Scientists have found more evidence that the 3ft tall Indonesian "Hobbit" skeletons belong to a new species of human - and are not modern pygmies.
Nor are they a group of disease stunted normal humans trapped upon the island of Flores for a few thousand years

Two papers in the journal Nature now support the idea they were an entirely new species of human.

Some researchers argued that the Hobbit's chimp-sized brain of just 400 cubic cm - a third the size of a normal humans brain, meant that these humans upon Flores had likely evolved into a smaller size, thru natural selection called island dwarfing. That they were dwarfed normal human beings with abnormally small brains.
Which was puzzling because they had crafted complex stone tools.

But further excavations in and around the caves of Flores , of the wrists hands, feet and tools found, seem to confirm that they are indeed a separate human species.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8036396.stm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...ew-species.html

***Thoughts
It is postulated that they might have only died out 8000 years ago.
a/How come, they came to be upon this island?
b/Could there have been interbreeding on nearby mainlands?.

Interesting news.
They actually made the cover.