Our ancient enemy: scientists discover oldest-known plague outbreak

Scientists have found the oldest known evidence of the Plague, which sparked deadly outbreaks dating back about 5,500 years ago – some 200 years earlier than previously thought.The disease has sickened humans for thousands of years and wiped out a significant chunk of Europe’s population in the 14th century during what’s known as the Black Death. Though rare, the Plague is still around today and is treated with antibiotics.“To understand our own history, we believe that understanding the history of Plague is extremely important,” said study co-author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.