Piltdown
The term "Piltdown" refers to a famous archaeological hoax that took place in the early 20th century. In 1912, a skull and jawbone were discovered in Piltdown, England, which were claimed to be the remains of a previously unknown early human ancestor. This find was significant because it seemed to support the theory of human evolution.
However, in 1953, scientists revealed that the Piltdown Man was a forgery. The skull was actually a combination of human and orangutan bones, artificially aged to appear ancient. This discovery discredited the findings and highlighted the importance of rigorous scientific verification in the study of paleoanthropology.