Lethal plague outbreaks in Lake Baikal hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago
Ancient DNA evidence pushes back the timeline of plague outbreaks by thousands of years
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The brief
Researchers have discovered that hunter-gatherers in Siberia were afflicted by plague outbreaks as far back as 5,500 years ago. Coverage from ScienceDaily, Smithsonian Magazine, and The New York Times emphasizes the significance of this finding in rewriting the history of plague outbreaks.
The Economist and CNN highlight the role of ancient DNA in uncovering this new timeline. The next steps involve further analysis of ancient DNA to understand the evolution and spread of the plague.
Coverage does not yet specify the methods used to extract and analyze the ancient DNA.
Synthesized by Archynetys from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 4h ago.
Quick answers
What is the significance of this discovery?
This discovery pushes back the timeline of known plague outbreaks by thousands of years, providing new insights into the history and evolution of the disease.
Where were the plague outbreaks discovered?
The outbreaks were discovered among hunter-gatherers in the Lake Baikal region of Siberia.
What role did ancient DNA play in this discovery?
Ancient DNA extracted from remains in the region revealed the presence of plague, dating back over 5,500 years.
Coverage (11)
- Ancient teeth from Siberia rewrite the plague’s timeline, dating back to over 5,500 years ago AP News · 1d ago
- Ancient DNA reveals plague was already killing humans 5,500 years ago ScienceDaily · 1d ago
- New Discovery That Hunter-Gatherer Children Died of Plague More Than Five Millennia Ago Sets Back the Date of the Earliest Outbreak Smithsonian Magazine · 1d ago
- A Deadly Outbreak of Plague, Nearly 5,000 Years Before the Black Death The New York Times · 1d ago
- New evidence of origin of the black death a ‘complete surprise’ experts say Global News · 1d ago
- Hunter-gatherers in Siberia died of a plague outbreak 5,500 years ago Ars Technica · 1d ago
- Ancient DNA is rewriting the history of plague The Economist · 2d ago
- Ancient graves held a grim mystery. DNA revealed the oldest known plague outbreaks. The Washington Post · 2d ago
- Ancient teeth from Siberia rewrite the plague’s timeline, dating back to over 5,500 years ago ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos · 2d ago
- Hunter-gatherer cemeteries reveal an ancient plague’s earliest known victims CNN · 2d ago
- Lethal plague outbreaks in Lake Baikal hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago Nature · 2d ago