Ancient DNA
Scientists have reconstructed the genome of Treponema pallidum from a 5,500-year-old skeleton in Colombia, marking the oldest known instance of this bacterium linked to syphilis and related diseases. The ancient strain diverged early in the pathogen's evolution, suggesting treponemal infections were diversifying in the Americas millennia before European contact. This discovery extends the genetic history of these diseases by over 3,000 years.
Rapporteret af AI
A new study using ancient DNA from the Shimao site in Shaanxi province reveals that human sacrifices 4,000 years ago showed a gender bias, with males predominant in mass burials and females overwhelmingly accompanying elites. Published in Nature, the research also highlights the site's role as an early hierarchical society with patrilineal structures.