Hunter-gatherers

Ancient DNA Links Plague to Deaths 5,500 Years Ago in Siberia

Ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer cemeteries near Lake Baikal has revealed Yersinia pestis in 18 of 46 individuals studied. Researchers say the evidence, combined with radiocarbon dating and burial patterns, indicates that early plague strains could be highly lethal before the emergence of cities and flea-borne transmission.