A new genetic study reveals critical findings on the rise and fall of diseases through the lens of ancient human remains, offering insights that could shape future responses to pandemics.
A Journey Through 37,000 Years of Human Health: Insights from Ancient Diseases
A Journey Through 37,000 Years of Human Health: Insights from Ancient Diseases
Scientists use ancient DNA to uncover a history of 214 diseases in Europe and Asia.
In a move to better understand and prepare for future pandemics, scientists are looking deep into human history. A groundbreaking study has emerged, documenting the occurrence of 214 diseases across ancient Europe and Asia over a sprawling timeline of 37,000 years. This initiative underscores the relevance of ancient pathogens as a lens to view modern health crises.
While recent pathogens like H.I.V., Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2 have made headlines, the deeper historical tableau remains less clear. One historical conundrum remains the epidemic that shook Athens in 430 B.C., as chronicled by Thucydides. His vivid description details the afflictions that beset the population, but the specific pathogen remains unknown today.
However, the last few decades have seen a transformation in how researchers piece this puzzling past together. Geneticists have increasingly turned to ancient DNA, using it to unearth the pathogens lodged within human skeletal remains. This latest comprehensive genetic chronicle, released by a team of researchers, builds on these methods and encompasses data from 1,313 ancient individuals.
Hendrik Poinar, an ancient DNA expert at McMaster University in Canada, acknowledged the significance of the report, remarking on its expansive nature and valuable insights. The team’s approach not only identifies the earliest known instances of various diseases but also tracks their prevalence over centuries, showcasing the dynamics of health crises throughout human history.
The skeletal remains analyzed were as old as the era of hunter-gatherers, revealing traces of numerous pathogens, including hepatitis B, herpes virus, and Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium commonly associated with stomach issues. This extensive study is not just a glimpse into humanity’s biological past; it offers critical data that could inform our preparedness for emerging health threats in the future.
While recent pathogens like H.I.V., Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2 have made headlines, the deeper historical tableau remains less clear. One historical conundrum remains the epidemic that shook Athens in 430 B.C., as chronicled by Thucydides. His vivid description details the afflictions that beset the population, but the specific pathogen remains unknown today.
However, the last few decades have seen a transformation in how researchers piece this puzzling past together. Geneticists have increasingly turned to ancient DNA, using it to unearth the pathogens lodged within human skeletal remains. This latest comprehensive genetic chronicle, released by a team of researchers, builds on these methods and encompasses data from 1,313 ancient individuals.
Hendrik Poinar, an ancient DNA expert at McMaster University in Canada, acknowledged the significance of the report, remarking on its expansive nature and valuable insights. The team’s approach not only identifies the earliest known instances of various diseases but also tracks their prevalence over centuries, showcasing the dynamics of health crises throughout human history.
The skeletal remains analyzed were as old as the era of hunter-gatherers, revealing traces of numerous pathogens, including hepatitis B, herpes virus, and Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium commonly associated with stomach issues. This extensive study is not just a glimpse into humanity’s biological past; it offers critical data that could inform our preparedness for emerging health threats in the future.
