Suppose, for example, someone were to find a living population of organisms previously known only from fossils, organisms that had supposedly been extinct for many millions of years, what would happen? Or suppose a fossil find turned out to be a hoax, what would happen? Would AEN be falsified? We don't have to wonder. We know what happened when the coelacanth was found, and when Wollemia was found.

Nothing apocalyptic would happen. The fossil record is a massive jigsaw full of both wonderful evidence for evolution and huge, gaping holes. It isn't some linear thing that can be totally disrupted by a single new unexpected discovery or refutation. Science actually welcomes such things. Perhaps you'll tell us what this post is driving at.