It is not the oldest claim in the pre-Clovis literature, and it is not without its own remaining uncertainties.

But the combination of directly dated coprolites, independent DNA testing, expanded radiocarbon chronology, associated artifacts, and fecal lipid biomarkers makes it among the most methodologically robust contributions to the pre-Clovis evidence base.

Why the Critics Were Right to Ask

It is tempting, in telling the story of how the Paisley evidence survived scientific scrutiny, to frame the critics as obstacles who tried and failed to undermine a discovery that was correct all along.

That framing would be both unfair and misleading.