New human species found in the Philippines

Scientists have found a few bones and seven teeth belonging to a previously unknown species of human. They've named the new species Homo luzonensis, after the island of Luzon in the Philippines where it was found. The bones are tiny, suggesting that Homo luzonensis was under 4 feet tall. That would make it the second species of diminutive human to be found in south-east Asia; in 2007 scientists announced the discovery of Homo floresiensis, found on the island of Flores in Indonesia and nicknamed the hobbit. Both species lived around 50,000 years ago, at a time when Asia was also home to our species, the Neanderthals and a group called the Denisovans. The new species raises many questions, including who were its ancestors and how did it move?

Thanks to Rob Rownd (UPFI and UP-ASP) for the excavation footage. The 3D animations were provided by the Callao Cave Archaeology Project.

[stephanielim]

Yes, yes, I know us Filipinos are small. You shouldn't be surprised that our ancestors are also short.

[lumbermcray]

Filipinos in the comment section:
*It's Free Real Estate.*

[diahan]

No wonder filipinos are not that gifted when it comes to height... tanggap tanggap

[chlorodiazepoxide]

Like 95% of these awkward comments were from lord of the ring fans? The other 5% bravo to you for coming from science daily

[ittybittytittycommittee]

No One:


filipinos: allow us to introduce ourselves

[butterflylife]

Video: *slightly mentioned philippines*

Filipinos: *LiKe If You'RE FiLipiNo*
*pRouD To Be piNoy*




Tbh I'm filipino and seeing this types of comments makes me feel cringe and irritated. Like theres nothing wrong with being patriotic to your own country, but seeing the "overproud" comments over and over again makes me facepalm and feel ashamed of being filipino.

[cucabeludo]

Aren't hobbits from new zeland???
Lotr lied to me yet again.

[zeryphex]

I like the subtle/subdued background music, in this video.
= )

[tiffany]

Lmao i love the way she narrates its satisfying

[sudipchatterjee]

"..messy, complicated, and fascinating!" Aptly said!

[malakhpearson]

700, 000 years ago hominids were roaming around Northern Philippines, are those hominids shrunk until they disappeared?

[crocodile]

So a human smaller than a hobbit...what's next a specie smaller than this?

[deluxeassortment]

Me: you can't learn anything from a single bone

Paleontologist: Hold my beer

[legacy]

Come on guys it’s just a fried chicken bone😂

[Kenjireukin]

A great additional pride for all humanity. Discovering our ancestors

[jomartcanlas]

If there are hobbits, there are elves and is sauron still alive??

[RenzaissanceTV]

Growing up heard lots of stories of small people in the Philippines, Its crazy that now there is evidence of it...

[seansanchez]

Correlating small stature to limited resource I think is wrong, it could be the other way around. Their resources (in the forest) is abundant so there is no need to bulk up. Animals in the tropics tend to be small for the same reason.

[davemdevon.]

I have been trying to understand this story in the news for a couple of days , but this is by far the best explanation . Now Black holes ?

[besteecraft]

Images of blackholes and now new human species. Can't wait to see more of new discoveries that science might find