Hobbits Hit The Headlines
By Hayley Birch
Scientists studying man’s evolutionary origins face a hard task when you think about it. At a rough estimate, more than 107 billion of us hominids have walked the earth since time began. Yet how many skeletons has modern man got to piece together the puzzles of our past with? A mere handful.
Some of the more famous Homo species, such as the Neanderthals and Homo habilis, have left us an assortment of disjointed limbs and skulls; but amongst the limited fossilised bones on offer, there is barely a full skeleton to speak of.
However, one Homo enjoying a glitzy media career of late (especially for one so thoroughly dead and buried) can at least boast some respectable remains.
Some of the more famous Homo species, such as the Neanderthals and Homo habilis, have left us an assortment of disjointed limbs and skulls; but amongst the limited fossilised bones on offer, there is barely a full skeleton to speak of.
However, one Homo enjoying a glitzy media career of late (especially for one so thoroughly dead and buried) can at least boast some respectable remains.