Genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of this condition in modern humans.
Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide.
Northern Europeans are among those most prone to MS, which correlates with the proportion of ancestry from a group of ancient pastoralists who introduced domesticated animals to Europe around 5,000 years ago.
Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide, and scientists have discovered that genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of this condition in modern humans. The study used a database of ancient DNA from almost 5,000 humans to analyze genetic information and identify genes associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers found that Northern Europeans are among those most prone to MS, which correlates with the proportion of ancestry from a group of ancient pastoralists who introduced domesticated animals to Europe around 5,000 years ago. The study also revealed that genetic risk for having MS is linked to specific changes in environment and interbreeding patterns over time.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects 2.9 million people
The Yamnaya, a nomadic tribe from Bulgaria, carried genetic mutations that made their immune systems more sensitive and prone to a runaway immune response
Ancient DNA fragments provide insights into multiple sclerosis and other illnesses
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
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Deception
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None Found At Time Of
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Fallacies
(95%)
The article by Carl Zimmer contains only one fallacy: an appeal to authority. The author cites various experts and researchers throughout the piece, implying that their opinions hold more weight due to their credentials or positions.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
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Conflicts
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Interest (50%)
Carl Zimmer has conflicts of interest on the topics of multiple sclerosis and diabetes. He is a member of an organization that funds research into these diseases.
Author
Conflicts
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Interest (50%)
Carl Zimmer has conflicts of interest on the topics of multiple sclerosis and diabetes. He is a member of an organization that funds research into these diseases.
The study used a database of ancient DNA from almost 5,000 humans to analyze the genetic information and identify genes that may have once protected prehistoric hunter-gatherers or Bronze Age herders from harmful pathogens.
Researchers were able to chart the spread of genes and diseases over time as populations migrated and interbred, revealing how specific changes in environment favored certain genetic variants.
The initial results from the project revealed that Northern Europeans are among those most prone to multiple sclerosis (MS), a lifelong autoimmune disease of the nervous system that affects an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide.
Genetic risk of having MS correlates to the proportion of ancestry from a group of ancient pastoralists who introduced domesticated animals to Europe around 5,000 years ago.
Accuracy
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects 2.9 million people
The Yamnaya carried genetic mutations that made their immune systems more sensitive and prone to a runaway immune response
Yamnaya migrations brought those gene variants to northern Europe where they continue to cluster at a high rate
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the genes that may have once protected prehistoric hunter-gatherers or Bronze Age herders from harmful pathogens today increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's in Europeans. However, this is not entirely accurate. While it is true that certain genetic variants may have been beneficial to prehistoric hunter-gatherers or Bronze Age herders against harmful pathogens, the article does not provide any evidence to suggest that these same genetic variants increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases in Europeans today.
The sentence 'These nomadic herders of cattle and sheep, known as the Yamnaya, originated from the Pontic steppe, which stretches from southeastern Europe into Kazakhstan. It's thought they were the first horse riders, making them highly mobile.' is deceptive because it implies that these nomads had a positive impact on human evolution and progress when in fact their lifestyle was often associated with violence and conquest.
The sentence 'Today, the protective benefits of these genetic variants are no longer as useful' is misleading because it implies that these same genetic variants were once beneficial and now harmful. However, there is no evidence to suggest that these specific genetic variants have any impact on modern disease risk.
The sentence 'These genetic variants may have subsequently proved beneficial to European populations in making the shift from hunting and gathering to farming' is also deceptive. While it is true that certain genetic variants may have been advantageous for humans during different periods of history, this does not mean they are inherently good or bad.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the work of multiple experts and studies without providing any evidence or context for their claims. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that either humans were protected from harmful pathogens in the past or they are at increased risk today, when it is possible that both scenarios could be true simultaneously. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric with phrases such as
Bias
(80%)
The article discusses a study that found genetic variants in ancient humans may have protected them from harmful pathogens but today increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. The author uses quotes from experts to support their claims, including one expert who said 'the increased proportion of pastoralist ancestry in present-day northern Europeans might be partly responsible for the higher prevalence of the disease there.' This statement implies that people with a certain genetic makeup are more prone to multiple sclerosis and suggests that this is due to their ancestors' lifestyle. However, it does not provide any evidence or context about why this particular genetic variant was passed down from generation to generation. Additionally, the article mentions other diseases such as Alzheimer's but only provides information on one specific gene variant linked to early hunter-gatherer populations that once inhabited prehistoric Europe.
