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Don't blame Columbus: TB in the Americas already was present...in seals

Friday, August 22nd 2014 - 23:48 UTC
Full article 6 comments

The long-held idea that Europeans were the first to bring tuberculosis to the Americas when they arrived in the 15th Century has been thrown into doubt. Instead, a study suggests that the deadly disease was present in the area hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus made landfall. Read full article

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  • Voice

    I bet those seals didn't give the natives syphilis....
    ....also doesn't explain how the seals catch it from humans in Africa....

    Aug 23rd, 2014 - 10:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • lsolde

    African voyages to the Americas……look at the African facial features on the Olmec heads.

    Aug 23rd, 2014 - 12:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • 4n conTroll

    Europeans coming up with some excuse to disabuse Europeans. NOOO what a shock.

    Aug 24th, 2014 - 12:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    Perhaps ebola could be carried by the Stealth Penguins?
    :-)

    Aug 24th, 2014 - 02:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    Spaniards again! it wasn't us guv, it was the pesky seals.

    Oh, on the other hand our version was the supercharged one so we take it back.

    ”“It seems pretty clear that what we have today in North and South America is a European version of tuberculosis”. Really, and who would have thought that?

    Did it not cross the minds of these people that the seal version of TB which had been around at least 500 years (what's the betting they find evidence much further back) may have been more easily resisted by the Indians? NO, by the look of it.

    Have you ever met a Professor who didn’t strike you as clever but not quite worldly wise? I have yet to meet one who doesn’t and I have met a few in my time.

    Aug 24th, 2014 - 10:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • EscoSes Doido

    @2
    Bingo.
    Also a lot of other evidence to support available.....

    Aug 26th, 2014 - 12:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0

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