Multi-proxy fingerprinting, absolute dating, and large-scale modelling of Quaternary climate-volcano-environment impacts in southern Australasia

The remarkable adaptability of the dwarf hominin Homo floresiensis (the Hobbit) is highlighted by its survival for tens of millennia in the island world of southern Australasia. Knowing the potential role of environmental impacts and human competition in its recent demise is central to understanding human history. We will combine cutting-edge geochemical microanalysis of precisely dated speleothems with sophisticated climate modelling to quantify the impact of climatic extremes, explosive volcanic eruptions, and environmental turning points on human history over the past 200,000 years. Ground-breaking outcomes will provide new benchmarks for gauging abrupt climate change, volcanic disasters, and the innate adaptive capabilities of humans.