Media leaders, journalists, and officials from across the Pacific gathered in Brisbane earlier this month for an international workshop focused on strengthening crisis communication and countering disinformation.
The event, Communication during a Time of Crisis: Practical Approaches and Lessons Learned from the Pacific, was co-hosted by the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI) and the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) on 5–6 August 2025. More than 50 participants representing 15 countries explored strategies for improving media resilience in the face of natural disasters, public health emergencies, and the growing challenge of misinformation.
Dr Eve Chiu, CEO of the Taiwan FactCheck Center (TFC), shared Taiwan’s experiences in building robust defences against false information. She noted that despite Taiwan’s strong record on freedom of speech, it remains a prime target of foreign disinformation campaigns. “Fact-checking has become a frontline safeguard,” she said. Dr Chiu introduced TFC’s tools, including a LINE chatbot for crowdsourced reports and an AI-powered dashboard that monitors online narratives to identify emerging threats.
Participants also addressed region-specific challenges such as climate change and disaster response. Journalists from island nations discussed the difficulty of communicating timely evacuation messages across multiple local languages and considered the role AI-driven translation might play. Others highlighted the ongoing importance of radio and word-of-mouth communication in remote communities.
The workshop also shone a spotlight on misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines and recent examples of AI-generated false content. Dr Chiu pointed to fabricated claims and manipulated videos circulating in Taiwan as a cautionary example of how technology can amplify disinformation risks.
Delegates visited the ABC’s Brisbane headquarters to observe Australia’s emergency broadcasting system in action, underscoring the role of public broadcasters in supporting regional resilience.
This was the first time Australia hosted a GCTF event since joining as a partner country in 2021. Alongside Taiwan, the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia now jointly back the framework, which has held nearly 90 international workshops since 2015.
With Pacific nations on the frontline of climate change and geopolitical competition, participants stressed the importance of continued collaboration. As one delegate observed,
“Strengthening communication capacity is not only about responding to the next cyclone or pandemic — it’s about safeguarding trust in our societies.”
Griffith Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans signing the partnership agreement with AOC CEO Mark Arbib
Griffith University is proud to announce a new partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), naming the Queensland education institution an “Australian Olympic Pathway University” recognising its longstanding commitment to supporting elite athletes combining academic and sporting pursuits.
The partnership will result in increased financial and academic support for student athletes including significant scholarships worth up to $40,000 along with offering credit and pathways into many degrees at Griffith.
Griffith has a distinguished history of athlete support, having produced more Olympians than any other Australian university across the past three Olympic Games.
This partnership formally recognises the University’s exceptional and flexible support systems that enable Olympians and aspiring Olympians to compete at the highest level while successfully undertaking their studies.
Griffith left an indelible mark on the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games setting a new benchmark for university sports achievements on the global stage.
With 50 athletes comprising students, alumni, and swimming squad members competing, the University contributed 36 medals including 12 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze.
The partnership, which will run until 2027, will further strengthen Griffith’s role as a leader in dual career pathways, ensuring athletes are well-equipped for success during and beyond their sporting careers.
Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said the collaboration reflects our deep commitment to helping elite athletes thrive both in their sport and in the classroom.
“We’re proud to continue providing the tailored support that allows them to pursue excellence in every aspect of their journey.”
Australian Olympic Team Chief de Mission Anna Meares OAM at the launch of the partnership
Australian Olympic Committee CEO, Mark Arbib, said this is a landmark University partnership that places athlete education, wellbeing, career development, and future success at its core.
“Griffith is putting dollars on the table to help our athletes. This agreement ensures more Olympians will have the opportunity to gain scholarships at Griffith and recognises the University’s outstanding sporting and training facilities, and flexible study schedules.”
Additionally, all Olympians potentially will be eligible for recognised prior learning (RPL) credit towards a range of Griffith degrees, acknowledging the valuable skills and experiences gained through their sporting careers.
This initiative not only honours their achievements but also provides a more flexible and supportive pathway into higher education.
Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy OAM said this recognition reflects the high-level competencies Olympians develop through years of training and competition.
“We offer a system that values their unique experiences and helps them transition into academic life with confidence.”
