"Hobbit" Species "Proven"

Several years ago, researchers found at least one skeleton of what they claimed was a new species of the Homo genus - Homo floresiensis, aka "the Hobbit." But many scientists doubted the claim, suggesting the remains were simply of a pygmy who suffered from a kind of Dwarfism, a brain defect known as microcephaly. But now researchers claim they have proof that the Hobbit is actually its own species:

New research shows that the wrists of the remains are different from that of both humans and their nearest possible ancestor, the Neanderthal. According to the new research, the Hobbit basically has the same kind of wrist found in Homo habilis and Australopithicus, as well as chimps and gorillas today.

The 18,000-year old bones were found on the Indonesian island of Flores some time ago. They found one near-complete skeleton of a female and the remains of about eight other individuals. Further research on the species' brain case confirms their individual species status.