Was "Hobbit" an iodine-deficient human ?

it seems more likely to me that iodine deficiency is the answer here. not that i wouldn't think it was cool if it were a new species however...

They need to keep looking.

I have heard of this skeleton but have not really looked into the accounts in great detail. What are the skeletal characteristics of the "hobbit" that make it different from other primate species? As for an iodine deficiency theory. It seems like a good idea to me as iodine is a necessary component in producing thyroid hormones that are important factors in growth (or so i was taught in Food and Nutrition 101 ) I'd like to know more about this...

This theory has been proposed before and discounted, now it is back again. I wonder if it will be validated this time.

I have heard of this skeleton but have not really looked into the accounts in great detail. What are the skeletal characteristics of the "hobbit" that make it different from other primate species? As for an iodine deficiency theory. It seems like a good idea to me as iodine is a necessary component in producing thyroid hormones that are important factors in growth (or so i was taught in Food and Nutrition 101 ) I'd like to know more about this... 'Hobbit' wrist bones suggest a distinct species LINK

'Hobbit' wrist bones suggest a distinct species LINK Wikipedia with a ton of sources! Finally a wikipedia page that is actually useful! From just a quick visual look over the bones shown (wrist, arm, shoulder, skull) the "Hobbit" bones look more like other primate species bones than humans. I might be mistaken obviously, identifying primate vs human bones based on pictures (especially in this case) is quite challenging. My only concern is that they have disregarded the Iodine Deficiency Theory relatively quickly and I could not find a clear reason as to why they were able to disregard it even ... [More]

Wikipedia with a ton of sources! Finally a wikipedia page that is actually useful! From just a quick visual look over the bones shown (wrist, arm, shoulder, skull) the "Hobbit" bones look more like other primate species bones than humans. I might be mistaken obviously, identifying primate vs human bones based on pictures (especially in this case) is quite challenging. My only concern is that they have disregarded the Iodine Deficiency Theory relatively quickly and I could not find a clear reason as to why they were able to disregard it even with the bones structure being different. Is it just ... [More]

'Hobbit' wrist bones suggest a distinct species LINK If the "hobbit" was iodine deficient, thus thyroid hormone deficient, I wouldn't expect their bones to "look right"--As thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in bone resorption and deposition.

If the "hobbit" was iodine deficient, thus thyroid hormone deficient, I wouldn't expect their bones to "look right"--As thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in bone resorption and deposition. That is why Groves seems to have dropped his earlier claim, it seems strange that Oxnard appears to be using the same argument to argue for cretinism? Perhaps I am reading it wrong, may I trouble you to help me wrap my head around this one? If one has a thyroid removed late in life, is a dietary increase in calcium necessary to maintain quality of life? Cheers Copa. Thanks for the reply.

im sure elijah wood would LOVE to hear you guys talking bout him this way..