Ancient DNA Reveals the Secret Killers That Wiped Out Napoleon’s Army in 1812

Image – 1851 oil on canvas painting: Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow by Adolph Northen (1828–1876) via Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain. Article by Tim McMillan. The Debrief – October 25, 2025. Study: Current Biology.

In the summer of 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte led over half a million men into Russia, commanding what was then the largest military force Europe had ever seen. His Grande Armée swept across Europe like a human tide, a symbol of Napoleon’s imperial ambition and absolute confidence. Yet, after six brutal months, only a few thousand soldiers would stagger out of Russia’s frozen wilderness in retreat. Historians have long debated what truly destroyed Napoleon’s army, […]

Click here to view original web page at www.thedebrief.org