hobbits

Of Hobbits and Humans

Newly discovered human skeletons suggest that people are people, no matter their height

Big, Little: From left to right, a modern human female skull, a fragment of an older Palauan skull, and a model of a Homo floresiensis skull. Photo by Stephen Alvarez
It could be any human skull, but this one is in fact much smaller and comes with a lot more controversy. In 2006, South African paleoanthropologist Lee Berger discovered this skull and thousands of other human bones piled in corners, buried under sand, or cemented to walls by dripping flowstone (the mineral that makes stalagmites) in a pair of burial caves in the Pacific island nation of Palau.

[ Read Full Story ]
Future Human

Pathologizing the Hobbit

The debates—and diagnoses—of the tiny Flores fossils rage on.

When there is only one skull to study and at least 65 scientists studying it, you bet there will be squabbling.

Ive been following the scientific news of the diminutive Flores hominids—the meter-high beings with brains the size of an orange—ever since the astonishing fossils were first discovered on the Indonesian island in 2004. Recently, three new papers have emerged, and now things are really getting weird.

[ Read Full Story ]

PROMOTION

POPSCI'S 21ST ANNUAL BEST OF WHAT'S NEW


Every year, PopSci honors the top 100 innovations in categories such as consumer products, medical tech and engineering.

Learn more and submit your product or technology today at popsci.com/enter.

PPX: The PopSci Predictions Exchange

RSS Link

New IPO

Hot Stocks

Ready to bet on the future? Start here!

Subscribe for 2 free issues!

may2008_cover.jpg