The Daily Bubble

Did we descend from hobbits? That would piss off my girlfriend (she hates Hobbits in general and Elijah Wood specifically). It may also throw another stick in the tricycle wheels of intelligent designers who taut the absence of transitional species as a refutation of evolution (although the ID crows is particularly swayed by unfriendly evidence). I, on the other hand, am thrilled. I have a bizarre fascination with little people. When I'm around them I get to feel like Shaq for a brief moment. Then I wonder, does he feel pity when he looks at me? I digress. There is not strong evidence that we are direct descendants of these hobbit people. We may share a distant great uncle or two. It's too early too tell. Anyway you slice it, it's fascinating to discover a fragment from your own ancient history. Here's the entire article from Nature (subscription required).

Via Professor Bainbridge

Update: Are hobbits just diseased humans? Maybe, but do you trust a group of people that think neanderthals are humans with rickets? (via comments at Corante)