... I know that beggars can't be choosers when it comes to locating such rarities as Earhart DNA, but it just seems to be quite a leap for TIGHAR to let them jump on the band wagon (a very expensive one at that) with such an iffy sample. I guess what I was getting at was that I hope they're buying ($$) in to the project as well. ...
Since the DNA testing is destructive, the folks donating the hair samples are making a valuable contribution to the effort.
They are also staking the value of the remaining hair on the outcome of the test. If they win the bet, the value of their sample goes way up; if they lose the bet, the locks of hair become worthless.
Meanwhile, TIGHAR gains a very important DNA baseline if either sample is accredited by the test--possibly even AE's own DNA, if I understood what Ric was saying. The cash outlay is actually quite small compared to the value of the information that may be obtained. I don't know what the actual numbers are, but TIGHAR has invested many millions of dollars in the various and sundry AE expeditions. The lab tests are a pittance compared to that total investment.
(If anybody wants to contribute to the pittance needed for these or other lab tests, there is a
donation form on the website.)
Marty