All articles tagged with #domestication
New genetic analysis of 15,800-year-old dog remains from Türkiye and 14,300-year-old bones from Gough’s Cave in Britain pushes back the domestication timeline, showing dogs lived closely with humans across western Eurasia during the Late Upper Paleolithic and were integrated into human groups, with evidence of dietary overlap and even burial alongside people, suggesting a deep, early bond before farming.
Two Nature-published studies using ancient DNA and archaeology show dogs were living with humans across Eurasia by at least 16,000 years ago, with the Pınarbaşı dog in central Turkey (~15,800 years) buried with people and sharing food, and related dogs at Gough’s Cave in Britain (~14,300 years); later, dogs from Turkey interbred with European dogs brought by farmers about 8,500 years ago rather than replacing existing lineages, revealing a long, mobile, and deeply integrated relationship between dogs and humans before farming.
Researchers studying ancient dog remains, including a 14,300-year-old jawbone from Gough’s Cave in the UK and a Swiss find, are using genomics and archaeology to trace where dogs came from and how they spread with people, offering new clues about when and where domestication occurred.
Ancient DNA from dog remains across Anatolia, the UK, and Serbia shows dogs were widespread in Europe and western Asia by about 14,000 years ago, with the oldest specimen dating to 15,800 years. Isotopic data indicate dogs ate fish, suggesting they were fed by humans, and puppies buried with a human at Pınarbaşı point to deep emotional bonds. The findings push the origin of domesticated dogs to the last Ice Age and imply rapid spread and sustained human–dog relationships, with many modern European breeds tracing substantial ancestry to these ancient dogs.
A Live Science feature by Sophie Berdugo outlines how humans and domesticated cats evolved from a mutual pest-control partnership into a more complex, sometimes asymmetrical relationship. Tracing cats to African wildcats and their spread with agriculture, the piece argues that while early cats helped curb rodents in small settlements, their role in large grain stores likely diminished, prompting a broader rethink of what mutualism means and what a cat is in our shared ecological story.
Experts weigh whether any wild species could be domesticated into the next popular pet; raccoons are highlighted as a potential example, but true domestication is a slow, complex evolution driven by social behavior and interaction with humans, with many urban wildlife species potentially following a commensal path rather than deliberate breeding, and dogs and cats remaining the benchmark.
Researchers discovered 3,000-5,000-year-old wolf remains on a remote Swedish island, revealing complex prehistoric interactions with humans, including possible management or domestication, challenging traditional views of human-wolf relationships.
Humans primarily eat chickens because they are easy to domesticate, farm efficiently, and are more palatable compared to other birds like swans or seagulls. The history of chicken consumption dates back thousands of years, with their popularity boosted by their suitability for domestication and their role in entertainment such as cockfighting.
A Swiss research team used precise gene editing to correct a mutation in the SSP2 gene of domesticated tomatoes, resulting in earlier fruiting, more compact growth, and potential for improved crop scheduling, highlighting how fixing deleterious mutations can enhance crop traits.
The article explores how ancient DNA studies have shed light on the process and timeline of transforming wild horses into domesticated, rideable animals, highlighting their profound impact on human societies.
Llamas and alpacas are both camelids native to the Americas, with llamas being larger, having coarse hair, and used as pack animals, while alpacas are smaller, with fine, silky wool and bred mainly for textiles. They differ in size, appearance, temperament, and historical use, but are often confused due to their similar appearance.
A study from Kyoto University links a genetic variation in the androgen receptor gene to how often domestic cats purr or vocalize, suggesting that domestication and evolution have influenced these behaviors through DNA repeats, with implications for understanding feline communication and evolution.
New research suggests that the 14,000-year-old well-preserved 'Tumat Puppies' found in Siberia were likely wolf pups, not early domesticated dogs, based on genetic and dietary analysis, shedding light on the life of ice age wolves and the complexities of dog domestication.
New research on 14,000-year-old ice age 'puppies' found in Siberia suggests they were not early domesticated dogs but rather wolf pups that lived independently, shedding light on the challenges of tracing dog domestication and the behavior of ancient wolves.
A study of two well-preserved Ice Age puppies from Siberia reveals they were wolves, not early dogs, and they preyed on woolly rhinoceroses, providing insights into ancient wolf populations and challenging assumptions about early domestication markers like fur color.