Ancient DNA from Siberian burials reveals prehistoric outbreaks struck hunter-gatherers long before the Black Death.

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