But the legal frameworks are minimum standards, not ideal ones, and the ethical questions surrounding ancient DNA research on Indigenous ancestors go beyond what any current law requires.

The fundamental ethical challenge is this: the people whose ancestors’ remains are being studied — Indigenous communities in Brazil, in other South American countries, in North America, and elsewhere — have specific interests in how those ancestors are treated, how the research is conducted, how the findings are reported and used, and what happens to the genetic data that is generated.

Those interests deserve respect, and the scientific community has not always provided that respect.

Early ancient DNA research in the Americas sometimes proceeded without meaningful consultation with or consent from the Indigenous communities most directly connected to the individuals being studied.