Study Reveals Malaria’s Hidden Role in Human Evolution

A new study suggests malaria shaped early human evolution by pushing groups away from high-risk areas in Africa.

Researchers combined mosquito species models, paleoclimate data, and epidemiological evidence to map malaria risk from 74,000 to 5,000 years ago.

Humans appear to have avoided areas with higher malaria risk, fragmenting populations and affecting settlement patterns and gene flow.

The findings point to infectious disease, alongside climate and geography, as a major force in human demographic history and genetic diversity.