Post by Phys.org

Genetic analysis of the Medici brothers’ skeletal remains confirms malaria killed Francesco de Medici, addressing centuries of poisoning speculation. The remains also contained a novel Plasmodium falciparum strain in Giovanni de Medici and traces of P. falciparum plus P. malariae in Francesco, though further sequencing is still needed to confirm whether the two species were co-occurring in 16th-century Central Italy.