletons, was found alongside a pair of small teeth that bear a striking resemblance to those of Homo erectus, albeit much smaller.

This 7,00,000-year-old adult humerus is not just shorter than that of Homo floresiensis, it is the smallest upper arm bone known from the hominin fossil record worldwide, study finds.

The concept of island dwarfism suggests that smaller body sizes can offer a survival advantage in environments where resources are scarce and predators are few. This evolutionary adaptation, while common in animals, has been difficult for some to accept in the context of human evolution.

Despite this significant find, questions remain about how the ancestors of Homo floresiensis arrived on Flores. Archaeological evidence, including stone tools, indicates that the island has been inhabited for over a million years. However, the means by which these ancient humans, presumably lacking advanced seafaring technology, managed to cross the deep sea straits to reach Flores remains a mystery.