Ancient DNA Reveals 5,500-Year-old Plague Outbreak in Siberia

WHO:

NBC News Science - Researchers conducted the study.

Phys.org - The study was published in the journal Nature.

WHAT:

CNN - The study suggests that two outbreaks of plague occurred a few hundred years apart in the Lake Baikal region.

CNN - The unique plague strain is believed to have originated 5,700 years ago, differing from other known strains, which were previously thought to date back to about 3,800 years ago.

CNN - The study detected Y. pestis infections at a rate of 39% across the cemeteries investigated, which is described as "astoundingly high."

CNN - The newly discovered plague strain contained a genetic superantigen that researchers say made infections particularly deadly for children.

CNN - The study found plague bacteria in 18 of 46 individuals from the small, mobile communities.

CNN - The unique plague strain is believed to have originated 5,700 years ago, differing from other known strains.

CNN - The study detected Y. pestis infections at a rate of 39% across the cemeteries investigated.

CNN - The researchers found evidence of a mass mortality event that took place over a very short period of time.

ABC News Health - The evidence of the plague is now dated to about 5,500 years ago, which is approximately 200 years earlier than previously thought.

NBC News Science - The study describes the oldest evidence of a plague outbreak found in prehistoric graves.

Phys.org - The plague outbreak occurred among Siberian hunter-gatherers and was lethal 5,500 years ago.

WHERE:

NBC News Science - The skeletons were excavated from prehistoric graves in Siberia.

Phys.org - The outbreak affected small, mobile hunter-gatherer communities in Siberia.

WHEN:

NBC News Science - The graves date back 5,500 years.

Phys.org - The study indicates the plague was present long before the rise of agriculture and cities.

WHY:

Phys.org - The findings suggest that the conditions typically associated with plague epidemics, such as crowded cities, were not necessary for the disease to be lethal.

HOW:

CNN - The researchers extracted ancient bacterial genomes from teeth, revealing a unique superantigen that predominantly affected children between the ages of 7 ½ and 11 years old.

CNN - The researchers combined advanced DNA sequencing, in-depth archaeological research, and radiocarbon dating to analyze the findings.

CNN - The study suggests that the plague was likely transmitted through large rodents called marmots, which were hunted and skinned by the communities.

Phys.org - The study utilized ancient DNA analysis to uncover the evidence of the plague outbreak.

(UPDATED June 18, 2026 06:37 UTC)

A new study suggests that two outbreaks of plague occurred a few hundred years apart in the Lake Baikal region, with a unique strain believed to have originated 5,700 years ago, differing from previously known strains that dated back to about 3,800 years ago. Researchers found Y. pestis infections at an astoundingly high rate of 39% across the cemeteries they investigated. By extracting ancient bacterial genomes from teeth, they discovered a unique superantigen that predominantly affected children between the ages of 7 and 11 years old.

(UPDATED June 18, 2026 01:46 UTC)

Researchers have discovered a new strain of the plague that contains a genetic superantigen, making it particularly deadly for children. The study, which analyzed 46 individuals from small, mobile communities, found that 39 percent tested positive for Y. pestis infections and revealed evidence of a mass mortality event that occurred rapidly. Utilizing advanced DNA sequencing, archaeological research, and radiocarbon dating, the researchers suggest that this unique strain, believed to have originated 5,700 years ago, was likely transmitted through large rodents known as marmots.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 17:58 UTC)

Recent findings indicate that evidence of the plague dates back to around 5,500 years ago, which is about 200 years earlier than previously believed. This new timeline could reshape our understanding of the disease's impact on ancient populations. Researchers continue to explore the implications of this discovery for historical health patterns.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 16:18 UTC)

Researchers have published a groundbreaking study in the journal Nature, revealing the oldest evidence of a plague outbreak found in prehistoric graves. This outbreak, which occurred among Siberian hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago, suggests that lethal conditions for the plague existed long before the rise of agriculture and cities. The findings were made possible through ancient DNA analysis, indicating that crowded environments were not necessary for the disease to be deadly.