The Mysterious Disappearance of the Hobbits: New Study Reveals What Happened
Around 50,000 years ago , humanity lost one of its most fascinating relatives: Homo floresiensis , nicknamed the “hobbits” due to their small stature. These ancient hominins lived for more than a million years on the volcanic island of Flores, Indonesia , before vanishing from the fossil record. For decades, scientists puzzled over what caused their disappearance. A new study finally offers compelling answers. Climate Change and Ecological Collapse Researchers compiled the most detailed climate record to date for Liang Bua, the cave where hobbit fossils were first discovered in 2003. Their findings suggest that a period of extreme drought began around 61,000 years ago , drastically altering the island’s ecosystem. Rainfall dropped sharply , leading to ecological instability. Food sources dwindled, and survival became increasingly difficult. By about 50,000 years ago , Homo floresiensis had disappeared, leaving behind only fossils and archaeological traces. This ecological “bo...