“Museumomics” techniques allow backwards looks into ancient DNA, and re incredible. Applications include looking for better ways to deal with Tasmanian devils and a viral cancer sweeping through the remaining devils. For a good, recent summary article of the science that allow backwards looks into ancient DNA, see this free June 1, 2105 article in The Scientist, titled “What’s Old Is New Again,” by Bob Grant. Comparing old to new helps researchers understand how evolution occurred, and to frame better questions and hypotheses about where biologic systems fall into mistakes that are part of the processes that lead to some of the diseases we fear, and litigate.