Fossils suggest even smaller ‘hobbits’ roamed an Indonesian island 700,000 years ago

AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — New research suggests ancestors of the “hobbits” were even smaller. Two decades ago, researchers discovered fossils of an early human species in an Indonesian cave that stood 3 ½  feet tall, earning them the nickname “hobbits.” Now a new study released Tuesday suggests earlier relatives that were 2.4 inches shorter and existed 700,000 years ago. Findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. Researchers have debated how the hobbits — named Homo floresiensis — evolved to be so small and where they fall in the human evolutionary story.