An international team led by Michel Brunet announced the discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a 6-7 million-year-old fossil from Chad. This find, one of the oldest known hominids, dated close to the split between the human and chimpanzee lineages. The discovery of a nearly complete skull was of major significance, though its exact place on the human family tree continues to be debated.

The discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis has pushed back the timeline of human origins and expanded the geographic scope of early hominid evolution into Central Africa. This find has inspired poets to think about the deep roots of humanity in the African continent, challenging a more East African-centric narrative of our evolution. The skull, nicknamed 'Toumaï,' has become a powerful symbol for the earliest known member of the human family, a tangible link to a time just after our divergence from chimpanzees.