Malaria shapes early human distribution in sub-Saharan Africa over 70,000 years

10 articles · Updated · University of Cambridge news · Apr 22

A study led by Dr Margherita Colucci reveals malaria influenced where humans lived in sub-Saharan Africa from 74,000 to 5,000 years ago, fragmenting populations and affecting genetic exchange.
Researchers used mosquito distribution, climate models, and archaeological data to show that humans avoided high malaria-risk areas, which contributed to the continent's current population structure.
The findings challenge previous assumptions that climate alone determined ancient human settlement, highlighting infectious disease as a fundamental evolutionary force long before agriculture or written history.

Could ancient disease barriers explain Africa's vast linguistic diversity today?

Did early humans knowingly avoid 'malaria hotspots' seventy thousand years ago?

Can this ancient disease map predict where new pandemics will emerge?

If malaria shaped our genes, what other ancient diseases are hiding in our DNA?

How can science prove malaria's impact without DNA from its ancient victims?

A deadly genetic mutation became a lifesaver. What other evolutionary trade-offs do we carry?