Scientists Believe a Tiny Apelike Species That Existed 50,000 Years Ago May Still Be Walking Amongst Us, Call It 'Living Fossil'

The mysterious case of Indonesia's "hobbits" has taken an intriguing turn as scientists consider the possibility that Homo floresiensis, 'Living Fossils' discovered in 2003 on Flores Island, might still exist today after 50,000 years, stated The Debrief. These ancient humans, standing just over a meter tall, have captured the imagination of researchers and locals alike, particularly through the extensive fieldwork of retired anthropologist, Gregory Forth, from the University of Alberta.

During his many years of research among the Lio of eastern Flores, Forth heard numerous accounts of creatures called "lai ho'a," small bipedal beings that uncannily fit the physical descriptions of Homo floresiensis fossils. What is impressively compelling about these accounts is the way they predate the 2003 discovery of the fossils, in which locals describe upright-walking, moderately hairy beings with distinctly ape-like faces that continue to inhabit the island's remote regions. The research of Forth, which had been written into his book titled Between Ape and Human: An Anthropologist on the Trail of a Hidden Hominoid, reported several plausible sightings ranging from the 1960s up to the year 2019.

Arguably one of the most fascinating accounts occurred in 2010, wherein a man and his family encountered what they thought was the body of a lai ho'a and were able to get an excellent view of its physical attributes. Another famous incident transpired in 1972, where several people claimed to have seen it—a stranger in the area, shown by his Lio driver when it appeared in a mountain jungle.

Recent archaeological findings have given scientific credence to the stories. Indeed, in 2016 alone, evidence for even older remains of Homo floresiensis was uncovered at Mata Menge, a place 45 miles from the original fossil site. These ancestors, 700,000 years ago, were even more diminutive than their descendants, standing at 3.3 feet tall. This finding analyzed through arm bone fragments and teeth, indicates a fascinating pattern of isolation in the evolution that occurred on this island, according to The Sun.

These sightings evoke equal measures of terror and fascination in the people who live around the area. While most locals say the lai ho'a avoid human contact, reported persistence is intriguingly suggesting the possibility of remaining populations in remote areas of the island. Of course, the search for evidence surpasses mere folklore.

No less than nine sets of remains of the species Homo floresiensis have been found since 2003, giving substantial evidence that these humans once lived on the island. Forth's research has garnered both praise and controversy within the scientific community. While skeptics point to the lack of physical evidence of currently living specimens, supporters argue that the consistency of local accounts and their correlation with fossil evidence warrant further investigation.