Siberian Teeth Reveal Oldest Evidence of the Plague

Scientists have discovered the world's oldest known evidence of the plague in Siberia dating back approximately 5,500 years. This find pushes the known history of the deadly disease back by at least 200 years.

By analyzing DNA from the teeth of 18 ancient hunter-gatherers buried near Siberia's Lake Baikal, researchers identified traces of the bacteria that caused two distinct prehistoric outbreaks. While the plague is most famous for the 14th-century "Black Death" that decimated Europe, these findings prove the pathogen was already lethal to small nomadic groups long before the rise of crowded cities.

The study suggests the disease likely jumped from marmots large local rodents to humans when people handled infected hides or consumed raw organs. Once among humans spread through coughing and sneezing.

The discovery also highlights a tragic human element, many of the victims were children aged 8 to 11, often buried together in shared graves. Researchers believe children were at higher risk due to weaker immune systems.

Experts say this ancient strain, though predating the bubonic plague was equally deadly. Understanding how this bacterium evolved into a global killer provides critical insights into how new pathogens might emerge and threaten public health in the future. Underlining its continued relevance the plague remains present today though it is now treatable with modern antibiotics.