Rats reprieved as giant gerbils are blamed for the Black Death

The Times of London ^ | February 24, 2015 | Valentine Low

[SteveH]

Gerbils are cute and furry creatures. They may also, according to scientists, have been responsible for killing millions of people across Europe by spreading the plague.

Researchers now believe that gerbils from Asia, rather than native black rats, were behind the repeated outbreaks of the bubonic plague in Europe.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

I thought this was gonna be about the democrats.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I knew gerbils had to have bad kharma.

[SteveH]

I thought it was going to be about Richard Gere.

[chajin]

I know I’ve been reading FR too long when I read the first two words of the headline and assumed for a second it was about the DHS funding...

[Explorer89]

Giant gerbils?

Does that make them Rodents of Unusual Size?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOv5ZjAOpC8

[beethovenfan]

“Size matters.” - Bawney Fwank and other turd tillers.

[Politicalkiddo]

“Gerbils are cute and furry creatures..”

Definitely not Democrats.

[colorado tanker]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gerbil outside a pet store or grade school classroom.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I thought it was the fleas...

[UCANSEE2]

[Billthedrill]

NOT GUILTY!!

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Gerbils? Arabian sand rats? Mohammedan bio-weapon?

[NativeSon]

Lemmiwinks!

[Ken H]

'Propaganda from the Bolshevik press.'

--Josef Gerbils

[momtothree]

That’s a guinea pig!!! They are cute, too!

[henkster]

Wow. A whole 4 replies before the Richard Gere reference. We’re slipping.

[Sooth2222]

Lemmiwinks, meet Mr. Slave!

[shibumi]

"It's a little known fact
That the plague was caused
by an infestation of Bubons.

Thus the name Bubonic Plague."

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I truly doubt this. I suspect this is just speculation.

To start with, rats and mice have been with people forever, and are known for their extraordinary ability to travel, survive and procreate in the most extreme of places.