Breakthrough

As impressive as is the discovery by Nasa that water once flowed on Mars, eyebrows will be raised over the fact that this was named by Science magazine as the scientific breakthrough of the year. This is because 2004 was when the world was introduced to Homo floresiensis, or the "Hobbit".

As impressive as is the discovery by Nasa that water once flowed on Mars, eyebrows will be raised over the fact that this was named by Science magazine as the scientific breakthrough of the year. This is because 2004 was when the world was introduced to Homo floresiensis, or the "Hobbit".

Most scientific breakthroughsare more or less expected. But the revelation that we shared the earth with a tiny species of human came out of the blue, causing genuine astonishment. It seems to us that Flores man is the scientific breakthrough for which this year will ultimately be remembered.