The Hobbit

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The Hobbit
By Marcia DiStefan
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What is a Hobbit?

• Also known as Homo Floresiensis
• Existed 18 000 years ago
• Liang Bua is located on the island of Flores in
  Indonesia
• LB1 is the most complete skeleton of the Hobbit
  that has been discovered
• Homo Floresiensis was given the nickname after
  the Lord of the Rings films by J.J.R. Tolkien

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Discovery of LB1

• Nearly Complete Skeleton (missing one arm)
• Adult Female
• Just over a meter tall
• Brain 1/3 the size of ours
• Small teeth and protruding jaw

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Other Characteristics of a Hobbit

• Very short legs
• Large feet for the length of their body
• The shape of their pelvis, legs and feet prove
  they walked upright
• Narrow nose, a protruding brow which stuck out
  over there eye sockets and a retreating chin

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Where did Hobbits Evolve From?
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Could Hobbits Evolved from Homo Erectus?

• Hobbits my have evolved from Homo erectus
• Lived 1.8 million years ago
• Hobbits are possibly Homo erectus with a growth
  condition (microcephly)
• Hobbits could be a Homo erectus that shrunk to
  adapted to the small island
• Doubts about this theory because LB1s tiny brain
  dates back farther than H. erectus
• Hobbits are more primitive than H. erectus
• If the foot was only evidence of the Hobbit it
  would be much easier to determine that Hobbits
  were dwarfed descendents of H. erectus

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Could Hobbits have Evolved from Homo Habilis?

• Hobbits my have evolved from Homo Habilis
• Lived around 2 million years ago
• Both had small brains, long neck and several
  other characteristics

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Effects of the Hobbit on the 21st Century
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Species Can Adapt to Their Surroundings

• Once thought only animals could adapt to
  surroundings
• When Hobbits moved to island of Flores they
  shrank in size
• Larger animals often become smaller (Stegodons)
• Smaller animals often are over sized

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Discoveries That Influenced the 21st Century

• Hobbits may have manufactured several tools that
  were thought to have been made by Homo sapiens
  (humans)
• Homo sapiens moved to Flores 11 000 years ago and
  used the same techniques as the Hobbits who were
  there before them
• Evidence that Hobbits tamed fires
• Once thought humans were the first to tame fire

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Glitches in Evolution

• The discovery of Hobbits shows there are several
  glitches in evolution we are not aware of
• Quite possibly other species out there all over
  the world

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The Hobbit

• There is so much more information to be
  discovered about the Hobbit before we can
  determine its exact origin. Its possible that
  the Hobbit could be evolved from a species we
  have yet to discover.

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Picture References

• http//www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2009/02/06/
  fullsize/LB1_skeleton.jpg
• http//donsmaps.com/hobbitsflores.html
• http//www.boneclones.com/images/bh-033b-lg.jpg
• http//www.boneclones.com/images/bh-033-md.jpg
• http//mentone-educational.com.au/freestyler/gui/f
  iles/s_03-1.gif
• http//1.bp.blogspot.com/_ifNvMe6zXXc/SZc8toJ9klI/
  AAAAAAAAAOs/vYBw0lEpQh4/s320/floreselephant.jpg
• http//i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/arch
  ive/00582/news-graphics-2004-_582191a.gif

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References

• Bosveld, J. (2009). 85 Hobbit Humans Small
  Head, Big Feet. Discover, 30(1),
• 68. Retrieved from Science Reference Center
  database.
• Groves, C. (2008). WALKING WITH HOBBITS.
  Australasian Science, 29(2), 16.
• Retrieved from Science Reference Center database.
• Wong, K. (2005, February). The Littlest Human.
  Scientific American, 58-65.
• Wong, K. (2009, November). Rethinking the Hobbits
  of Indonesia. Scientific
• American, 66-73.
• (2006). It's a hobbit no, it's a human no, it's
  a hobbit. New Scientist,
• 192(2573), 18. Retrieved from Science Reference
  Center database.