Researchers identify oldest-known plague outbreak in 5,500-year-old Siberian remains.
Scientists analyzed ancient DNA from teeth at four burial sites near Lake Baikal in Siberia, finding Yersinia pestis in 18 of 46 bodies. The discovery pushes the earliest known plague outbreak back approximately 5,500 years, predating previous evidence by about 200 years.
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Divergence score
3 outlets covered it, splitting into 3 framing camps across 3 bias groups.
3 camps
3 bias groups
The spectrum · how 3 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Globe and Mail
AP News
NY Post
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
The split, in one line
All outlets report the same core discovery; the Globe and Mail provides detailed genetic analysis while AP adds human burial details and NY Post offers only a brief summary.
How each outlet covered it
Lightly covered so far
Too few outlets to map a left-right split. Here is each take as it stands.
Sparse coverage · 3 outlets
“Oldest-known plague outbreak came 5,500 years ago in Siberia”
“Ancient teeth from Siberia rewrite the plague’s timeline, dating back to over 5,500 years ago”
“Scientists discover oldest known evidence of the plague with 5,500- year-old teeth”
Tracked claims from across the political spectrum
Fact ledger
Corroborated
Disputed