In 2004, a research team from Australia and Indonesia discovered a fossil named LB1 in the Liang Bua Cave on the Indonesian island of Flores. This fossil belongs to a female with a height of only 1.06 meters and a brain volume of just 380 milliliters—only a quarter of the size of modern human brains. As a result, researchers referred to this individual as "Homo floresiensis" or "Flores Man." This discovery sparked intense discussions about human evolution. Some scholars believe that the Flores Man represents an entirely new species, while others argue that she was simply an individual suffering from some kind of disease.

Multiregional Origin and the Relationship to Dwarfs：

The discovery of Homo floresiensis was initially considered as supporting evidence for the multiregional origin theory, which posits that humans evolved independently on different continents and formed the diversity of modern humans through gene flow. Chinese scholars, including Wu Xinzhi, argue that human evolution is a continuous process, with gene flow occurring among different human populations over a long history. However, the question of whether Homo floresiensis represents a new species is still debated.

A new study revealed fossils on Flores Island that predate the Flores Man, and these fossils appear to be even smaller in size, possibly representing ancestors of Homo floresiensis. This discovery strengthens the theory that Homo floresiensis was a small-brained branch of early Asian Homo erectus, providing further support for the multiregional origin theory.

Was the Flores Man Dwarfed by Disease?

Beyond the question of whether the Flores Man represents a new species, scientists have proposed another hypothesis: that Homo floresiensis might have been a small individual due to a disease. Conditions such as Down syndrome, iodine deficiency, or microcephaly could cause dwarfism in humans. In 2014, researchers from Pennsylvania State University pointed out that the volume of the Flores Man's skull was slightly larger than previously estimated, around 430 milliliters. They speculated that the Flores Man might not be a new species, but rather an individual with abnormal development, whose features resembled those of a person with Down syndrome.

Additionally, the asymmetry in the cranium and the mismatch between the left and right sides of the skull were consistent with traits seen in individuals with Down syndrome. Researchers found that the brain volume and height of Homo floresiensis were similar to those of individuals with Down syndrome, and the abnormally short length of its leg bones matched the dwarfism often caused by this condition. Based on this evidence, scientists suggested that Homo floresiensis might not have been small due to evolutionary divergence, but rather because of a genetic defect leading to developmental abnormalities.

The Matalemeng People: New Evidence

However, new archaeological discoveries challenge this hypothesis. In 2016, Nature magazine reported that researchers had found older human fossils on Flores Island, possibly representing the ancestors of Homo floresiensis—the Matalemeng people. Compared to the Flores Man, the Matalemeng people were even smaller in size, and their skeletal features resembled those of Australopithecus and Homo habilis. This discovery supports the hypothesis that Homo floresiensis was a small-brained branch of early Asian Homo erectus.

These fossil findings suggest that early humans on Flores Island may have evolved small body sizes as an adaptation to the island environment. Due to limited resources on the island, early Homo erectus may have gradually evolved into smaller forms to better adapt to the survival conditions. Therefore, Homo floresiensis was likely not simply a diseased individual, but rather the result of adaptive evolution.