Oldest plague evidence found in 5,500-year-old Siberian child graves, study reveals
By
Evan Bush
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
A new study published in Nature reveals the oldest evidence of a plague outbreak ever found, discovered in prehistoric graves of children in Siberia dating back 5,500 years. Genetic testing on skeletons' teeth found DNA of the plague-causing bacterium in about 40% of remains from multiple generations of hunter-gatherers, rewriting the history of one of humanity's most consequential diseases.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIn prehistoric graves of children in Siberia, scientists have found the world's oldest evidence of a plague outbreak.
The discovery, described in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, rewrites the history of one of the most consequential diseases in human history.
When researchers did genetic testing on the skeletons' teeth, they found DNA of the bacterium that causes plague in about 40%.
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