Molecular paleontology
![A timeline demonstrating important dates in molecular paleontology. All of these dates are listed and specifically sourced in the History section under Timeline.[1][5][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]](/uploads/202501/27/Molecular_Paleontology_Timeline2119.jpg)
Molecular paleontology refers to the recovery and analysis of DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, or lipids, and their diagenetic products from ancient human, animal, and plant remains. The field of molecular paleontology has yielded important insights into evolutionary events, species' diasporas, the discovery and characterization of extinct species. By applying molecular analytical techniques to DNA in fossils, one can quantify the level of relatedness between any two organisms for which DNA has been recovered.