How quick could H. erectus become H. floresiensis?

The research team ran almost 10,000 computer model simulations, using random combinations of various parameters. For the bulk of the simulations, it took fewer than 500 generations for a full-size H. erectus species to evolve into the smaller H. floresiensis species. The most frequent outcome – in more than 600 model runs – was around 280 generations, or just over 4,000 years.

Chart: The Conversation CC-BY-ND Source: Diniz-Filho et al, Biology Letters 2019