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The Discovery of Ancient Plague Outbreak The earliest evidence for an outbreak of plague has been uncovered at late stone age cemeteries in south-eastern Siberia where dozens of hunter-gatherers and their children were buried. Ancient DNA collected from the remains suggests the disease tore through the sparse communities in devastating waves that began about 5,500 years ago, at least two centuries after the bacterium responsible, Yersinia pestis, first emerged. The Spread of Disease Among Hunter-Gatherers The hunter-gatherers probably became infected after butchering or eating raw marmots, a risky practice that still causes plague deaths today. After spilling over from the chunky ground squirrels, the primary animal reservoir in the area, the disease spread from person to person, decimating families and others in close contact. The Impact on Children and Communities While older hunter-gatherers might have survived past brushes with the disease and gained some immunity, young children were exceptionally vulnerable. At least two-thirds of the dead at two of the cemeteries were under 15 years old. Many who died shared graves with siblings or other family members. The Analysis of Ancient DNA The international team, including researchers in Copenhagen, Alberta, Cambridge and London, analysed dental pulp in the teeth of skeletons excavated from the cemeteries. Tests on 42 hunter-gatherers buried at four cemeteries on the Angara river found that 18 of them (39%) contained Y. pestis DNA, a higher proportion than is seen in some medieval plague pits. The Future of Plague Research The work resolves a longstanding mystery of why so many children were among the dead at one cemetery in particular, named Ust-Ida, on the bank of the Angara River north-west of Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake in the world. The findings provide new insights into the history of plague and its impact on ancient human populations.

New research indicates that individuals carrying the red‑hair allele have been evolutionary winners in Europe for more than 10,000 years. The study, led by Harvard scientists, examined DNA from nearly 16,000 ancient remains and over 6,000 living Europeans, providing robust proof that human biology continues to evolve long after farming began. Researchers identified 479 genetic variants that show clear signs of positive selection. Among these are genes linked to red hair and fair skin, as well as variants that affect susceptibility to coeliac disease, diabetes risk, baldness and rheumatoid arthritis. The authors suggest that the advantage of red hair may stem from its association with lighter skin, which enhances vitamin D synthesis in low‑sunlight environments—a crucial benefit for early European farmers. Prior to this work, only about 21 traits had been documented as having risen through natural selection, such as lactase persistence. The scarcity of earlier examples had led some to argue that directional selection was rare after modern humans left Africa. By leveraging an unprecedented volume of ancient genomic data and advanced computational methods, the team demonstrated that selection pressures intensified during the transition from hunter‑gatherer societies to agricultural ones, reshaping hundreds of genes across West Eurasia. "With these new techniques and the sheer scale of ancient DNA, we can now observe how selection sculpted our biology in near real‑time," said Dr. Ali Akbari, the study’s first author. Beyond vitamin D, the rise of certain disease‑related alleles poses intriguing puzzles. A mutation that heightens the risk of coeliac disease emerged around 4,000 years ago and has steadily increased, implying that carriers may have enjoyed other survival advantages despite the autoimmune threat. Similarly, the immune‑regulating gene TYK2, which markedly raises tuberculosis susceptibility, grew in frequency between 9,000 and 3,000 years ago before declining, hinting at a complex balance between pathogen defense and disease risk. The analysis also uncovered negative selection against genetic profiles that promote a high body‑fat percentage, supporting the classic “thrifty genes” hypothesis: traits advantageous for storing energy during scarce hunter‑gatherer periods became detrimental once agriculture ensured a steadier food supply. "This work lets us assign both place and time to the forces that have shaped us," noted Prof. David Reich, senior author and Harvard Medical School geneticist. While the findings are confined to West Eurasian populations, they raise broader questions about whether similar evolutionary dynamics occurred elsewhere. The full study appears in Nature.

The relationship between dogs and humans has long been a subject of fascination, and recent groundbreaking research has shed new light on the origins of this enduring bond. Published in the journal Nature, the study reveals that the genetic evidence for domestic dogs dates back an astonishing 15,000 years, a full 5,000 years earlier than previously thought.Ancient DNA analysis of dog remains has provided unprecedented insight into the early days of dog domestication. The oldest specimen, a 15,800-year-old dog buried alongside human remains in Anatolia, Turkey, and a 14,300-year-old jawbone from Gough's Cave in Somerset, England, are key findings that have helped researchers reevaluate the timeline of dog domestication.According to Dr. Lachie Scarsbrook of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the study suggests that dogs with diverse ancestries already existed across Eurasia 15,000 years ago, from Somerset to Siberia. This raises the possibility that domestication occurred during the last ice age, more than 10,000 years before the emergence of other domestic plants and animals.The research, conducted by international teams, analyzed DNA from bones at various sites, including Gough's Cave, Pınarbaşı in Turkey, and two sites in Serbia. Advanced sequencing techniques allowed researchers to piece together tiny fragments of ancient DNA, enabling clear species identification for the first time.Key findings include:Dogs were widespread across Europe and western Asia by at least 14,000 years ago.Isotopic analysis revealed dogs consumed a diet rich in fish, matching the local human diet in Turkey.Evidence of deep emotional bonds between humans and dogs, including the burial of puppies over human remains.The study's authors suggest that dogs may have increased hunting efficiency or served as an early warning system against predators. The genetic relationship between dogs across sites implies that they may have spread rapidly across Europe, possibly through trade between unrelated groups.As Prof. Laurent Frantz notes, the fact that people exchanged dogs so early suggests these animals must have been important, serving purposes beyond being pets. The research provides a fascinating glimpse into the ancient partnership between humans and dogs, highlighting the significance of this bond in human history.