Scientists, wringing their hands over the identity of the famed "hobbit" fossil, have found a new clue in the wrist.

Since the discovery of the bones in Indonesia  in 2003, researchers have wrangled over whether the find was an ancient human ancestor or simply a modern human suffering from a genetic disorder.Now, a study of the bones in the creature's left wrist lends weight to the human ancestor theory, according to a report in a recent issue of the journal Science.

The wrist bones of the 3-foot-tall creature, technically known as Homo floresiensis, are basically indistinguishable from an African ape or early hominin-like wrist and nothing at all like that seen in modern humans and Neanderthals, according to the research team led by Matthew W. Tocheri of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

That indicates that it is an early hominin and not a modern human with a physical disorder, they contend.

So, what's next? Down to the quarry to find a troll?


Studying wrist development revealed the habits of modern man.