Researchers analyze ancient DNA from two Indigenous individuals mummified in the Andes region of Chile and dated to roughly 400–500 years ago. Multiple outlets report that the samples contain genetic material consistent with the smallpox (variola) virus. The findings are presented as the first molecular evidence directly tying the virus’s presence in the Americas to European origins. According to the reports, previous historical accounts and epidemiological inferences suggested smallpox played a major role in population declines after European contact, but the new results provide genetic support for that link. The studies are described as particularly significant because the smallpox DNA is among the oldest ever identified from the Americas, strengthening the case that the virus arrived during the early period of colonization. Coverage also notes that the work comes from mummies discovered in Chile, offering insight into how the disease reached Indigenous communities in South America. The overall consensus across the sources is that the recovered viral DNA indicates the virus was brought from Europe rather than emerging locally in the Americas.