Computational analysis of the resulting sequence data was calibrated to account for the characteristic chemical modifications that occur during DNA degradation.

And statistical methods for relationship inference were applied to the resulting genetic information to compare the hair sample’s autosomal profile with Ernie LaPointe’s.

The fact that this worked — that the combination of laboratory technique and computational analysis could extract enough useful genetic information from badly degraded hair to make meaningful relationship inferences — is the scientific contribution of the study that will matter beyond this specific case.

Researchers studying museum collections of historical biological material, archaeologists working with ancient specimens, and forensic scientists working with degraded biological evidence in legal contexts all have interest in methods that can extend the range of material amenable to genetic analysis.