Approximately 5,500 years ago, in the region surrounding Lake Baikal in southern Siberia and northern Mongolia, groups of nomadic humans lived primarily engaged in fishing, hunting, and gathering wild fruits. These communities were still in the Paleolithic period, having not yet adopted agriculture or settled into permanent cities, which had begun to emerge in the Middle East and spread across Europe. It was previously assumed that such environments were free from two major challenges faced by early human settlements: violence and disease. While the former might have been absent, recent research has revealed that these communities were not immune to the latter.
According to a study published in the prestigious journal *Nature*, researchers identified the oldest known outbreak of plague in this area. The bacteria responsible, *Yersinia pestis*, lacked certain genetic traits that would later contribute to its high virulence but was still potent enough to cause significant mortality, particularly among children. This discovery was made possible through the analysis of ancient DNA extracted from the teeth of approximately fifty human remains, some over 5,500 years old, preserved in museums and institutions since the 1980s under the Baikal Archaeology Project.
Ruairidh Macleod, a researcher in ancient DNA (paleogenomics) at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, highlighted the unusual pattern of mortality observed in the specific archaeological site called Ust’-Ida. There was a notable excess of deceased children and adolescents without clear explanations for their deaths. No evidence of pre-mortem violence or skeletal trauma could account for these early fatalities.
Archaeologists suspected that ancient DNA could provide answers to this mystery. By examining the roots of each tooth from the remains, they were able to extract and purify the DNA. Their findings revealed that 39% of the samples contained traces of *Yersinia pestis*, the bacterium causing plague. This prevalence was higher than even during the worst periods of the Black Death in the Middle Ages.
Eske Willerslev, a professor at the universities of Copenhagen and Cambridge and senior author of the study, noted that this finding represents the oldest identified genome of plague. Previously, the earliest known cases of the plague were found in Northern Europe, but they date back only half a millennium more recently. The significance of this discovery extends beyond merely being the oldest outbreak; it allows researchers to directly link evidence of plague with elevated mortality rates.
Most previous studies of ancient DNA focused on European prehistoric populations. Professor Willerslev pointed out that there were reasons to believe that large infectious disease outbreaks were more associated with Neolithic agricultural lifestyles rather than hunter-gatherer societies. However, the cases of plague discovered here differ significantly: instead of isolated incidents, they represent genuine outbreaks affecting numerous individuals.
The question of why children were predominantly affected puzzled archaeologists who unearthed these remains in the past century. Only genetics, specifically paleogenomics developed in this century, could provide an answer. By analyzing the genome of *Y. pestis*, researchers did not find a gene called *ymt*. This gene introduced fleas into the equation, allowing the bacteria to spread more effectively. The natural reservoir of the bacteria includes several species of rodents, suggesting that the initial transmission likely came from these animals before spreading to humans.
In the region around Lake Baikal, the presence of *Yersinia pestis* was detected in 18 out of 46 examined individuals, indicating a higher prevalence than seen in some medieval plague grave sites. Researchers estimate that the infection corresponds to two distinct outbreaks separated by several centuries. The ability to correlate infection patterns with the DNA of victims allowed scientists to understand how the disease impacted these communities in real-time, painting a vivid picture of how deaths might have occurred.
For example, in one burial site affected by plague, three young girls estimated to be between four and nine years old were buried together, with at least two of them being third-degree relatives (likely cousins). This suggests a scenario where three children from the same family died around the same time, given the indistinguishable dating of each skeleton. In another tomb containing the DNA of the disease, a nephew and aunt were buried together, both infected. In these collective burials, there are also instances of siblings (in one case, a brother and sister) buried simultaneously, though only one of the skeletons carried the microbial DNA.
In the two cemeteries where the plague bacterium was detected multiple times, there is a clear predominance of children. The most common age range among those buried falls between seven and eleven years old, while the 20-25 year-old bracket shows the lowest mortality rate in one cemetery, and no burials of individuals aged 20 to 35 years are recorded in the other. Additionally, the study indicates that the genetic characteristics of the strain might have made it more dangerous for younger individuals, a trait absent in contemporary strains.
These findings challenge existing assumptions about the origins and early impact of one of humanity's most devastating pathogens. They suggest that the plague may have originated in Central Asia or Northeastern Asia and spread to the entire Eurasian continent. The discovery highlights the importance of understanding the historical context of diseases and their evolution over time, providing insights into how human societies interacted with pathogens throughout history.
