Hobbits declared human

BOFFINS FROM RMIT University have contributed their two cents' worth over whether or not hobbit-like fossils found on the Indonesian island of Flores could actually be considered human.

Researchers now believe that the fossils' little primordial features, which other scientists previously reckoned belonged to a more primitive species, could in fact be humans affected by a well known and documented medical condition.

Dr Peter Obendorf and Dr Ben Kefford, from RMIT's School of Applied Sciences, teamed up with Professor Charles Oxnard of the University of Western Australia, to publish their findings in British journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, the title of which, "Are the small human-like fossils found on Flores human endemic cretins?" would have Bilbo Baggins turning in his hobbit hole. Expect the rights to be bought by Hollywood and yet another nine hour long saga in cinemas near you soon.

When they were unearthed in 2004, the tiny hobbit fossils were thought to belong to some kind of primitive species previously unknown to science, but Dr Obendorf (who may or may not sport a long white beard and pointy hat), has said that he believes the tiny bones hailed from humans suffering from acute iodine deficiency in the womb, which stunted their growth. "Dwarf cretinism can cause features very similar to those of the Flores hobbits," he noted.

The idea that the hobbits may have in fact been dwarves, came to Dr Obendorf after he noticed a striking similarity between the fossils and historic pictures of what he refers to as "cretins". The term, although considered insulting today, was commonly used as a medical term in the 19th and early 20th centuries for dwarfism.

Cretinism is a condition of severely stunted physical and mental growth brought on by untreated congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones and still occurs today in the third world, where it is not uncommon for populations to suffer from substantial iodine deficiency.

According to Dr Obendorf, there is also much in the Flores islanders' legends to suggest the prevalence of "little people" whose features they describe as being remarkably similar to those of dwarf cretins. µ