From Molecules to Millennia: Advances & Challenges in Phylogenetic Dating

As high-throughput sequencing techniques continue to advance, an increasing amount of genetic information across all branches of the tree of life is being generated. With the introduction of the molecular clock hypothesis, we are now capable not only of making inferences about genetic divergence based on the number of differing mutations between sequences but also of estimating divergence in terms of absolute time units. Since then, numerous conceptual and methodological advancements have facilitated bridging the gap between genetic data and temporal divergence, jumping from molecules to millennia. Nevertheless, many challenges still remain that need to be addressed to form a more comprehensive understanding of evolution as a function of time.