Home sweet home
The newly discovered metre-high species is called Homo floresiensis after its home, the island of Flores in Indonesia. The islanders were separated from the rest of humanity for over 800,000 years - the longest period of human isolation ever known.
'The dwarfing of large mammals on isolated islands occurred all round the world. However this is the first clear example where long-term isolation of a human population has led to significant size reduction - to the point where the Liang Bua humans are the smallest known people anywhere in the world.' Mike Morwood, University of New England, Australia
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Mike Morwood (centre) with elders of the local Manggarai people, at a ceremony to ensure good fortune for the excavation.
Image: Mike Morwood |
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