The Science of Reading Degraded Material

The methodological contribution of the Sitting Bull DNA study to the broader field of ancient and historical genetics deserves closer examination than the popular coverage of the study typically provides, because it illuminates both what the researchers accomplished and why it was genuinely difficult.

Hair preserved for more than a century presents a specific set of challenges that differ from the challenges of other types of ancient biological material.

Bone and teeth — the materials most commonly used in ancient DNA research — preserve DNA in the mineral matrix of the tissue itself, which provides some protection against the environmental factors that cause degradation.