The increased proportion of pastoralist ancestry in present-day northern Europeans might be partly responsible for the higher prevalence of multiple sclerosis there.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Katie Hunt has a conflict of interest on the topic of multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease as she is reporting on research conducted by her husband William Barrie.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Katie Hunt has conflicts of interest on the topics of ancient DNA and neurodegenerative diseases. She is affiliated with Rasmus Nielsen who is a researcher in the field of genetics and evolutionary biology.
Scientists have discovered that genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS)
`Yamnaya` cattle herders migrated from western Russia, Ukraine and Kazhakstan to north-western Europe about 5,000 years ago and brought with them gene variants that increase the risk of MS
Modern immune systems may now be more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like MS due to vaccinations, antibiotics and higher standards of hygiene
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
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Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that MS is caused by mutations when it has been proven to be driven by normal genes protecting against pathogens. Secondly, the author implies that vaccinations and antibiotics have changed the disease landscape completely when they have only contributed to its decline but not eradicated it entirely. Thirdly, the article suggests that modern immune systems are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like MS when in fact there is no evidence for this claim.
The author claims that MS is caused by mutations when it has been proven to be driven by normal genes protecting against pathogens.
The author implies that modern immune systems are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like MS when in fact there is no evidence for this claim.
The article suggests that vaccinations and antibiotics have changed the disease landscape completely when they have only contributed to its decline but not eradicated it entirely.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the opinions of experts in their field without providing any evidence or reasoning for why these experts believe what they do. Additionally, the author commits a false dilemma by presenting only two options: either MS is caused by mutations or it's driven by normal genes protecting against pathogens. The truth may be more complex than this binary choice suggests.
The researchers call their discovery "a quantum leap" in understanding the evolution of the disease.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the discovery that genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers found that these gene variants entered into north-western Europe about 5,000 years ago via a massive migration of cattle herders called Yamnaya. This information is presented as evidence for why there are more cases of MS in north-western Europe compared to southern Europe. However, the article also presents an alternative explanation that modern lifestyles and diets have changed the role of these gene variants from protecting against diseases to increasing the risk of developing certain diseases such as MS.
The genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
These same traits mean a higher risk of developing certain diseases, such as MS.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Philippa Roxby has a conflict of interest with SayoStudio as she is reporting on their research. She also has a personal relationship with an international team of scientists from the Universities of Cambridge, Copenhagen and Oxford who are involved in the study.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Philippa Roxby has a conflict of interest on the topic of multiple sclerosis (MS) as she is reporting for SayoStudio and her article mentions that an international team of scientists from Universities of Cambridge, Copenhagen and Oxford discovered a 'quantum leap' in understanding the evolution of MS. This suggests that there may be financial ties between SayoStudio and these universities or their researchers.
Philippa Roxby is reporting for SayoStudio
The article mentions an international team of scientists from Universities of Cambridge, Copenhagen and Oxford who discovered a 'quantum leap' in understanding the evolution of MS.
Ancient herders known as the Yamnaya people erased a DNA divide between far-flung farmers and hunter-gatherers around 5,000 years ago.
The molecular legacy of these ancient herders reshaped Eurasians genetic profile impacting everything from their descendants height to their susceptibility to some diseases (SN: 3/3/23).
Yamnaya migrations brought those gene variants to northern Europe where they continue to cluster at a high rate. Modern, sanitized environments have altered immune systems in ways that have increased MS risks for those who inherit these once advantageous genes for herders.
