Scientists have found evidence of the oldest known plague, dating back about 5,500 years ago — some 200 years earlier than previously thought

Analyses of ancient DNA from hunter-gatherers near Lake Baikal in southeast Siberia around 5,500 years ago indicate that highly virulent Yersinia pestis emerged earlier than…

Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 17 June 2026

Graves of hunter-gatherers in Siberia point to a deadly disease outbreak dating to some 5,500 years ago, a new DNA analysis finds