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Chilean Mummies Yield First Genetic Proof Europeans Brought Smallpox to Americas
Ground News • • health
Key Points:
- Ancient DNA extracted from mummies in Chile provides strong evidence that smallpox was introduced to the Americas by European colonizers during the colonial period.
- The smallpox virus, along with other European diseases, caused devastating epidemics that decimated indigenous populations across the New World.
- This discovery supports historical accounts and confirms that the arrival of Spanish conquistadors brought not only weapons and animals but also deadly pathogens to the Americas.
- The research combines historical and biological data to trace the transatlantic journey of the smallpox virus and its impact on native peoples.