QUOTES FROM CURRENT GRIFFITH SPORTS COLLEGE STUDENTS
Shayna Jack Swimming Gold Medal Olympian Paris 2024 and B Criminology and Criminal Justice student:
“Griffith has been an incredible pillar of support throughout my swimming career, offering guidance, resources, and even scholarship assistance that has allowed me to chase my sporting dreams while pursuing my education. Their belief in me has made it possible to excel in the pool and the classroom, and I’m grateful for the balance they’ve helped me maintain.”
Zac Stubblety-Cook – Swimming Gold Medallist and dual Olympian 2020 and 2024, B Business student:
“One of my beliefs is that you are a person before you are an athlete. With the support of Griffith Sports College, I can facilitate this philosophy. The Sports College has given me the ability to study whilst competing or training on the other side of the world, allowing me to pursue a sporting career whilst also preparing for a future after swimming.”
Charlize Andrews Water Polo Silver Medallist and Paris 2024 Olympian, B Nursing student:
“As an athlete balancing study, work and training can be very challenging. Fortunately, Griffith University has an amazing sport college that is very supportive to its elite athletes. During my Olympic preparation and campaign Griffith was extremely flexible with my study commitments and provided fantastic support during a stressful period.”
We often hear about the financial losses associated with internet scams, but new Griffith University research is shining a light on the toll it can take on a person’s mental health.
Dr Luke Balcombe
Dr Luke Balcombe from Griffith’s School of Applied Psychology has researched the significant emotional distress victims can experience.
“Internet scams can often lead to anxiety, depression, trauma, shame, and even social withdrawal and relationship breakdowns,” Dr Balcombe said.
“Scams have become a global epidemic, costing victims more than $USD 1 trillion in 2023, with only an estimated seven per cent of scams being reported.
“With this in mind, it’s not surprising the mental health impacts of scams can often be hidden or overlooked in favour of financial losses.”
Dr Balcombe’s research paper highlighted the need for mental health strategies to aid scam victims.
“It’s important for people to build resilience and seek support from others with a similar experience,” he said.
“Accessing digital mental health services and AI chatbots for emotional support and practical coping strategies is a great first avenue.
“It is also valuable for people to make use of traditional medical and psychological support services by consulting with a GP or mental health professional if needed.
“Another option is to use education resources to learn about scam tactics and recovery options.”
Dr Balcombe said the research reinforces the urgent need for better support systems including innovative solutions such as emotionally-intelligent AI companions.
“Increased education, digital tools, and coordinated prevention strategies are recommended to help reduce the emotional toll of scams and support long-term recovery,” he said.
Vietnam’s health sector is stepping up to the growing threat of climate change with an innovative digital tool that predicts dengue outbreaks before they occur. The E-Dengue project, developed with leadership from Griffith University’s Centre for Environment and Population Health (CEPH), was recently featured on Vietnam’s international television channel, VTV4.
Vietnam is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, where rising temperatures, heavier rainfall and frequent natural disasters are reshaping disease patterns. “For every one-degree increase in temperature, we see a measurable rise in hospitalisations, particularly from dengue and heat-related illnesses,” said Professor Cordia Chu, Director of CEPH.
“The health sector must move from reacting to crises to predicting and preventing them.”
The E-Dengue system does exactly that. By integrating climate, environmental and epidemiological data, it can forecast dengue outbreaks at the district level up to three months in advance. Accessible via mobile and web platforms, the tool provides real-time risk maps, alerts, and prevention guidance tailored for frontline health workers.
Photo: E-Dengue tool – a digital innovation for Dengue prediction and prevention.
“What makes E-Dengue unique is its collaborative design,” Prof Chu explained. “We worked closely with Vietnamese health authorities to ensure the system responds directly to their needs and can be integrated seamlessly into existing surveillance and control programs.”
The VTV4 feature highlighted the shift toward a proactive dengue prevention strategy grounded in data, prevention, and early action across the Mekong Delta. Local health officials described the tool as “a game changer” in helping them prepare communities before outbreaks escalate.
CEPH’s work is also contributing to broader resilience. By fostering partnerships between government agencies, research institutions and international experts, the project is laying the foundations for a climate-responsive health system.
