Comments on: Bill Jungers’ conclusions on Homo floresiensis bipedalism — the clown-footed hominin

By: Vincent Bezdecheck

Vincent Bezdecheck — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:06:57 +0000

I am rather partial to that view. Besides the popular miniature elephants, H floresiensis also ate sea creatures. I have done a lot of scuba diving. The fins I used were long, wide, and flat footed.

By: Sandy Van Eysinga

Sandy Van Eysinga — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:04:20 +0000

Have they verified that the bones are all those of a single individual? Could they have mixed up the foot bones of a larger individual with the leg bones of a smaller one? This question is not sufficiently addressed in the papers. Also has anyone ventured a drawing of the H. floresiensis feet “in the flesh” factoring in this new discovery? Or, indeed, their over-all appearance? If so, a link would be appreciated!

By: Linus Hollis, ScD

Linus Hollis, ScD — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:56:36 +0000

These still apatite remnants are possibly related to the great trauma suffered by the Mediterranean basin when it reflooded [after the Pillars of Hercules had frozen over] early in the last Ice Age. my own Native American ancestors left their lake at the mouths of the Po and Rhone rivers by mammoth. In the eastern area of the basin Atlantis was destroyed, first by the great waves, then by the eruptions they triggered. Survivors along the Nile delta and sea could have migrated east and south. All the mammoths and their relatives are designed for swimming: the trunk is a snorkel. Since there are pygmy elephants on islands in the Indian Ocean, I would look for an environmental factor, probably herbaceous, like the cause for pygmyism, although it may be extinct. Another possibility is a now unknown bacterium or fungus or phytochemical that binds to Human Growth Factor the way the chemical in Capsicum spp. do.

By: Annette Snow

Annette Snow — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:03:40 +0000

I was wondering if anthropologists aren’t over looking the obvious when it comes to Hobbits ( Flores hominins ) and their big feet ?
It was a small island surrounded by water. Could these people through natural selection not of developed big feet to swim faster .( like scuba divers flippers) Small heads and body to cut through water and generally adapt features that would help them hunt and swim after ocean prey ? (or away from it to keep from being eaten)
Annette – TN
PS
Any stories or tales about mermaids in the area ? LOL

By: Watch NOVA’s “Alien From Earth,” premiering tomorrow Tuesday, November 11 at 8pm on PBS « Anthropology.net

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:24:28 +0000

[...] apes or other early hominin-like wrists and resemble nothing like modern humans and Neandertals. Bill Jungers will be arguing that he see similarities of the hobbit’s bones to that of Australopithecus [...]

By: Dr Bond

Dr Bond — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:18:05 +0000

I am currently researching an anthropological project with respect to “fat” people and feet. I am so far able to look at the feet of a child (3 years+) and determine future height, body mass and intelligence.

I have theorised that being fat was originally a genetic disposition of certain neanderthals who were destined to be larger from birth with the sole purpose of being slower than the pack… survival of the fittest, literally, determined from birth.

I was wondering if you knew of any research which would aid in my own?

By: Kambiz

Kambiz — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:32:32 +0000

Thanks for catching that Dr. Henneberg. That was my mistake. You are correct, the original publication clearly writes that LB1′s skeleton is not fossilized:

“The skeleton is extremely fragile and not fossilized or covered with calciumcarbonate.”

I appreciate that you’ve taken the effort to clarify this. I’ve corrected the error.

Kambiz

By: Maciej Henneberg

Maciej Henneberg — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:21:44 +0000

You call the LB1 foot bones “fossilised”. None of the LB1 bones were fossilised. They are archaeological bones still consisting of the original collagen and mineals (apatite). I have seen them in original. By use of incorrect terminology myths can be created.

By: More on Homo floresiensis bipedalism and a bit on Homo floresiensis dental work « Anthropology.net

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:53:39 +0000

[...] on Homo floresiensis bipedalism and a bit on Homo floresiensis dental work Jump to Comments A week ago, I shared with you news of Bill Jungers’ conclusions on how the morphology of the Homo [...]

By: While we get pounded… « blueollie

While we get pounded… « blueollie — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:40:15 +0000

[...] relatives had big, flat feet. So the question is: were these humans a different species than us? Anthropology.net thinks not; that is, these humans were of the same species as [...]