Thirteen years ago the discovery of a small partial skeleton and other comparable bones were attributed to a new hominid species, Homo floresiensis. This caused a sensation - headlines swept around the world, blog pages were crammed. Such a tiny, archaic-looking species comprising individuals only one meter tall, with very small brains – c. 426 cubic centimeters. Yet it is dated to very recent times. This remarkable discovery was instantly controversial, with claims and counter claims coming in quick succession. This presentation will examine the competing hypotheses for H. floresiensis; discuss where we are in our understanding of its phylogeny; present ideas and seek input for ‘where to next?’

Debbie recently completed an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship with the late Emeritus Colin Groves, researching Homo floresiensis to discover its place in the human evolutionary tree. Debbie studied the bones of H. floresiensis for her PhD, later returning to Indonesia with Colin to study them for their ARC project. They studied fossils of Australopithecus and early Homo in museums in Indonesia, Africa, and Europe. Debbie’s interest in H. floresiensis began before the species was announced, when she heard an enigmatic rumour about ‘something amazing coming out of Indonesia’, little knowing this ‘something’ would become such an exciting part of her academic life. Debbie’s PhD focused on human evolution in Africa and Europe in the Early Pleistocene; her MA focused on human evolution in the Middle Pleistocene. Prior to this, Debbie specialised in archaeology and worked as a consultant and in the government sector in Australian Aboriginal and historic archaeology.