“The E-Dengue project is not just a technological innovation, it’s a model for how science, digital tools and local engagement can come together to protect vulnerable populations in a warming world.”
📺 Watch the full VTV4 segment here: (in Vietnamese with English subtitles).
A belief that individual actions do make meaningful difference are among the common factors that motivate people to voluntarily reduce their consumption of single-use plastics (SUP), a Griffith University study has discovered.
The study found individuals who strongly identified with environmental protection, received positive social reinforcement, set clear goals, and believed their actions would make a meaningful difference, were significantly more likely to engage in SUP reduction behaviours.
Excessive use of SUP tableware, including items such as plastic takeaway containers, cutlery and straws, continues to contribute to the global waste crisis.
The study aimed to discover the potential barriers and enablers of SUP tableware reduction behaviour.
Co-author of the study and Social Marketing @ Griffith Director Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele said while governments around the world were focused on bans and levies, voluntary behaviour change remained an untapped solution to addressing SUP consumption.
“People are increasingly willing to engage in pro-environmental purchase and consumption behaviour, but there is a big gap between what people intend to do –and what they actually do,” Professor Rundle-Thiele said.
“Our research highlighted that motivation alone does not lead to behaviour change.
“Individuals must also have the knowledge, skills and opportunity to act on their intentions.
“Some examples of capability include knowledge of alternatives, the ability to plan ahead, and the development of sustainable habits.
“Opportunity referred to the presence of alternatives, and supportive social norms which included encouragement from social networks and being a part of environments that enabled and reinforced sustainable practices.”
The study applied the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation—Behaviour) behavioural model to examine the full spectrum of barriers and enablers that affected an individual’s ability and motivation to reduce SUP consumption.
The COM-B model accounted for 70 per cent of the motivational factors associated with SUP tableware reduction.
The study showed successful SUP reduction interventions needed to go beyond traditional education and policy approaches to incorporate capability and opportunity.
“This research provides a valuable framework for developing targeted interventions that bridge the gap between environmental attitudes and actual behaviour,” Professor Rundle-Thiele said.
“By incorporating behavioural insights and addressing the psychological and environmental conditions that shape consumer behaviour, policymakers, social marketers, and environmental advocates can more effectively promote sustainable practices.”
The study was among the first to offer a nuanced understanding of human behaviour in environmental contexts.
A Phase 1 human clinical trial to treat chronic spinal cord injury, the first of its kind in the world, has commenced to test the efficacy and safety of a revolutionary new treatment using nasal cells.
The Griffith University trial has been three decades in the making and involves taking olfactory ensheathing cells, which are specialised cells involved in our sense of smell, from the nose as they have numerous therapeutic properties for repairing and regenerating nerves.
Professor James St John
Lead researcher Professor James St John, Head of Griffith’s Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research and Principal Researcher at the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, is carrying on the legacy of the late Professor Emeritus Alan Mackay-Sim AM.
“Once the cells have been removed from the patient’s nose, they are then used to create an innovative nerve bridge which is about the size of a very small worm,” Professor St John said.
“The nerve bridge is then implanted into the spine at the site of the injury, offering what we think is the best hope for treating spinal cord injury.
“To help stimulate regeneration, patients will undergo intensive rehabilitation for three months prior to the transplantation and then for eight months after the transplantation.
“While primary assessments are to ensure the therapy is safe, we will also be measuring numerous aspects to assess if there are changes in functional outcomes that are important to people living with spinal cord injury.
“The ability to regain some sense of function, whether it’s regaining independent function of their bladder or bowel, regaining movement in their fingers, or the ability to stand and hug a loved one again can improve quality of life.
“Regaining some form of independence can open the world up to people living with a chronic acquired spinal injury.”
The trial, to be conducted at Gold Coast University Hospital, is a blinded and randomised control study with preclinical research demonstrating the olfactory nerve bridges are effective in repairing spinal cord injury in animal models.
CEO of the Clem Jones Foundation, Peter Johnstone, said the latest milestone illustrated how long-term philanthropic support could foster ground-breaking research with the potential to change lives for the better.
“The Clem Jones Foundation has supported this world-leading project from day one alongside other philanthropic groups and individuals which meant it also attracted state and federal government funding commitments,” Mr Johnstone said.
