ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Homo floresiensis

Homo floresiensis is a type of small human. They were found in a place called Flores, which is a small island in Indonesia. Homo floresiensis were very tiny, about the size of a 5-year-old kid, and had very small brains compared to modern humans. They lived a very long time ago, almost 100,000 years ago! Scientists think they may have been around for thousands of years before they disappeared.

Homo floresiensis were discovered in a cave on Flores Island in 2003. They were nicknamed “the hobbit” because they were so small, like the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings books. The scientists who found them were amazed because they had never seen anything like Homo floresiensis before.

These small humans did not walk upright like we do today. Instead, they walked on two legs, but their bent legs and short bodies made them look more like apes. They also had really long arms, which is strange for a human.

Scientists are still trying to figure out why Homo floresiensis were so small and what they looked like. Some people think that they are a type of ancient human that evolved over time to become small because of the limited resources available on Flores Island. Others believe that they were born small because of a genetic condition called dwarfism.

Despite their small size, Homo floresiensis were still intelligent and resourceful creatures. They made tools and hunted animals, just like modern humans. In fact, they were so smart that some scientists think they may have even been able to build boats and sail to other islands.