‘This Is Very Strange’: Ancient Smallpox May Have Been Less Deadly
Genetic analysis of 500-year-old Inca mummies indicates the smallpox virus introduced by European colonizers may have been less lethal than previously assumed.
📍 The outcome
{ "epilogue": "Ancient smallpox DNA was recovered from Spanish conquest-era Chilean mummies and 500-year-old Inca mummies. Scientific evidence from these genomes showed that European colonization brought the devastating disease to the Americas. Concurrently, coverage indicated that ancient smallpox may have been less deadly." }
Epilogue added 13d ago, after coverage quieted.
The obvious questions
What do the 500-year-old mummies reveal?
The mummies provide DNA evidence confirming that smallpox was introduced to the Americas by European colonists.
Why is the finding considered strange?
Genetic analysis suggests the ancient strain of the virus may have been less deadly than the smallpox known in later centuries.
Where was the DNA found?
Researchers recovered smallpox DNA from mummies located in Chile and the broader Andes region dating to the era of Spanish conquest.
The story so far
DNA recovered from Spanish conquest-era mummies in Chile and the Andes suggests that the smallpox virus originated in Europe and was brought to the Americas during colonization. By sequencing this ancient viral material, researchers have established a direct link between European contact and the presence of the pathogen in the region.
While the evidence confirms the introduction of the virus, the findings have prompted debate regarding the nature of the disease at that time. Outlets including The New York Times note that the genetic markers found in these specimens suggest the virus may have possessed different characteristics than later, more virulent strains, leading researchers to observe that the disease might have been less deadly than historical accounts imply.
Future analysis of these genomes is required to determine the specific evolutionary variations of the virus. Coverage does not yet specify how these findings reconcile with historical records of mass mortality among indigenous populations or what specific biological factors moderated the virus's virulence in the 16th century.
Synthesized by headlinez.news from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 14d ago.
Who reported it (6)
- 500-year-old Inca mummies prove that European colonists brought devastating smallpox to the Americas Live Science · 15d ago
- Ancient smallpox genomes reveal how European colonization brought the disease to the Americas Phys.org · 15d ago
- Smallpox DNA in ancient Inca mummies shows virus came from Europe New Scientist · 15d ago
- Ancient mummy DNA provides scientific evidence that colonization brought smallpox to the Americas AP News · 15d ago
- Smallpox DNA is recovered from Spanish conquest-era Chilean mummies Reuters · 15d ago
- ‘This Is Very Strange’: Ancient Smallpox May Have Been Less Deadly The New York Times · 15d ago
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