"An epic struggle between science and religion ended quietly this week.

I'm happy to report that science won. But it's troubling that it took an eight-year, multimillion-dollar legal fight with a government that was bent on siding with religion. On Monday, scientists won the right to study a 9,300-year-old skeleton called Kennewick Man when a group of Northwest Indian tribes and the federal government dropped the last of their legal appeals.

Get the Story:
Danny Westneat: We all own Kennewick Man's bones (The Seattle Times 7/21)

Court Decision:
BONNICHSEN v. US (February 4, 2004)

Relevant Links:
Kennewick Man, Department of Interior - http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/kennewick
Friends of America's Past - http://www.friendsofpast.org
Kennewick Man Virtual Interpretive Center, The Tri-City (Washington) Herald - http://www.kennewick-man.com (4/24)

Related Stories:
Tribes to seek restrictions on Kennewick Man study (7/20)
Tribes drop Kennewick Man claim in court (7/20)
Repatriation process criticized at Senate hearing (07/15)
Editorial: It's about time Kennewick Man case ends (04/29)
Tribes debate next step in Kennewick Man case (04/27)
Kennewick rehearing denied (4/21)
Court rules scientists can study Kennewick Man (02/05)
Kennewick Man battle back in court (9/8)
Tribes file opening brief in Kennewick Man case (03/19)
Appeals court asked to stop Kennewick Man tests (01/23)