Baobabs are distinctive, long-living trees with a significant place in cultural traditions and art. Despite being the subject of numerous stories, their origin has remained a mystery. Recent research published in Nature suggests that baobabs likely originated in Madagascar, where they diversified into different species before two of them dispersed to mainland Africa and Australia. This study revealed the impact of ecological factors on baobabs' distribution and highlighted conservation concerns, particularly for the Malagasy species with low genetic diversity. The findings also shed light on the detrimental effects of human activity on the unique flora and fauna of Madagascar.