“All of the funding partners recognise that results from medical research never happen overnight but rely on long-term funding as well as the long-term application of the knowledge, skills, and hard work of the talented team of researchers at Griffith University.”
Founder of the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, Perry Cross AM, who became a ventilated quadriplegic at age 19 from a rugby accident, has dedicated his life to advocating for a cure.
“This clinical trial represents a long-awaited breakthrough that speaks to the enduring strength of those impacted by spinal cord injury and the extraordinary belief of those who support us,” Mr Cross said.
“For too long, individuals living with paralysis have been told that recovery lies beyond the horizon of possibility.
“Today, we challenge that notion with evidence, ambition and above all, hope.
“It is proof that philanthropy, when guided by purpose and vision, can accelerate real change. Every contribution has mattered, and each gesture of support has brought us closer to this point.
“For someone like me, who knows all too well the permanence of spinal cord injury, this trial offers not just the possibility of improved function, but a renewed sense of independence and dignity; qualities that define the human experience.”
Professor St John said: “To have a cell transplantation therapy progressing to clinical trial after only eight years is testament to the benefits of the strategic translational research program the team has used.
“To be able to develop the therapy in Queensland is thanks to the incredible support from our funding partners, in particular the Motor Accident Insurance Commission as the major funder, the Clem Jones Foundation, the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, and the dedicated spinal injury community which has been the inspiration and driving force behind the therapy development.”
The trial is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, The Clem Jones Foundation, Queensland Government, Nicola and Andrew Forrest, Brazil Family Foundation, Terry and Rhonda White, and Griffith University.
A new study has investigated hundreds of videos and images taken by the public, tourism operators and scientists to better understand a rarely studied behaviour among whales and dolphins – do they actually “play” together, or is it more of a one-sided relationship?
Led by Griffith University’s Whales & Climate Program lead, Dr Olaf Meynecke, the study analysed instances of baleen whale and dolphin interactions involving 19 species in 199 separate and unrelated interactions, documented by photographs and videos from 17 locations around the world.
Published in Discover Animals, Dr Meynecke said the findings demonstrated a quarter of these interactions can be defined as a mutual interaction.
“And in particular for humpback whales, we found that for one-third of the events the behavioural responses towards the dolphins appear positive. The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, undertaking belly presentation and other behaviours that are associated with courtship or friendly socialising.”
Dr Olaf Meynecke
“Whales also strategically moved slowly in the direction of the dolphins with their head and rostrum.
Bow-riding bottlenose dolphin with humpback whales off the Australian coast. Credit: Roving media
“The vast majority of the observed interactions did not show avoidance behaviour.
“We were in particular interested to document the whales’ reactions and responses toward the dolphins’ as commonly dolphins are described to harass and annoy the whales.”
Co-author and Masters graduate Olivia Crawley said: “When you’re out on the water, you often see whales and dolphins interacting and as a scientist, you can’t help but wonder why.
“Having the opportunity to document these observations and observe some of the behavioural patterns like bow riding by dolphins and close touches was intriguing.
“I hope that this study can serve as a foundation for future studies.”
Within each interaction, the authors noted the species of the whale and dolphin, the date and time of the interaction, the location, the number of animals involved, the age class, and the relative position of the dolphins in relation to the whale´s main body parts (rostrum or the ‘beak’, flank, and fluke or tail).
The most common whale-dolphin interaction involved dolphins swimming near the whale’s rostrum, akin to bow riding, which could indicate an energy-efficient mode of locomotion and a form of one-sided play by dolphins.
In total the documented interactions included 425 baleen whales from six different species, with humpback whales dominating (68%) then grey whales (16%) and fin whales (7%).
An estimated 1570 dolphins were observed, with bottlenose dolphins (51%), common dolphin (17%) and pacific wide-sided dolphins (15%) dominating.
Adults formed the largest number of documented interactions, however a whale calf was present in 44 events, and dolphin calf in 53 events. Both whale and dolphin calves were present in 21 occasions.
A fin whale with bow-riding dolphins off the coast of England. Credit: Dan Abbott
The whale species responded differently to the dolphin behaviour; humpback whales moved their pectoral fin toward the dolphins (172 counts) while grey whales were often rolling (56 counts) and southern right whales displayed pectoral slaps (5 counts out of 10 separate events).
