The expanded radiocarbon dating program that characterized the 2012 work was conducted specifically because the original program was insufficient to answer the stratigraphic integrity concerns.

The fecal lipid biomarker analysis reported in 2020 was developed specifically because the DNA evidence alone was insufficient to answer the coprolite identity concerns.

The independent blind testing of additional specimens was done specifically because the original analysis needed independent verification.

Without the criticism, there would have been no incentive to do any of this additional work.

The 2008 paper, left unchallenged, would have remained a remarkable claim with insufficient supporting evidence.

The challenge forced the researchers to build the much stronger evidentiary case that now exists.