Ancient Mummy DNA Confirms Smallpox Arrived With European Colonization

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have identified the oldest known smallpox DNA in the Americas from two mummies discovered in Chile, providing what the researchers describe as the first direct molecular evidence that the virus reached the region during European colonization.

According to the study, the mummies date from between 1492 and 1631, a period that coincides with the arrival and expansion of European settlers in the Americas.

Genetic analysis showed the virus belonged to an extinct lineage that bridged earlier European strains and later variants of the variola virus.

Researchers said the discovery also helps explain how the disease spread into remote parts of South America, where written historical records from the colonial period are limited, filling an important gap in the history of one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

Related Tweet:

Smallpox DNA is recovered from Spanish conquest-era Chilean mummies https://t.co/PDbjdHrYOT

— The Straits Times (@straits_times) July 30, 2026

Also Read:

EU Warns Wildfire Threat Shifting Toward Italy And Greece

Authorities are also monitoring the Iberian Peninsula as extreme heat, dry weather, strong winds and limited rainfall continue to fuel fire risks.

tippinsightsTIPP Staff