Modern humans unfairly blamed for extinction of Indonesia’s ‘hobbits’, scientists say
Experts solve the mystery of prehistoric hobbits that suddenly vanished
- New archaeological research suggests that Homo floresiensis, known as "hobbits", were likely wiped out by climate change rather than the arrival of modern humans.
- The study indicates that a severe drought, lasting thousands of years between 61,000 and 55,000 years ago, forced the hobbits to abandon their long-term home in Liang Bua cave on Flores island, Indonesia.
- Researchers analysed cave mineral formations and fossil teeth from pygmy elephants, a key food source, revealing a significant drying trend and a steep decline in the elephant population.
- The scarcity of water and food resources due to the drought is believed to have led to the hobbits' departure from Liang Bua and ultimately their extinction.
- This finding highlights the critical role environmental conditions play in species survival, with climate change potentially setting the stage for their final disappearance.