Hobbit saga ends with human connection

Ian Sample, science correspondent
Friday March 4, 2005
The Guardian

Scientists have confirmed that the diminutive creature dubbed the hobbit discovered on the remote Indonesian island of Flores was most likely a new species of human.

Remains of the one metre-tall (3ft) creatures were found in a cave on the island alongside some tools and evidence of a fire. One specimen, a female dubbed LB1, is thought to have lived 18,000 years ago when the island was home to other bizarre animals, including elephants the size of ponies, over-sized rats and giant lizards that would dwarf the three metre-long Komodo dragons living there now.

Scientists revealed the new species of human, named Homo floresiensis, last October but their claims were challenged by groups that believed the skeletons were those of pygmy humans or those of people with a rare skull-shrinking condition called microcephalia.

The first detailed study of the creature's brain, by Dean Falk at Florida State University, has shown that it was different to anything seen before.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1430229,00.html

Rodents Of Unusual Size? I don't think they exist.