Re: Planet of the New Papers

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> Weir, J.T., and Schluter, D. 2008. Calibrating the avian molecular clock.
> Molecular Ecology 17(10):2321-2328. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03742.x.
>
> ABSTRACT: Molecular clocks are widely used to date phylogenetic events, 
> yet
> evidence supporting the rate constancy of molecular clocks through time 
> and
> across taxonomic lineages is weak. Here, we present 90 candidate avian 
> clock
> calibrations obtained from fossils and biogeographical events.

Why do they even bother? Why don't they use a post-1995 method that can, you 
know, deal with rate variations and therefore doesn't require a strict clock 
in the first place?

Or what have I missed?