They could not sequence the full mitochondrial genome.

They could not determine what haplogroup the Windover individuals belonged to — the classification of mitochondrial DNA sequences into broad family groups that has become a standard tool for studying population history.

They could not compare the Windover genome to a reference database of global human diversity, because such a database did not exist.

The 1986 paper was significant not because it answered questions about the population history of the Windover people, but because it demonstrated that useful DNA could be recovered from wet-site ancient tissue — a finding that had not been established before and that opened a new avenue for ancient DNA research.

The previous demonstrations of ancient DNA recovery had involved dried tissue.