This chapter follows a young scientist as she sets out on a research project to solve the mystery of the unusual chiffchaffs in the Ural Mountains using genomic analysis. It walks the reader through the different steps involved in field work and genomic analysis, highlighting the choices that the researcher must make at each stage. The chapter describes how biological samples are collected and stored and how DNA is extracted from samples. It then explains the various steps involved in extracting useful information from DNA, discussing key techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing in detail. The resolution of the chiffchaff mystery finally leads to a broader examination of hybrids and hybrid zones, as well as their evolutionary importance.