The search for ancient DNA, the meaning of fossils, and paleontology in the modern evolutionary synthesis

Reflecting on the history of paleontology, historian Martin Rudwick claimed, "The 'meaning' of fossils has been seen in many different ways in different periods." This insight rings true today as the search for ancient DNA has provided a deeper meaning of the term fossil and offered paleontology a more expansive role in the molecular age. In this work, I provide a historical account of ancient DNA research from 1984 to1999 and discuss the implications of ancient DNA research as a new approach to fossil studies for the science of paleontology. The emergence of ancient DNA research over the past several decades has introduced a fresh and quantitative methodology for studying fossils and a new means through which to discover and decipher our evolutionary past. Ancient DNA research has revolutionized how scientists view and study ancient and fossil specimens. In doing so, the search for ancient DNA has transformed what was once a purely historical approach to fossil studies into a more experimental one. In this thesis, I argue that the early history of ancient DNA research, when appropriately situated in the overall history of paleontology, is best understood as an extension and realization of the modern evolutionary synthesis and a step toward bridging the gap between historical and experimental science.