Science Café - "Little People of Flores" - Aug. 29, 2011

News item published on: 2011-08-26 15:03:57

The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries' first Science Café for the fall series, Little People of Flores," will be held Monday, August 29, from 6-7:30 p.m. in Cook Library's event room, located next to Starbucks in Cook 105A.

It will feature the Hobbit People, a controversial 2003 archeological discovery on the Indonesian island of Flores that shook up the world of early human studies like no other in recent years. Inside a cave, under a thick blanket of sediments, they unearthed fossil bones of a three-foot-tall human. The fossil appeared not to have been that of a diseased modern human or Homo sapiens, but rather an entirely new species, which its discoverers named Homo floresiensis. The discussion will be led by Dr. Mac H. Alford, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Curator of the Herbarium.

A Science Café's casual meeting place, plain language, and inclusive conversation create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for people who may have no science background. Each meeting is organized around an interesting scientific topic where a scientist gives a brief presentation and shows a short video clip to kick off the discussion. The events are free and open to the public. For more information please contact Tracy Englert 601.266.6396 or tracy.englert@usm.edu. Find out more about Science Cafes at http://www.sciencecafes.org.