Sensational news in the field of the evolution of mankind came from Indonesia. On the island of Flores found the remains of a human-like creature, in the scientific world was christened after the island of Homo floresiensis. Being the growth of 90 centimeters, with a brain volume of about 380 cubic cm, which is about a quarter of the brain of modern man (1350 cubic cm).

Anthropologists from Australia, the UK and Indonesia have discovered the remains of six miniature people who lived 18 thousand years ago. Along with the tiny people on the island lived dwarf elephants, huge dragons, giant lizards and rat the size of a Labrador. Modern man (Homo sapiens) appeared in the region of 45 thousand years ago, so people could meet with these creatures.

Scientists have even called these hominids (humanoid) hobbits in honor of the characters in the books of Tolkien. R. R. Tolkien.

Despite its small brain volume, Homo floresiensis had the intelligence. In the cave near the remains found little primitive tools that "hobbits" were used for hunting. They could use fire and hunt groups. Tiny people not related to Homo sapiens, but at the same time is not a miniature variety of the modern pygmies who have the brain of the same volume that modern people of normal growth. "However, from the point of view of biology, they cannot be considered as a kind man", says anthropologist Jeffrey Swartz (Jeffrey Schwartz) from the Pittsburgh University.

This is partly explains stories about elves, dwarves and forest people. Some scientists believe that such chips could survive to our days. Local legend tells about the "little people", which is called here the EBU Gogo (Ebu Gogo).

- Indonesian myths describe in detail the EBU Gogo. His height of about one meter, " says Henry Gee (Henry Gee, senior editor of the journal Nature. - Last time about meeting with a young man mentioned just 100 years ago.

Is a unique find, probably, the most remarkable discovery in the field of paleo-anthropology goes over the past half century, wrote in the journal Nature anthropologists from Cambridge.

According to some experts, these creatures appeared as a result of reverse evolution of Pithecanthropus erectus (Homo erectus), of which 7 million years ago originated from common with modern chimpanzee ancestor. Homo erectus (the volume of the brain - 900 cubic cm) appeared in Africa about 1.8 million years ago and occupied the territory of modern Europe and Asia. Homo erectus, along with Homo ergaster roamed the first species of man, which began to walk on two legs.

Pithecanthropus that took five feet tall and brain up to 500 cubic see, subsequently underwent several stages of evolution, becoming Neanderthals and, finally, in Homo sapiens.

Part of Pithecanthropus, fleeing from enemies, moved to the island of Flores, where in conditions of isolation and lack of competition has moved toward miniaturization, which often happens in the animal world. In other cases, isolation can lead to gigantism.

In structure of the teeth and skull shape, they are similar to developed humanoid beings, formed in other areas during the evolution of Pithecanthropus.

Scientists say that thanks to the finds made on the island, now they have the DNA of the missing persons and animals. Theoretically, on the island of Flores, you can create a kind of "Jurassic Park," as he wrote in English The Sun.

- We have DNA samples of these people. We find there that the thought of our prospects, many of my colleagues start to flow salivating, " said Oxford University Professor Alan Cooper.

Not sure how long it has existed as Homo floresiensis. Perhaps the little people killed Homo sapiens , who is also credited with the destruction of Neanderthals and Homo erectus. Other researchers believe that life on the island was destroyed by a volcanic eruption (approximately 12 thousand years ago).

However, it is too early to draw conclusions about what caused the disappearance of these unique creatures.