According to a new study led by the Australian National University (ANU), Pacific island nations underwent severe depopulation from introduction of diseases as a consequence of contact with European vessels. These declines caused by the introduction of new pathogens in immunologically-naïve populations are much higher than previously thought. The scientists used aerial laser scanning data to map residences on the main island of Tonga, together with archaeological data, to estimate how population fluctuated due to the contact with Europeans during the 19th century. The analysis revealed that,...