Archaeological sites that were previously protected by frozen ground are now exposed by thawing and erosion — sometimes revealing material that would otherwise never have been accessible, but exposing it in conditions that cause rapid deterioration if it is not recovered and preserved quickly.

Ancient DNA and other biological molecules are among the most fragile of the materials at risk: once the permafrost thaws, the rate of DNA degradation accelerates rapidly, and the information that was preserved for tens of thousands of years can be lost within years or decades.

The urgency of this situation for Arctic archaeology is real and growing.

Research programs in Siberia and other permafrost regions are increasingly oriented toward identifying and sampling sites before the permafrost that protects them degrades beyond the point of scientific usefulness.

The window of opportunity for ancient DNA research from permafrost sites — a window that the Yana discovery has shown to be extraordinarily productive — is closing as the climate continues to warm.