Michael Hofreiter

TL;DR: The precautions and criteria necessary to ascertain to the greatest extent possible that results represent authentic ancient DNA sequences are discussed, which highlight some significant results and areas of promising future research.

TL;DR: Thealyses suggest that the Equus lineage giving rise to all contemporary horses, zebras and donkeys originated 4.0–4.5 million years before present, twice the conventionally accepted time to the most recent common ancestor of the genus Equus, and supports the contention that Przewalski's horses represent the last surviving wild horse population.

TL;DR: It is shown that DNA molecules amplified by PCR from DNA extracted from animal bones and teeth that vary in age between 25 000 and over 50 000 years carry C-->T and G-->A substitutions, which are due to the occurrence of modified deoxycytidine residues in the template DNA.

TL;DR: It is shown that climate has been a major driver of population change over the past 50,000 years, however, each species responds differently to the effects of climatic shifts, habitat redistribution and human encroachment.

TL;DR: It is argued here that researchers in this field must take a more cognitive and self-critical approach, and in place of checking criteria off lists, researchers must explain, in sufficient enough detail, how the data were obtained, and why they should be believed to be authentic.