Call it a case of life imitating art. But in less than four week's time, Long Islanders will come face to face to the real-life version of Tolkein's "Hobbit", courtesy of Stony Brook University.

According to Fox News.com, a cast of "hobbit fossil" will go on display in the Staller Center for the Arts as part of the 7th annual Human Evolution Symposium.

The skeleton was discovered six years ago on the Island of Flores, in the Philippines. Dated to around 17,000 years BC, the skeleton is thought to be part of an extinct colony on the island chain.

The April 21st symposium is the product of Richard Leakey, conservator and middle son of Louis Leakey, of "Lucy" fame.

Said William Jungers, professor of anatomy at Stony Brook "We'll do our best to separate fact from fiction on the issues surrounding this prehistoric hominin, which has achieved international celebrity status."

Since the skeleton's discovery in 2003, the artifact has been a subject of immense controversy, splitting the scientific community into two groups: those who believe the skeleton is evidence of a separate humanoid species, and skeptics, who contend that the remains are evidence of microcephaly--an unusually small head.

In addition to Leakey and Jungers, the convocation of academics includes Micheal Morwood of Australia and Thomas Sutikna of Jakarta, Indonesia.

The event is open to the public. For more information, visit www.stonybrook.edu/tbi.