settlement patterns

Malaria May Have Shaped Early Human Settlement Patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa

New research published in Science Advances shows that mosquito-borne malaria may have been a powerful force shaping early human settlement patterns across sub-Saharan Africa. The study found that human populations avoided malaria hotspots for at least 74,000 years, with this pattern only breaking down around 15,000 years ago when a key genetic mutation—sickle cell anemia—arose in West Africa, providing protection against the disease and allowing expansion into previously avoided areas.