Hobbits Are People, Too

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy birthday to the fabulous queenbamfie! May your day be as spectacular as you are.


It seems that scientists have reached a consensus about the small, hobbit-like beings discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores: these individuals most likely represent a new species of human with advanced brains. (No mention is made of the pipeweed and furry toes, but we can fill in those blanks for ourselves, right?)

Here's the very latest:
From PhysOrg: "Incredible Journey Through 'Hobbit' Brain"
From The Guardian: "Hobbit Saga Ends with Human Connection"
From Nature: "Specials: News on Flores Man"

FYI for those who get The National Geographic Channel, this new information will be featured in a March 13 special edition of Explorer on NGC at 8 p.m. EST/PST, USA.


In honor of the Flores folk:

"Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known."

-Bilbo Baggins, from J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Comments

[bellatook.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing this information with me. I have wondered recently what new information they had gotten from the Hobbit, and this new information is very curious indeed. Having the possibility that this person had brain capabilities that even most "modern" humans don't have is quite surprising and very intriguing at the same time.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You bet! I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this fascinating. They seem to be something of an X-File, don't they? I get the impression that this discovery may lead to new insights not only about them, but also about the way our minds work, as well.

[bellatook.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness no...This stuff is very fascinating to me. It kind of proves the theory that a bigger brain isn't always better.
And this does bring into sharp relief our lack of knowledge of the actual workings of the brain. We obviously don't know as much as we think we do.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

We obviously don't know as much as we think we do.

Yes indeed! About the brain, about how we developed, about our history and the history of this planet... I get excited when I see our assumptions shaken up a bit. It seems to bring more energy and attention back to all of the "big questions."

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

Excuse me for jumping in here, but I just had to say 'me too!' Things that challenge our ideas about the world, ourselves, the universe are always exciting to me. Especially when one of those ideas is about our own singular greatness.

Thank you for the links! It was great to get an update on the 'Hobbits'. :)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Especially when one of those ideas is about our own singular greatness.

Oooh, well said, indeed! We're definitely on the same page about that.

Thanks for your reply! :)

Hello

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

Those were very interting. Thanks for sharing them with us. Good song.

Re: Hello

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks for being interested! :)