All articles tagged with #european colonization
DNA analysis of two Chilean mummies from Camarones shows traces of smallpox similar to European strains, providing the first direct molecular evidence that the disease was introduced to the Americas during European colonization and contributed to the drastic decline of Indigenous populations, though it remains unclear whether spread was deliberate or accidental.
The blue antelope, a species related to the sable and roan antelope, became extinct around 1800, just 34 years after its scientific description. Researchers extracted a high-coverage genome from a museum specimen, revealing that the species had adapted to long-term low population size with no inbreeding or detrimental mutations. The study suggests that sudden human influence during European colonization likely played a central role in the extinction, despite the species' genomic adaptation. Additionally, two genes responsible for the blue pelt color were identified in the genome, shedding light on the species' unique characteristics.
A genetic analysis of lice suggests that they arrived in the Americas twice - once during the initial human migration across the Bering Strait and again during European colonization. The study reveals two distinct clusters of lice, with a unique group in the Americas resulting from a mixture of lice descended from the First People and European lice. The research also supports the idea that people from East Asia migrated to North America and became the first Native Americans. The study highlights the coevolutionary history between humans and lice and provides insights into human migration patterns.