Ancient mummy DNA connects smallpox to European colonization

Key Points:

• Ancient DNA from Chilean mummies provides the strongest genetic evidence that smallpox was introduced to the Americas through European colonization, confirming historical accounts of the disease’s devastating impact on Indigenous populations.
• Researchers analyzed bone samples from northern Chile dating between 1492 and 1631, identifying smallpox strains genetically linked to European medieval versions, indicating the virus evolved from Old World strains.
• The study reveals smallpox reached remote South American regions, possibly spreading via Indigenous trade networks, and highlights the disease’s role in causing widespread mortality that facilitated European conquest.
• Findings also show how smallpox evolved over time to become more lethal, with the two infected individuals studied likely dying from the disease, underscoring its severe human toll during colonization.
• While the exact population responsible for introducing smallpox remains uncertain, the research confirms the biological impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples and enriches understanding of the virus’s historical spread.