Under the relentless sun of the Sahara, in the barren and deserted depths of Takarkori Cave, archaeologists have discovered a mystery that could shake the very foundations of our understanding of humanity. Two mummies, aged over 7,000 years, were discovered in an excellent condition of preservation. But what really surprises the scientific world is not the age of these women... Their DNA. Because this DNA doesn't match with any known human species. The study, published in Nature magazine on April 2, 2025, raises a fascinating theory: These women may belong to a forgotten branch of our human family tree, a parallel human genealogy that has been isolated behind the Sahara’s insurmountable natural barriers for thousands of years. Genetic analysis speaks for itself: No kinship links have been found between these individuals and the surrounding peoples. This genealogy may have deviated from modern humans some 60,000 years ago. What's even more surprising is that their DNA contains traces of Neanderthal—traces of an ancient world where different human species once met, perhaps loved, and mutilated. This journey through time was made possible thanks to the exceptional DNA preservation properties of a structure in the inner ear, known as “os pétreux” (fossil bone). Like a crumpled page sustained by the wind in the desert, a forgotten chapter in human evolution has opened us again.
