Who were the Hobbits?

In 2003 paleontologists found a cave called Liang Bua, on the island of Flores in Indonesia. They discovered a population of tiny, ancestral human’s fossils. The small humans were given the name Homo Floresiensis. Using radiocarbon dating, we have found out that these early humans lived from 38,000 to 18,000 years ago. However, using the physical evidence of the fossils and bones we think that the early humans might have lived up to 12,000 years ago. Another question that scientists have been trying to answer is how intelligent they were. Usually, the bigger a species brain is the smarter the species is. The Homo Floresiensis skull was very small, and still very intelligent behavior was evident in the hobbit remains. First, scientists thought that they had microcephaly, a genetic disorder causing abnormally small heads and brains. However, this theory was also proved wrong. Homo Floresiensis was an intelligent early human despite their minute brain size. Another theory made about why they were so tiny was that they were suffering from island dwarfing. This is when an ecosystem becomes closed (like an island). Then there aren’t as many resources, and animals sometimes don’t survive, at least not the large predators and the greedy. Still, this is only one theory. The most complete evidence we have found from the hobbits is a skull, parts of its legs, pelvis, hands, feet, and other fragments. We have found out that their face appears primitive, they have convex brows and cheeks, no chin, wrists arranged like apes, shoulder blades shaped slightly forward and long, flat feet that were good for short walks but not for long distance running. The skeleton that they found was dubbed “Flo”. It is female and not male because of its female looking pelvis and leg bone. Also, many tools were found at the dig site, for digging, butchering, stone points and what could have been wooden spears. A question that scientists asked was “Did they make these advanced tools?” This topic has aroused much discussion lead to argument, and we still don’t know. One scientist also states that one hobbit isn’t enough to make assumptions for a whole species. It’s as if we took one really, really tall or short person and said that that was how large the average modern humans were. Now, we have found one more jaw bone from supposedly the same early human type, and the calculations fit exactly- but can we rely only on this?

Tools and Language

Tools and language were the key things to human development. With these we made more complex cultures, we were better linked together, and we enforced our chance of survival.
The tools we made helped us take advantage of our surroundings. If there were huge bamboo trees in the area we could use them for shelter with tools such as knives, axes and saws. If there was a good water source nearby to an early human settlement tools such as bowls and buckets could help them take advantage to their surroundings, and better adapt to their environment. Early humans needed shelter when they migrated, such as wood for campfires and rocks and branches for shelter. Without the right tools to get these advantages, they wouldn’t be able to survive. Also, early humans needed tools to get the food they needed. They used spear heads to kill large animals and harpoon points to kill fish. Without tools, the food variety would have become much narrower. Tools also caused trade. Early humans started trading tools and ornaments with each other, and so settlements and different groups of early humans became more advanced.
Language was also a large part of human development. Humans are the only living beings on earth known to have such a vast and complex language. Animals might have some sort of communication, such as body language, actions and sounds for different meanings. However, this type of communication is very limited. Animal communication is not as complex as the human language. Human communication is more detailed, you can express yourself better, you can talk about the past and the future, talk about real and imaginary things, and even make up new words. This is a lot more advanced than using body language, simple sounds and grunting noises. Language is very important in the development of our species. Language and communication helps us work together, share information, pass on traditions, and early humans could even discuss things based on daily life such as hunting strategies and food sources.
In conclusion, tool- making and language both played a great part in human development. Without these factors, we wouldn’t be the species that we are today.

Why do We Stand on Our Own Two Feet?

Scientists aren’t exactly sure of this question. Why we humans walk on two feet is a mystery. It goes back to at least 3 million years ago, when the early hominid Lucy lived. However, it may have been a lot further back in the past. Humans are the only species known that can walk consistently on two feet. There have been several theories made to predict why we started. A certain fact is that we were bipedal (could walk on two feet) before our brains grew large. Therefore, it was as if bipedalism were a natural instinct- we did it without thinking for a major purpose of life. One theory about why humans walk on two feet is that humans needed tools for hunting. It’s a lot easier to make and use tools if you walk on your feet and not all fours. However, this theory was disapproved since tools weren’t found that far back in time. Another theory is that we started walking on two feet for migration. We might need to be bipedal to see over the tall savanna grass, and since early hominids weren’t very tall this might have been essential for them to survive. Savanna grass can get up to 8 feet tall, and the Australopithecus Afarensis were only about 4 feet 11 inches tall. Therefore, if they were on all fours it would have been very hard for them to see approaching predators, and hunt preys. They could also move a lot faster upright than crawling, and they could even wade over streams and learn how to swim if they stood on their two feet. Another theory is that humans needed to be able to walk on two feet for food. Maybe they needed to pick fruit from trees. It is also a lot easier to hunt and carry food when walking upright, and not crawling. A last theory of why humans walk on two feet is that we have to reproduce, which is one of the main things in our fight to survive. We try to attract the opposite gender, to then have sex and reproduce to ensure the specie’s survival. Usually, it is the male that tries to attract the female. The male might need to find food to show off, and it’s a lot more efficient to find a lot of food if you are bigger and stand upright. When the kid then comes along, it is even more important for the male to be able to hunt and find food to bring up the family. This theory, however, was questioned since relies too much on the unknown. There are many theories about why we walk on two feet. Still the question remains unanswered, and may stay unanswered. However, the most important thing is that we did become bipedal and that we don't crawl around on all fours today.

Taming Fire

The use of fire demonstrates prehistoric people’s ability to adapt to their environment in many ways. Fire was part of early human’s life and one of the things that they couldn’t understand. Fire destroyed trees, dry fields and even animals. After a wildfire early humans would scavenge the grounds. Sometimes they would find roasted animals as treats, and this intrigued them even more to find out about fire and its effects. Of course, cooked meat tastes a lot better than raw meat. The heat also destroys toxins, gets rid of all parasites, and makes the meat a lot easier to digest. An early human decided to experiment with fire. After discovering what it could potentially do, early humans used fire in many ways to adapt to their environment. Fire made heat, to keep early humans warm on cold winter nights. It enabled early humans to migrate from warm South Africa to Europe. Fire also produced light, so that the early humans had a longer day and more time to gather together and create oral tradition, tell stories, religion, and start history. Fire also helped early humans with cooking their food, which makes it healthier and tastier to eat. Fire kept predators and animal threats to humans away, since just as the early humans had been before the predators of the different biomes were afraid of fire. However, early humans also had to adapt to fire. Fire isn’t only positive, it’s quite dangerous. Since it wasn’t obvious to the early humans how fire was made, they would gather smoldering wood to their campsites, and make fire. Early humans learned to make a hearth, a ring of stones, to keep the fire in one place and not let it spread. Not only was the hearth a lot safer, it was also a lot more practical. With a hearth early humans could leave the fire burning over night without having to watch over it, and a hearth is also a lot warmer than a wildfire or a fire that isn’t only fixed to one place. Since wildfires are more spread out, move and run out of food they aren’t as warm as the controlled fires in the early human’s settlements. These fires in the hearths were more contained and controlled, and if the wood supply was low the early humans would just add another chunk. Hearths were found regularly throughout a quarter of million years ago.