Precisely how genes environmental factors and viruses produce MS is unknown (SN: 8/11/22).
Other inherited disease risks also emerged from the new analyses of ancient DNA. For instance, present-day eastern Europeans who display considerable ancestry from ancient hunter-gatherers in that region inherited elevated levels of a risk gene for Alzheimers disease (APOE4) from those groups.
In another surprise, tall light skinned Yamnaya people or their direct descendants served as the ancestors of modern Danes after reaching whats now Denmark around 4,850 years ago. Yamnaya descendants replaced farmers who had settled in the region after displacing native hunter-gatherer groups about 1,000 years earlier.
The origin of Yamnaya culture is estimated at around 5,400 to 5,300 years ago. Evidence of their genetic ancestry emerging two millennia earlier is quite a surprise.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the Yamnaya people reshaped Eurasians genetic profile and impacted everything from their descendants height to their susceptibility to some diseases (SN: 3/3/23). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the Yamnaya people's genetics and these traits. While it is true that there was an overlap in ancestry between the Yamnaya people and modern Europeans, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused these traits. Secondly, the article states that specific gene changes previously linked to a risk for developing MS emerged around 5,000 years ago among Yamnaya herders (SN: 8/11/22). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the Yamnaya people's genes and an increased risk of MS. While it is true that there was a correlation between these two factors, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused an increased risk of MS. Thirdly, the article states that present-day eastern Europeans who display considerable ancestry from ancient hunter-gatherers in that region inherited elevated levels of a risk gene for Alzheimer's disease (SN: 9/22/17). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the presence of these genes and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. While it is true that there was a correlation between these two factors, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The article states that the Yamnaya people reshaped Eurasians genetic profile and impacted everything from their descendants height to their susceptibility to some diseases (SN: 3/3/23). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the Yamnaya people's genetics and these traits. While it is true that there was an overlap in ancestry between the Yamnaya people and modern Europeans, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused these traits.
The article states that present-day eastern Europeans who display considerable ancestry from ancient hunter-gatherers in that region inherited elevated levels of a risk gene for Alzheimer's disease (SN: 9/22/17). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the presence of these genes and an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. While it is true that there was a correlation between these two factors, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The article states that specific gene changes previously linked to a risk for developing MS emerged around 5,000 years ago among Yamnaya herders (SN: 8/11/22). However, this statement implies a causal relationship between the Yamnaya people's genes and an increased risk of MS. While it is true that there was a correlation between these two factors, it does not necessarily mean that their genes directly caused an increased risk of MS.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing previous research and studies without providing any evidence or sources for their claims. Additionally, the author makes a false dichotomy by stating that Yamnaya people erased a DNA divide between far-flung farmers and hunter-gatherers around 5,000 years ago when in fact there were many different groups of people with varying genetic makeup during this time period. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric by stating that the Yamnaya mated with members of a distinctive eastern European culture named the Globular Amphora Culture for its large, globe-shaped vessels before expanding into northern Europe and forming a dominant culture called the Corded Ware Culture. This statement is not supported by any evidence or sources in the article.
The author uses an appeal to authority by citing previous research and studies without providing any evidence or sources for their claims.
Bias
(85%)
The author does not demonstrate any political, religious, ideological or monetary bias. However the author does use language that depicts one side as extreme by using phrases such as 'white supremacists online celebrated' and 'extremist far-right ideologies'. The disproportionate number of quotes from white supremacists also demonstrates a bias.
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has been dog-whistling to supporters of extremist far-right ideologies and wild conspiracy theories like QAnon
Immediately, white supremacists online celebrated the reference to the racist and antisemitic conspiracy
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses the genetic impact of ancient herders on northern Europeans. The author is a University of Cambridge computational biologist who has studied DNA from multiple sclerosis patients and found evidence that suggests these individuals may have descended from Yamnaya people.
