From Dexerto · Matthew Benson · · 1m
Scientists find ancient disease DNA in 1,000-year-old book
Ancient sheeppox virus DNA discovered in 1,000-year-old York Gospels.
In brief
Ancient sheeppox virus DNA discovered in 1,000-year-old York Gospels. Scientists found sheeppox virus DNA in 1,000-year-old York Gospels, suggesting cross-species infections or contamination during parchment production. Originally reported by Dexerto.
Ancient disease DNA discovery
Scientists studying a 1,000-year-old Christian manuscript discovered traces of an ancient disease.
York Gospels origin
The York Gospels were written in Canterbury by Anglo-Saxon scribes in the 10th century and preserved in York Minster.
Sheeppox virus found
University College Dublin detected sheeppox virus traces in the animal skins used to make the parchment.
Unexpected animal source
The animal skins were from calves or goats, not sheep, suggesting cross-species infections or contamination during parchment production.
Biological time capsule
University College Dublin described the gospels as a 'biological time capsule' preserving evidence of ancient virus outbreaks.
“biological time capsule”
Ancient pathogen threat
The sheeppox virus has affected Eurasian sheep herds for at least three-and-a-half millennia and remains a threat today.
At a glance
Scientists found sheeppox virus DNA in 1,000-year-old York Gospels, suggesting cross-species infections or contamination during parchment production.
