Recently, scientists have discovered the DNA of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that caused the black plague in London during the 14th century. This DNA was obtained from the teeth of four victims in the cemetery prepared for victims of victims of the plague, called East Smithfield, near the tower of London. Scientists hope that possessing the full genome of this bacterium will aid them in discovering what made this outbreak so gruesome. “The bacterium’s genome consists of a single chromosome, about 4.6 million DNA units long, and three small rings of DNA called plasmids.” These scientists are trying to recreate the microbe to help them further understand the characteristics of this plague. So far, they’ve come to the conclusion that the living conditions of the people in that time actually affected them more than the plague itself. “People were probably already suffering from malnutrition and other diseases when the plague arrived like the fourth horseman of the apocalypse.” Scientists believe that nowadays the plague could be easily treated with antibiotics. Nevertheless, this is a huge step forward in the field of DNA and pathogens.
I found this article very fascinating. I once read a book about the black plague and found myself wondering what kind of disease could devastate such a large population. Also, I am very impressed by what we can discover with technology today. It’s simply astonishing to learn what scientists can discover about something that occurred so long ago. Hopefully this advanced technology will help solve many more mysteries from the past.
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