DNA from Napoleon's 1812 army identifies pathogens likely responsible for the army's demise during retreat from Russia
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DNA from Napoleon's 1812 army identifies pathogens likely responsible for the army's demise during retreat from Russia

In the summer of 1812, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte led about half a million soldiers to invade the Russian Empire. But by December, only a fraction of the army remained alive. Historical records suggest that starvation, cold, and typhus led to their demise.