The so-called "missing link" is less about a single fossil and more about explaining how an ape-like ancestor became a modern human with abstract reasoning. The leaps often seem abrupt, leaving gaps that evolutionary theory alone struggles to fully bridge.
For centuries, humans have looked up at the stars and wondered about their place in the universe. Yet the strangest mystery may not lie out there, it might be us. Modern science has mapped out the tree of life with remarkable detail, but when it comes to humans, the story isn't as neat as we'd like. Despite sharing 98-99 per cent of our DNA with chimpanzees, the gap in intelligence, culture, and consciousness between us and our closest relatives remains staggering. This has led some scientists, philosophers, and speculative thinkers to ask: are humans truly the product of natural evolution, or could our origins be stranger, perhaps even hybrid in nature?