Context:

A recent genetic study has charted the rise of 214 human diseases over the past 37,000 years in Europe and Asia by analyzing DNA from ancient human remains. Researchers discovered that many diseases, including the plague, emerged thousands of years later than previously thought, around 6,000 years ago, primarily affecting nomadic tribes who reared livestock. These findings suggest that these nomads' pathogens may have played a significant role in shaping the genetic landscape of Europe by decimating populations unaccustomed to such diseases. The study also highlights the cyclical nature of certain diseases, like relapsing fever, which have experienced periods of resurgence and decline over millennia. Despite its insights, the study's geographical and technological limitations mean that some viral diseases and regions, like Africa, remain underexplored in this context.

Dive Deeper:

• Scientists have compiled a genetic chronicle documenting the evolution of 214 diseases by studying DNA from ancient human fossils across Europe and Asia, revealing patterns over the last 37,000 years.

• The research highlights that diseases such as the plague, contrary to prior beliefs, originated about 6,000 years ago, significantly later than expected, and primarily affected nomadic tribes rather than early farmers.

• Nomadic herders, particularly in Russia and Asia, appear to have acquired diseases from wild animals, possibly due to their close living conditions with large herds, leading to widespread epidemics.

• These diseases significantly impacted Bronze Age history, as European populations without immunity may have been decimated, facilitating the expansion of nomadic tribes into Europe.

• The study uncovered that certain diseases, like relapsing fever, have experienced long cycles of resurgence and decline, possibly due to the evolving nature of pathogens and their hosts.

• Technological limitations of the study mean it could only detect DNA-based pathogens, leaving RNA-based viruses such as influenza and polio uncharted, while geographical focus was primarily on Europe due to data availability.

• Understanding the historical dynamics of infectious diseases could help scientists anticipate and prepare for future pandemics, as diseases that were once widespread may resurface.