Ancient DNA reveals colonial origins of smallpox in the Americas

AI Summary

Ancient DNA extracted from a Chilean mummy provides strong evidence that European colonization introduced smallpox to the Americas, confirming the disease's colonial origins in the region. This finding deepens understanding of the devastating impact of European diseases on indigenous populations.

Ancient mummy DNA recovered in Chile has yielded the firmest evidence yet that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas. Smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases i...