The Ancient Roots of Disease: Scientists Uncover 214 Prehistoric Pathogens in Human DNA

A groundbreaking study published in Nature has revealed that prehistoric humans were plagued by a staggering 214 ancient pathogens, dating back as far as 6,500 years ago. The research team, led by Professor Eske Willerslev from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Cambridge, analyzed DNA from over 1,300 prehistoric individuals, including those up to 37,000 years old.

This extensive study is the largest to date on the history of infectious diseases and sheds new light on the development of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The findings suggest that humans’ close cohabitation with domesticated animals, particularly from the Pontic Steppe, played a significant role in the spread of these ancient pathogens.

One of the most striking discoveries is the presence of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, which was identified in a 5,500-year-old sample. This is the world’s oldest genetic trace of the disease that ravaged Europe during the Middle Ages, killing between one-quarter and one-half of the population.

The implications of this study are far-reaching and could have significant consequences for vaccine development and our understanding of how diseases arise and mutate over time.

Associate Professor Martin Sikora, the study’s first author, emphasized that “if we understand what happened in the past, it can help us prepare for the future, where many of the newly emerging infectious diseases are predicted to originate from animals.” This knowledge is crucial for developing effective vaccines and ensuring that current ones provide sufficient coverage or need to be updated due to mutations.

The study was made possible by funding from the Lundbeck Foundation. This research highlights the importance of understanding our shared history with ancient pathogens and serves as a reminder of the urgent need to develop targeted solutions for emerging infectious diseases.

The discovery of North America’s oldest known pterosaur has sent shockwaves through the scientific community. A team of researchers led by paleontologist Ben Kligman has unearthed the fossilized jawbone of a new species, Eotephradactylus mcintireae, in the remote Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The find dates back to the late Triassic period, around 209 million years ago, and sheds light on a dynamic ecosystem where diverse groups of animals coexisted.

The Owl Rock Member, a geologic outcrop rich in volcanic ash, has allowed researchers to date the site to around 209 million years old. This makes it one of the park’s youngest rocks and provides a unique window into the Triassic period. The exposures of the Owl Rock Member are found in very remote areas, making them less studied than other geological members in the park.

The team discovered over 1,200 individual fossils, including bones, teeth, fish scales, and coprolites (fossilized poop). This assemblage contains 16 different groups of vertebrate animals that once inhabited a diverse ecosystem. The region’s braided rivers were filled with fish, like freshwater sharks and coelacanths, as well as ancient amphibians, some of which grew up to 6 feet long.

The surrounding environment was home to fearsome reptiles that evolved earlier in the Triassic, including armored herbivores and toothy predators that resembled giant crocodiles. Living alongside these strange creatures were a variety of more familiar critters, including relatives of tuataras and early frogs.

One of the most significant finds is the fossils of an ancient turtle with spike-like armor and a shell that could fit inside a shoebox. This tortoise-like animal lived around the same time as the oldest known turtle, whose fossils were previously uncovered in Germany.

The team also discovered a new species of pterosaur, which would have been small enough to comfortably perch on a person’s shoulder. The tooth-studded jaw revealed crucial clues about how the earliest pterosaurs lived. Because the tips of the teeth were worn down, the team concluded that the pterosaur likely fed on the site’s fish, many of which were encased in armor-like scales.

The bonebed is the latest research collaboration between the National Museum of Natural History and Petrified Forest National Park. Smithsonian scientists have collected petrified wood, fossils, and archaeological objects from the region since the turn of the 20th century.

This remarkable discovery has shed new light on the Triassic period and highlights the importance of continued exploration and research in our understanding of ancient ecosystems. The find also underscores the significance of preserving and protecting our natural heritage for future generations.

The discovery of ancient human footprints in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community. The footprints, estimated to be between 23,000 and 21,000 years old, are rewriting American history by suggesting that humans arrived in the Americas much earlier than previously thought.

Vance Holliday, a University of Arizona archaeologist and geologist, first visited White Sands in 2012 as part of a research project. He was invited to examine the geologic layers in trenches dug by previous researchers, but it wasn’t until he asked about a site on the adjacent missile range that the footprints were discovered.

Researchers from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom and the U.S. National Park Service excavated the footprints in 2019 and published their findings in 2021. However, critics have questioned the dating of the footprints, citing concerns over the reliability of ancient seeds and pollen used to determine the age.

Undeterred, Holliday led a new study that relied on radiocarbon dating using ancient mud instead of seeds and pollen. The results, published today in Science Advances, confirm that the footprints are between 20,700 and 22,400 years old, corroborating the original finding.

The new study marks the third type of material used to date the footprints, with two separate research groups producing a total of 55 consistent radiocarbon dates. As Holliday notes, “It’s a remarkably consistent record.”

While the discovery is significant, it raises questions about why there are no signs of artifacts or settlements left behind by those who made the footprints. Holliday acknowledges that this remains a mystery, but suggests that hunter-gatherers may have been careful not to leave behind any resources in their short time frame.

The discovery of ancient human footprints in White Sands National Park is rewriting American history and has significant implications for our understanding of when humans first arrived in the Americas. As Holliday says, “You get to the point where it’s really hard to explain all this away.”