  The latest cosmological constraints on the sum of the neutrino masses depend
on prior physical assumptions about the mass spectrum. To test the accordance
of cosmological and laboratory constraints in the absence of such priors, we
introduce an effective neutrino mass parameter that extends consistently to
negative values. For the $\Lambda$CDM model, we analyze data from Planck, ACT,
and DESI and find a $2.8-3.3\sigma$ tension with the constraints from
oscillation experiments. Motivated by recent hints of evolving dark energy, we
analyze the $w_0w_a$ and mirage dark energy models, showing that they favour
larger masses consistent with laboratory data, respectively $\sum
m_{\nu,\mathrm{eff}} = 0.06_{-0.10}^{+0.15}\,\mathrm{eV}$ and $\sum
m_{\nu,\mathrm{eff}} = 0.04_{-0.11}^{+0.15}\,\mathrm{eV}$ (both at 68\%).
