The ancestors of the ancient 'hobbits' who once lived on the Indonesian island of Flores were not the only early hominins to cross deep ocean barriers more than a million years ago.

A team of archaeologists from Indonesia and Australia has now discovered the tools of a mysterious neighbor who resided on the island of Sulawesi to the north around the same time, if not earlier.

"It's highly unlikely these early hominins had the cognitive capacity (especially the ability for advanced planning) required to invent boats," archaeologist and co-lead of the expedition, Adam Brumm, told ScienceAlert.

"It is more likely that hominins got to Sulawesi by accident, most probably as a result of 'rafting' on natural vegetation mats. It's thought rodents and monkeys made overwater crossings from th

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