#1
#1 out of 10.00%
science3h ago
'We can no longer ignore diseases in the deep human past': Malaria influenced early humans' migrations across Africa, study suggests
- Malaria risk influenced where prehistoric hunter-gatherers settled in sub-Saharan Africa, limiting settlement in high-risk areas.
- Researchers linked climate data with malaria models to map past habitats and early settlements.
- The team estimates malaria shaped population structures at least 13,000 years ago, before agriculture.
- Experts say diseases, including malaria, had transformative effects on deep human history.
- The study presents a new method to explore disease impact in ancient times beyond malaria.
- The research was published in Science Advances and led by Eleanor Scerri and colleagues.
- Central West Africa emerged as a malaria hotspot that likely shaped ancient settlement patterns.
- The research signals a shift in how we study the role of disease in early human life.
- The article notes malaria's influence predates the shift to farming.
Vote 0