6 reports
El PaísIndependent🔒CenterFactual 90Objective 8516 days agoResearchers have discovered the oldest known outbreak of plague in the region around Lake Baikal in Siberia, dating back approximately 5,500 years. The study, published in the journal Nature, indicates that the bacterium responsible for the plague lacked some of the genes that later contributed to its high virulence but was still lethal, particularly to children. The findings were based on archaeological evidence from the Ust’-Ida site, which showed an unusual pattern of mortality with a significant number of child and adolescent deaths.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific research without overt ideological framing. It focuses on historical and biological findings, using neutral language and citing academic sources. There is no clear emphasis on political implications or partisan perspectives.
Why these scores (Factual 90 · Objective 85): This article is highly accurate and well-aligned with the primary source. It presents the findings objectively, clearly distinguishing between what was discovered and what remains inferred. The language is neutral and informative.
N1 SlovenijaIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 8015 days agoA new discovery in Siberia suggests that plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, may have affected human populations much earlier than previously believed. Analysis of ancient DNA from burial sites in southern Siberia has revealed previously unknown strains of the disease dating back approximately 5,500 years. This challenges previous assumptions that the plague became infectious and spread among humans only around 3,800 years ago.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific findings without overt ideological framing. It focuses on the implications of the discovery for historical understanding of the plague, citing peer-reviewed research published in 'Nature'. The tone remains neutral, emphasizing the significance of the findings without
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 80): This article closely aligns with the primary source, accurately reporting the discovery of the earliest known Yersinia pestis strains in Siberia. It presents the information neutrally, though it does emphasize the significance of the finding more than strictly necessary.
Folha de S.PauloIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 8016 days agoA research study published in the journal Nature reveals that the earliest known plague outbreak occurred 5,500 years ago in Siberian hunter-gatherer communities, significantly impacting children. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the spread of plague, suggesting it did not rely on fleas or high population densities associated with agricultural villages. The study was led by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the University of Oxford, and other institutions.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific findings without overt ideological framing. It focuses on historical disease patterns and does not take a stance on contemporary political issues. The language remains neutral, emphasizing the academic nature of the discovery and its implications for understanding the
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 80): The article accurately summarizes the study's findings and provides proper attribution to the researchers involved. It maintains an objective tone throughout, though it occasionally emphasizes the historical impact of the discovery slightly more than strictly needed.
TVN24IndependentCenterFactual 80Objective 7516 days agoA recent study has revealed that the earliest known plague epidemic occurred over five thousand years ago in Siberia, affecting hunter-gatherer communities around Lake Baikal. Researchers analyzed DNA from four burial sites and identified the oldest known strains of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague. The findings suggest that the disease originated in Central Asia or Northeastern Asia, with marmots serving as the initial hosts. The study also highlights that two-thirds of those who died were under 15 years old, indicating a high mortality rate among children and teenagers.
Bias read (Center): The article discusses scientific research on an ancient plague outbreak, focusing on historical data and biological findings. There is no political framing, ideological emphasis, or biased language present. The content remains purely factual and neutral.
Why these scores (Factual 80 · Objective 75): The article provides accurate details about the study and its implications but includes some interpretive language suggesting the plague was 'particularly dangerous' for children, which is slightly inferential rather than explicitly stated in the primary source.
El MundoIndependent🔒CenterFactual 75Objective 7016 days agoA new study published in the journal Nature reveals evidence of deadly plague outbreaks among hunter-gatherer communities 5,500 years ago. Researchers sequenced DNA from human remains found in four cemeteries near Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia. By analyzing genetic data alongside archaeological findings and radiocarbon dating, they reconstructed how different plagues affected the region's populations. The lead author, Eske Willerslev, suggests that the plague originated in Central Asian hunter-gatherer communities and that mass mortality outbreaks were likely common, challenging the notion of
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific research without overt ideological framing. It focuses on historical disease patterns and does not take a stance on contemporary political issues.
Why these scores (Factual 75 · Objective 70): The article accurately reports the discovery of ancient plague DNA in Siberia but contains some speculative statements not directly supported by the primary source, such as the claim that the Black Death originated in Central Asian hunter-gatherer communities. The tone is somewhat sensationalized.
Proto ThemaIndependentCenterFactual 70Objective 6516 days agoResearchers have discovered ancient DNA from human remains found at four locations around Lake Baikal in Siberia, revealing the presence of the oldest known strains of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis. These findings suggest that hunter-gatherer communities living in the region approximately 5,500 years ago were victims of an early epidemic of bubonic plague, which was particularly deadly for children and adolescents. The genetic characteristics of this ancient strain differ from modern forms of the pathogen.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific research findings without apparent ideological framing. It focuses on archaeological and biological discoveries with no political implications or biased language.
Why these scores (Factual 70 · Objective 65): The article is factually sound but lacks clarity due to incomplete translation and formatting issues. It also uses emotionally charged terms like 'trzebiła ludzkość' which introduces bias not present in the primary source.
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