Professor Charles Oxnard and Dr Peter
Obendorf are two of the researchers
who have suggested a new theory for
the origins of the Flores hobbit.
Researchers from RMIT University and the University of Western Australia have presented a new theory to explain the hobbit-like fossils found on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2004 - that they're not from a new species at all.
When they were first discovered, the small human-like fossils were said to represent a primitive species completely new to science, Homo floresiensis.
In a paper published in the prestigious British journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society, B: Biological Sciences on the 5 March 2008, however, three Australian scientists suggested that the fossils were remains of a modern human suffering from dwarf cretinism, a condition resulting from iodine deficiency in the mother.
Professor Charles Oxnard from the University of Western Australia said that previous analysis of the fossils had focussed on genetic causes for the hobbit's appearance.
“Our idea was that this was an environmentally-caused problem,” he said.
Dr Peter Obendorf from RMIT’s School of Applied Science explained that the hobbit’s small stature and unique features, such as robust bones, twisted arms and deformed wrists, were distinctive characteristics of dwarf cretinism found in modern humans.
“This extreme form of cretinism is the result of severe iodine deficiency in pregnancy in combination with a number of other environmental factors, such as eating foods that release cyanide into the body and increase serum thiocyanate,” said Dr Obendorf.
“Our research suggests these fossils are not a new species but rather the remains of human hunter-gatherers that suffered from this condition.”
Dr Obendorf said the theory corresponded with the Flores islanders’ oral tradition, which included stories of “little people” whose features were remarkably similar to those of dwarf cretins.
“Some of the traditional stories of the local people may be an ancient memory of an otherwise forgotten time, when cretins were a common part of the human population on Flores,” he said.
Experts are torn in the debate over the Flores hobbit’s origins, with some archaeologists discounting the evidence the paper is based on.
“The authors have not examined the original fossil, have little and no experience with fossil hominids and depend upon data obtained by others,” said Professor Peter Brown from the University of New England, who was one of the original team that discovered the hobbit.
Dr Jeremy Austin from Adelaide University said that the debate could only be solved by analysis of uncontamined DNA from the hobbit, which had been hard to find due to the weak state of the fossils.
“Collection of fresh, better preserved, hobbit remains using strict anti-contamination measures currently is the best hope for testing the status of Homo floresiensis using genetic data,” he said.
Today cretinism has been largely wiped out from the western world through the addition of iodine to food but still occurs in developing countries.
The paper, “Are the small human-like fossils found on Flores human endemic cretins?”, can be viewed online at Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, the Society’s flagship biological journal.
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