Your Daily Dish

Feeding Outrageous to you Daily

Hide Advertisement
  • Animals
    • Farm
    • Pets
    • Zoo
    • Wildlife
  • Family
    • Grandparents
    • Kids
    • Parents
  • Health
    • Exercise
    • Food
    • Medical
  • Humor
  • Lifestyle
    • News
    • Science & Tech
    • Travel
  • Videos
Site logo
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Science & Tech

Cause of London’s 1665 Great Plague Confirmed: Bubonic Plague

By YDD Contributor 2 min read
  • # bacteria
  • # black death
  • # bubonic plague
Advertisement - Continue reading below
Source: Gresham College
Source: Gresham College

Researchers have confirmed that the cause of London’s Great Plague in 1665, a long-held debate, was in fact the bubonic plague.

A year following initial findings at a Great Plague burial pit on the Crossrail site at Liverpool Street in London it is finally confirmed that the identity of the bacteria behind the Great Plague is Yersinia pestis bacterium, an agent that causes the bubonic plague, not another pathogen as many others thought.

Advertisement

Around 3,500 burials were uncovered through excavation of the site over the past five-and-half-years and test results of the skeletons, done in Germany, revealed the DNA presence of the bacterium agent which causes bubonic plague.

Molecular Palaeopathologist Kirsten Bos, from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany, said, “We don’t know why the Great Plague of London was the last major outbreak of plague in the UK and whether there were genetic differences in the past, those strains that were circulating in Europe to those circulating today; these are all things we’re trying to address by assembling more genetic information from ancient organisms.”

Source: BBC
Source: BBCd

The Great Plague of London killed an estimated 100,000 people over one year, which was a quarter of London’s population at the time. Bos and her team are continuing to sequence the full DNA genome in hopes of better understanding how the disease evolved and spread so widely and rapidly.

Concern of getting the bubonic plague from the excavated remains is futile, as the Yersinia pestis bacterium cannot survive in the ground.

Advertisement - Continue reading below

Epic Slip ‘N Slide Fails That Will Have You Rolling on the Floor
Trending
Jason Owen 1 min read

Epic Slip ‘N Slide Fails That Will Have You Rolling on the Floor

Adhesive Ibuprofen Skin Patch Can Provide 12 Hours Of Pain Relief
Lifestyle
Jason Owen 2 min read

Adhesive Ibuprofen Skin Patch Can Provide 12 Hours Of Pain Relief

Chimpanze Who Smokes Like a Chimney Is (Unfortunately) Biggest Star at North Korean Zoo
Science & Tech
Robin Milling 2 min read

Chimpanze Who Smokes Like a Chimney Is (Unfortunately) Biggest Star at North Korean Zoo

See This Map? It’s Strange Looking, But Also the Most Accurate World Map Created
Science & Tech
Margo Gothelf 2 min read

See This Map? It’s Strange Looking, But Also the Most Accurate World Map Created

Just Add Water to Revive Rubbery Carrots, Wilted Lettuce, and Stale Bread
Food
Robin Milling 2 min read

Just Add Water to Revive Rubbery Carrots, Wilted Lettuce, and Stale Bread

David Tennant Lands Role as Scrooge McDuck
Apple
Sara Wilkins 1 min read

David Tennant Lands Role as Scrooge McDuck

This 94-Year-Old Widower Found A Fun Way to Bring the Community to Him
Lifestyle
Nick Nunez 2 min read

This 94-Year-Old Widower Found A Fun Way to Bring the Community to Him

This School Created a “Buddy Bench” for Students to Easily Find Playmates During Recess
Lifestyle
Margo Gothelf 1 min read

This School Created a “Buddy Bench” for Students to Easily Find Playmates During Recess

8-Year-Old Opens Bakery Hoping to Buy a New House for His Mom
Food
Margo Gothelf 2 min read

8-Year-Old Opens Bakery Hoping to Buy a New House for His Mom

Scientists Create Transparent Wood, Could Revolutionize the Way We Build
Science & Tech
Lauren Boudreau 2 min read

Scientists Create Transparent Wood, Could Revolutionize the Way We Build

This 8-Year-Old Did Something Awesome for His Local Mailman
Lifestyle
Lauren Boudreau 2 min read

This 8-Year-Old Did Something Awesome for His Local Mailman

Grab the Tissues and Watch This Dad Surprise His Son for His 12th Birthday
Apple
Margo Gothelf 1 min read

Grab the Tissues and Watch This Dad Surprise His Son for His 12th Birthday

Subscribe to our newsletter

* indicates required

sidebar

ADVERTISEMENT
Latest

Nike Unveils Self-Lacing ‘HyperAdapt 1.0’ Sneakers
Entertainment
Kenny Servera 2 min read

Nike Unveils Self-Lacing ‘HyperAdapt 1.0’ Sneakers

See the Biggest and Best Movie and TV Previews From the Super Bowl
Entertainment
Jason Owen 3 min read

See the Biggest and Best Movie and TV Previews From the Super Bowl

Group Creates Human Chain to Save Woman From Her Car After Record Flooding in Maryland
Videos
Margo Gothelf 1 min read

Group Creates Human Chain to Save Woman From Her Car After Record Flooding in Maryland

Subscribe to our newsletter

* indicates required
ADVERTISEMENT

sidebar-alt

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • For Advertisers