The curse of Toumaï: an ancient skull, a disputed femur and a bitter feud over humanity’s origins

Back in 2001, a team of scientists uncovered a fossilized skull in Chad’s Djurab Desert that some believed could rewrite the story of human evolution. Dubbed "Toumaï," the skull sparked excitement—but also a fierce, decades-long feud among scholars. Some hailed it as a missing link in our ancestry, while others dismissed it as irrelevant. The debate has since devoured careers, friendships, and reputations, turning what should’ve been a scientific breakthrough into a bitter academic battleground.