Experts solve the mystery of prehistoric hobbits that suddenly vanished | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleVishwam SankaranTuesday 09 December 2025 06:57 GMTTiniest Human Ever Discovered May Have Had an Even Tinier CousinNew archaeological research suggests that Homo floresiensis, known as "hobbits", were likely wiped out by climate change rather than the arrival of modern humans.The study indicates that a severe drought, lasting thousands of years between 61,000 and 55,000 years ago, forced the hobbits to abandon their long-term home in Liang Bua cave on Flores island, Indonesia.Researchers analysed cave mineral formations and fossil teeth from pygmy elephants, a key food source, revealing a significant drying trend and a steep decline in the elephant population.The scarcity of water and food resources due to the drought is believed to have led to the hobbits' departure from Liang Bua and ultimately their extinction.This finding highlights the critical role environmental conditions play in species survival, with climate change potentially setting the stage for their final disappearance.In fullModern humans unfairly blamed for extinction of Indonesia’s ‘hobbits’, scientists sayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in