Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
For years, scientists assumed the earliest forms of the plague weren't capable of causing massive epidemics because they couldn't be spread by fleas. But ancient DNA just proved that assumption wrong! 🧬🔬
Researchers analyzing 5,500-year-old remains from Siberia's Lake Baikal have discovered the oldest massive plague outbreak to date. These ancient strains carried a unique genetic 'superantigen' that triggered extreme immune responses, making the disease incredibly lethal right from the start.
Join 23andMe’s ancient DNA expert, Dr. Éadaoin Harney, to learn how this terrifying pneumonic plague rewrites our understanding of human history and disease.
For years, scientists assumed the earliest forms of the plague weren't capable of causing massive epidemics because they couldn't be spread by fleas. But ancient DNA just proved that assumption wrong! 🧬🔬
Researchers analyzing 5,500-year-old remains from Siberia's Lake Baikal have discovered the oldest massive plague outbreak to date. These ancient strains carried a unique genetic 'superantigen' that triggered extreme immune responses, making the disease incredibly lethal right from the start.
Join 23andMe’s ancient DNA expert, Dr. Éadaoin Harney, to learn how this terrifying pneumonic plague rewrites our understanding of human history and disease.
