Scientists from the University of Copenhagen have discovered that a 5,000-year-old Neolithic collapse occurred during which communities across Europe collapsed. The study used ancient DNA from 132 people interred in a tomb in what is now France, which indicated a significant genetic break between the two burial phases. The researchers found that the population from before the Neolithic decline was genetically unrelated to the population that came after. The second phase showed strong genetic ties to southern France and Iberia, suggesting a migration and resettlement following the Neolith decline. The scientists also found that pathogenic bacteria in the remains, particularly in individuals from the first burial phase, Yersinia pestis, and Borrelia recurrentis, were present. The findings suggest a population strain under multiple pressures, followed by a population turnover after those pressures eased.