Does it really matter WHEN it originated?
How much money was spent on this study and who paid for it?
Yes, it matters. Maybe not to you, but no one cares about that.
from the article
” Italian scientists have used a mathematical equation to pinpoint the beginnings of smallpox”
” Dr. Diego Forni, from the Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, in Italy.”
https://emedea.it/english_medea/research.html
it looks like https://emedea.it/english_medea/who_we_are/index.php it is funded by the Italian state and is primarily for rehabilitation.
As to your question, yes it does matter when - the more we know, the more we can prevent a potential recurrence. Also it is interesting from a historical point of view