Physical percussive behaviours that could indicate aggressive responses toward dolphins such as tail slaps (18 counts) or head slaps (none) were least observed for humpback whales.
Two videos from suction camera tags on humpback whales also showed bottlenose dolphins following humpback whales not only on the surface but also to the ocean floor where they continued engaging in close approaches including possible touching and social play.
“While social play is cooperative and reciprocal, there is also one-sided play or interaction, with only one participant perceiving the interaction as playful, as seen in cases of teasing or harassment by dolphins during feeding events,” Dr Meynecke said.
“Behavioural studies of marine mammals such as these provide insight into their complex social structures, play a crucial role in enhancing our understanding of marine ecosystems and the interactions among marine species.”
Workplace health programs often fail, and Griffith University research uncovered it is not due to lack of staff interest, but because of entrenched organisational barriers that limit staff participation.
Research Fellow from the Griffith Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing Dr Charlotte Brakenridge.
Researchers investigated the barriers to engagement with critical wellness initiatives in call centres, which are a major global industry and include call operators in insurance and banking, health and abuse hotline workers, and emergency dispatchers.
Lead author from the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing Dr Charlotte Brakenridge said while wellness programs were available, employees often lacked the time, space, and support required to engage meaningfully.
“Staff need dedicated time and organisational support to participate in wellness initiatives in office-based environments,” Dr Brakenridge said.
Despite strong motivation among workers to adopt healthier behaviours, the research identified persistent barriers including:
Excessive workloads and long hours
Unsupportive or controlling management
Poor job security
Pressure to avoid breaks or sick leave
Inadequate facilities, equipment, or sit-stand desks
Noisy or unsupportive work environments
Low energy and preference to rest after work
These factors contributed to negative health outcomes such as weight gain, depression, musculoskeletal discomfort, and unhealthy coping mechanisms including poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and alcohol use.
The findings highlighted successful health promotion strategies needed to address the broader organisational context and not just individual behaviours.
“A whole-of-workplace approach is essential,” Dr Brakenridge said.
“This includes fostering a supportive culture, active manager involvement, peer encouragement, and allocating time for staff to engage in wellness activities.
“Workplaces should include diverse and engaging communication strategies, such as posters, events, presentations, and social media, rather than relying solely on email.
“Supportive co-workers consistently emerged as a key positive influence which helped staff to manage stress and encouraged participation in health initiatives.”
Arthropods, including insects and spiders, make up the vast majority of animal species on the planet.
Despite their small size they are irreplaceable contributors to the health of natural habitats, as well as vital food sources for birds and other larger animals.
Credit: Adam Sharp
But, arthropods may be declining globally. There is some evidence to support reduced numbers of species in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In the tropics, however, evidence for arthropod declines has so far been limited.
A recent international collaboration of scientists has attempted to find this missing evidence, with the findings published in Nature.
The team, including Professors Emeriti Roger Kitching and Nigel Stork from Griffith University’s School of the Environment and Science, conducted a whole-of-tropics analysis on tropical forest insects and their relatives and the ecological roles that they perform.
Combining information from over 80 previous studies in tropical forest sites that have never been commercially altered by humans, the team found significant biodiversity loss in multiple types of arthropod, including butterflies, beetles and spiders.
The biodiversity loss matched drops in the amount of live leaf material consumed by arthropods over time, and substantial instability in the amount of dead leaves decomposed by arthropods.
“To find such large declines over many studies is really bad news,” said Dr Adam Sharp, first author and data analyst from Hong Kong University.
“Our results suggest strongly that the immense biodiversity of tropical forest arthropods is immediately threatened. “
Dr Adam Sharp
“Since all of the data we used comes from forest considered ‘untouched’, even the deepest and darkest tropical forests are likely to be heavily impacted.”
The team link climate change to the declines in arthropods and their respective ecological roles. The tropics experience natural but irregular year-to-year variation in climate, driven by an atmospheric phenomenon called the El Niño Southern Oscillation – ENSO. Long-term changes to the ENSO cycle, caused by climate change, are likely behind the observed arthropod declines.
