Walking with hobbits: an insider's view of the discovery at Liang Bua

Startling archaeological and palaeoanthropological discoveries tend to generate a wealth of responses from different social and professional groups. The recent discovery of a 'hobbit' generated a response from academic institutions, the media and the general public that was unexpected, but at the same time very indicative of how human beings perceive themselves. By reviewing how this find has impacted on these three groups, a mixture of emotions is revealed: disbelief, horror, intrigue and fascination. But can science, especially science in Indonesia, benefit from this period of intense scrutiny and interest brought about by the most important, albeit disputed, find of the last 100 years?