This matters because the Neanderthal fossil record extends back further than reliable ancient DNA recovery.

For specimens older than roughly 400,000 years, ancient proteomics may be the only molecular tool available.

For Shanidar Z at 75,000 years old, ancient DNA recovery is theoretically possible, though the cave environment and the specific preservation conditions of the remains affect the probability.

The Cambridge team has been appropriately cautious about what molecular analysis may eventually be possible from this specimen.

But the broader development of ancient proteomics as a field means that future analyses of Neanderthal and early modern human specimens may be able to address questions — about species identification, phylogenetic relationships, and individual biology — that were previously inaccessible.