ScienceMedieval manuscripts are “biological time capsules” for deadly sheeppox virus

Scientists extracted and sequenced sheeppox DNA preserved in the animal skins used for medieval parchment, tracing the virus’s evolution across 3,500 years. The findings indicate that sheeppox has affected Eurasian sheep herds for at least that long and suggest archives may retain genetic traces of past animal outbreaks.

sheeppox virusancient DNAmedieval manuscriptsinfectious disease

AArs Technica★★☆☆☆2026-09-04 19:01Original