A study published in the journal 'Science' has provided the first molecular evidence that smallpox was introduced to the Americas during the colonial period by Europeans. Researchers analyzed the genetic material of smallpox viruses extracted from mummified remains of indigenous people in northern Chile, dated between the late 15th and early 17th centuries. The findings confirm previous assumptions about the spread of the disease and show that the virus belonged to a now-extinct lineage of variola virus, which evolved between medieval European strains and those circulating in later centuries. Smallpox played a major role in the catastrophic population decline of Indigenous peoples across North, Central, and South America after European contact, causing an estimated three to four million deaths, possibly more.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific research findings without overt ideological framing. It focuses on historical epidemiology and does not take a stance on contemporary political issues, nor does it favor any particular group or ideology. The language is neutral, and the content is based on academic,考古
