Where did the ‘hobbit' humans come from? New fossils shed light

The human story became more complicated two decades ago when archaeologists excavating Liang Bua cave on an Indonesian island discovered the fossils of a new human species called Homo floresiensis. Recent analysis of fossils found at the Mata Menge site supports the idea that this species was a dwarfed version of the extinct Homo erectus. The Homo floresiensis fossils demonstrate the species’ ability to adapt and thrive despite the presence of Komodo dragons. Additionally, recent developments include astronauts potentially staying on the International Space Station until February due to concerns about the return of the Starliner spacecraft and new discoveries at the Sutton Hoo site in England. Egyptologists continue to debate the methods used to build ancient pyramids, with new research suggesting the use of a hydraulic lift. NASA’s VIPER rover, designed to search for water ice on the moon, may not reach its intended destination due to budget constraints. Other curiosities include the discovery of an ancient pot of gold in Turkey, a rocket breakup in China causing debris in low-Earth orbit, the impact of fishermen on the fish population in India’s Lakshadweep archipelago, and the finding of water and unknown lunar mineral in soil samples from the moon.