Arthropods can be highly sensitive to ENSO, with different arthropod types coming and going during the opposing El Niño and La Niña stages of the cycle.
While there is considerable difference in effect across the tropics, El Niño conditions are often hot and dry while La Niña conditions are often cooler and wetter.
Credit: Adam Sharp
They should usually strike a balance such that no arthropods ever disappear completely – but the El Niño part of the ENSO cycle is becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change.
“We believe that changes to El Niño occurrence are causing widespread arthropod declines,” said corresponding author Dr Mike Boyle.
“In these tropical forests that haven’t otherwise been physically modified by humans we can rule out habitat loss, pesticides, pollution and various other threats. In these places El Niño seems to be the prime suspect.”
Indeed, the team found the largest declines in arthropods occurred in those that favour La Niña conditions. If El Niño is becoming detrimental due to climate change, then its occurrence is sure to further chip away at arthropod biodiversity into the future.
“Arthropods are essential components of functioning ecosystems, carrying out vital processes including decomposition, herbivory and pollination,” said University of Hong Kong Associate Professor Louise Ashton.
“We must better understand how nature is shifting and what is happening to arthropods and their ecosystem processes in response to environmental change.
Co-author Professor Roger Kitching from Griffith University said: “The crucial message for Australia is the need to monitor the biodiversity in our rainforests – revisiting previous surveys is the key.”
The international team continue their research at forest sites across Hong Kong and Mainland China, Australia and Malaysia.
Recent findings, made by Griffith University researchers, show that early hominins made a major deep-sea crossing to reach the Indonesian island of Sulawesi much earlier than previously established, based on the discovery of stone tools dating to at least 1.04 million years ago at the Early Pleistocene (or ‘Ice Age’) site of Calio.
Excavations at Calio in southern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Credit: BRIN
A field team led by Hakim excavated a total of seven stone artefacts from the sedimentary layers of a sandstone outcrop in a modern corn field at the southern Sulawesi location.
Professor Adam Brumm.
In the Early Pleistocene, this would have been the site of hominin tool-making and other activities such as hunting, in the vicinity of a river channel.
The Calio artefacts consist of small, sharp-edged fragments of stones (flakes) that the early human tool-makers struck from larger pebbles that had most likely been obtained from nearby riverbeds.
The Griffith-led team used palaeomagnetic dating of the sandstone itself and direct-dating of an excavated pig fossil, to confirm an age of at least 1.04 million years for the artefacts.
Previously, Professor Brumm’s team had revealed evidence for hominin occupation in this archipelago, known as Wallacea, from at least 1.02 million years ago, based on the presence of stone tools at Wolo Sege on the island of Flores, and by around 194 thousand years ago at Talepu on Sulawesi.
The island of Luzon in the Philippines, to the north of Wallacea, had also yielded evidence of hominins from around 700,000 years ago.
“This discovery adds to our understanding of the movement of extinct humans across the Wallace Line, a transitional zone beyond which unique and often quite peculiar animal species evolved in isolation,” Professor Brumm said.
Map of Southeast Asia showing the location of Calio in southern Sulawesi.
“It’s a significant piece of the puzzle, but the Calio site has yet to yield any hominin fossils; so while we now know there were tool-makers on Sulawesi a million years ago, their identity remains a mystery.”
Stone tools dated to over 1.04mya, scale bars are 10mm. Credit: M W Moore
The original discovery of Homo floresiensis (the ‘hobbit’) and subsequent 700,000-year-old fossils of a similar small-bodied hominin on Flores, also led by Professor Brumm’s team, suggested that it could have been Homo erectus that breached the formidable marine barrier between mainland Southeast Asia to inhabit this small Wallacean island, and, over hundreds of thousands of years, underwent island dwarfism.
Professor Brumm said his team’s recent find on Sulawesi has led him to wonder what might have happened to Homo erectus on an island more than 12 times the size of Flores?
“Sulawesi is a wild card – it’s like a mini-continent in itself,” he said.
“If hominins were cut off on this huge and ecologically rich island for a million years, would they have undergone the same evolutionary changes as the Flores hobbits? Or would something totally different have happened?”
