From the New York Times bestselling author of Fermat's Last Theorem, "an extraordinary story"( Philadelphia Inquirer) of discovery, evolution, science, and faith.In 1929, French Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a part of a group of scientists that uncovered a skull that became known as Peking Man, a key evolutionary link that left Teilhard torn between science and his ancient faith, and would leave him ostracized by his beloved Catholic Church. His struggle is at the heart of The Jesuit and the Skull, which takes readers across continents and cultures in a fascinating exploration of one of the twentieth century's most important discoveries, and one of the world's most provocative pieces of evidence in the roiling debate between creationism and evolution.