Comments on: Hobbit As Monkey? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/ A blog about life, past and future. Written by DISCOVER contributing editor and columnist Carl Zimmer. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:40:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: The Science Pundit http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8138 The Science Pundit Wed, 30 Aug 2006 02:53:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8138 I'm a Huboon Baby Gonna mess around with all you fools I'm all pumped up, I'm gonna rap, I'm gonna snap, I'm gonna rule <i>- Devo (1998)</i> I’m a Huboon Baby
Gonna mess around with all you fools
I’m all pumped up, I’m gonna rap, I’m gonna snap, I’m gonna rule
- Devo (1998)

]]> By: Emily http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8137 Emily Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:31:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8137 They haven't tried another theory - this species could be locked in a 'in between stage'. Basically, on the verge of heading off from ape to humanoid. They haven’t tried another theory - this species could be locked in a ‘in between stage’. Basically, on the verge of heading off from ape to humanoid.

]]> By: ライブチャット http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8136 ライブチャット Tue, 01 Nov 2005 02:44:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8136 its very interestign opinion! its very interestign opinion!

]]> By: Tim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8135 Tim Mon, 31 Oct 2005 21:17:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8135 Look at the size of that nose! Has anyone seen any Homo floresiensis reconstruction artwork that is actually good? Look at the size of that nose! Has anyone seen any Homo floresiensis reconstruction artwork that is actually good?

]]> By: Chris http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8134 Chris Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:21:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8134 Could there be any connection with the Humanzee, Oliver? Oliver is/was a chimpanzee that exhibited human characteristics, such as a preference to walk upright, a more human shaped skull and a disdain for the chimpanzee species which treated him as an outcast. Could there be any connection with the Humanzee, Oliver? Oliver is/was a chimpanzee that exhibited human characteristics, such as a preference to walk upright, a more human shaped skull and a disdain for the chimpanzee species which treated him as an outcast.

]]> By: Peter Brown http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8133 Peter Brown Fri, 28 Oct 2005 22:59:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8133 Schwatz's speculation about multiple taxa makes absolutely no sense. Is he, for instance suggesting that the arms of LB1, belong to a different taxa to the rest of the body. Or, the postcranial bones which share numerous features with the first skeleton, belong to different taxa. Its not as if there were even any other primate taxa on Flores during the Pleistocene. As for articulated skeletons being washed into the cave... Schwatz’s speculation about multiple taxa makes absolutely no sense. Is he, for instance suggesting that the arms of LB1, belong to a different taxa to the rest of the body. Or, the postcranial bones which share numerous features with the first skeleton, belong to different taxa. Its not as if there were even any other primate taxa on Flores during the Pleistocene. As for articulated skeletons being washed into the cave…

]]> By: Tabitha M. Powledge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8132 Tabitha M. Powledge Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:41:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8132 Weird perhaps, but this idea is not dead simply because the discoverers have jeered at it. One of my sources raised this point in my October 13 story in The Scientist: <a href="http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20051013/02" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20051013/02" rel="nofollow">http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20051013/02</a></a> Schwartz is a major expert on hominid remains who says he has examined many of the actual examples of hominids, not casts. (Those of you with FT access to Science, see his review on Homo erectus in the July 2 2004 issue.) Until someone publishes a serious critique of Liang Bua stratigraphy, Schwartz's speculation that the bones may represent different taxa is not so easily dismissed, IMHO. It's very easy to forget a crucial aspect of this site. It's not a living or burial site. All those bones and other artefacts washed into the cave during tropical rains and flooding. No one knows where they came from. Weird perhaps, but this idea is not dead simply because the discoverers have jeered at it. One of my sources raised this point in my October 13 story in The Scientist:
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20051013/02

Schwartz is a major expert on hominid remains who says he has examined many of the actual examples of hominids, not casts. (Those of you with FT access to Science, see his review on Homo erectus in the July 2 2004 issue.)

Until someone publishes a serious critique of Liang Bua stratigraphy, Schwartz’s speculation that the bones may represent different taxa is not so easily dismissed, IMHO. It’s very easy to forget a crucial aspect of this site. It’s not a living or burial site. All those bones and other artefacts washed into the cave during tropical rains and flooding. No one knows where they came from.

]]> By: Elliot Kennel http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8131 Elliot Kennel Fri, 28 Oct 2005 04:37:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8131 I have no idea how the bones of homo floresiensis should be reconstructed. Still, I find it a bit disturbing that the oral traditions of the natives are dismissed so readily. In particular, they refer to an advanced bipedal ape known variously as ebu gogo or orang pendek. Would it be totally shocking if this creature bears some relation to homo floresiensis? If orangutangs can survive and co-exist with humans in the area, why not orang pendek? I can only hope that some credible people are searching for it in a serious way. I have no idea how the bones of homo floresiensis should be reconstructed. Still, I find it a bit disturbing that the oral traditions of the natives are dismissed so readily. In particular, they refer to an advanced bipedal ape known variously as ebu gogo or orang pendek. Would it be totally shocking if this creature bears some relation to homo floresiensis? If orangutangs can survive and co-exist with humans in the area, why not orang pendek? I can only hope that some credible people are searching for it in a serious way.

]]> By: Johan Richter http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8130 Johan Richter Thu, 27 Oct 2005 21:29:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8130 The hobbit would not be a monkey just because it walked on four legs. It would just be a quadridupal ape. The hobbit would not be a monkey just because it walked on four legs. It would just be a quadridupal ape.

]]> By: afarensis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8129 afarensis Thu, 27 Oct 2005 18:30:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8129 What Van den Bergh is refering too is humeral torsion. In humans and apes there is a large amount of it - although least in the gorillas, which spend a lot of time on the ground. It should be pointed out that gibbons are not quadrupedal. The exact relationship between humeral torsion has not been worked out. For more info Aiello and Dean's "An introduction to human evolutionary anatomy" and references their in for more details. What Van den Bergh is refering too is humeral torsion. In humans and apes there is a large amount of it - although least in the gorillas, which spend a lot of time on the ground. It should be pointed out that gibbons are not quadrupedal. The exact relationship between humeral torsion has not been worked out. For more info Aiello and Dean’s “An introduction to human evolutionary anatomy” and references their in for more details.

]]> By: Gerard Michael Burns http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8128 Gerard Michael Burns Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:08:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2005/10/27/hobbit-as-monkey/#comment-8128 Fantastic! Even if it turns out to be a wild goose chase, it is great that you are checking this out. We cannot let ourselves be prisoners of precedent. After all, if the vegetation on Flores was as it is now(?) some of the suspected drivers for bipedalism vanish. Floresiensis could (among many possibilities) have reverted to cuadripedalism or knuckle-walking (or never have left those practices). Some suspect that chimps and gorillas had upright ancestors. Keep up the good work. G. Michael Burns Fantastic! Even if it turns out to be a wild goose chase, it is great that you are checking this out. We cannot let ourselves be prisoners of precedent.
After all, if the vegetation on Flores was as it is now(?) some of the suspected drivers for bipedalism vanish. Floresiensis could (among many possibilities) have reverted to cuadripedalism or knuckle-walking (or never have left those practices). Some suspect that chimps and gorillas had upright ancestors.

Keep up the good work.

G. Michael Burns

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