Download or read book From Wolf to Woof a Genetic History of Man s Best Friend written by Professor Bryan Sykes and published by . This book was released on 2018-10-22 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The evolution of dogs and the forces that drove its amazing transformation from a fierce wild carnivore, the wolf, to the astonishing range of comparatively docile domesticated dogs that we know today. How is it that Homo sapiens formed such a special relationship with what, on the face of it, is a most unlikely ally? It is more than just a story of domestication but an astonishing example of the co-evolution of two species, man and wolf, to each others' mutual benefit. This co-evolution was a vital step in helping Homo sapiens overcome competition from other human species and to expand in numbers from relative obscurity on the margins towards the overwhelming numerical superiority and influence that we enjoy today. The book draws on the rich scientific detail of the genomes, both dog and human, that has accumulated over the past two decades. In each case we see a clear pattern of the origins of both species, resolving questions that have puzzled scientists for centuries. Sykes explores the breadth of this 'special relationship' between man and dog. We know that dogs descend from wolves. We know that their domesticated descendants form close bonds with ourselves and there are a multitude of theories to account for our compatible social organisations. But to a geneticist, this is nowhere near powerful enough to explain this most peculiar situation. Many theories explore what it was that propelled Homo sapiens from the position of a scarce, medium-sized primate to the position of complete domination that we enjoy today. The ability to control fire, the evolution of language and the invention of agriculture are three prominent examples. Sykes crucially adds a fourth: our transformation of the wolf into the multi-purpose helpmate that is the dog. We owe our dominance and our survival to the dog.
Download or read book The Wolf Within The Astonishing Evolution of the Wolf into Man s Best Friend written by Professor Bryan Sykes and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The genetic history of the dog is a sensational example of the co-evolution of two species, man and wolf, to each other’s mutual benefit. But how did this ancient partnership begin? To answer this question, Professor Bryan Sykes identifies tantalising clues in the recently mapped genetic makeup of both species.
Download or read book Once a Wolf The Science Behind Our Dogs Astonishing Genetic Evolution written by Bryan Sykes and published by Liveright Publishing. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Seven Daughters of Eve returns with a lively account of how all dogs are descended from a mere handful of wolves. How did wolves evolve into dogs? When did this happen, and what role did humans play? Oxford geneticist Bryan Sykes used the full array of modern technology to explore the canine genetic journey that likely began when a human child decided to adopt a wolf cub thousands of years ago. In the process, he discovered that only a handful of genes have created the huge range of shapes, sizes, and colors in modern dogs. Providing scientific insight into these adaptive stages, Sykes focuses attention on our own species, and how our own evolution from (perhaps equally aggressive) primates was enhanced by this most unlikely ally. Whether examining our obsession with canine purity, or delving into the prehistoric past to answer the most fundamental question of all, “Why do we love our dog so much?,” Once a Wolf is an engaging work no dog lover or ancestry aficionado should be without.
Download or read book Selfish Genes to Social Beings written by Jonathan Silvertown and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2024-04-11 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For all the "selfishness" of genes, they team up to survive. Is the history of life in fact a story of cooperation? Amid the violence and brutality that dominates the news, it's hard to think of ourselves as team players. But cooperation, Jonathan Silvertown argues, is a fundamental part of our make-up, and deeply woven into the whole four-billion-year history of life. Starting with human society, Silvertown digs deeper, to show how cooperation is key to the cells forming our organs, to symbiosis between organisms, to genes that band together, to the dawn of life itself. Cooperation has enabled life to thrive and become complex. Without it, life would never have begun.
Download or read book As Comes Man Arrives the Dog written by Russell M. Cera and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-11-08 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the First Dogs Came to Be Estimates indicate there are about 525 million dogs living in the world today. In the United States alone, adoring people own approximately 78 million dogs of which there are 340 different recognized breeds. Along with these astounding statistics often comes the question of how this all came to be; where and when did this begin to happen? The gray wolf, enduring the blades of the most cutting media in the world, has been victimized by myths and fables in such magnitude that the animal became a symbol of avarice, viciousness and guile. No creature on the planet has been more reviled or more stigmatized. Yet the wolf is a distinct contrast to "Man's best friend" -- the dog. About 135,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, the wolf began its association with Homo erectus. Though the exact time for wolves transition into dogs is still under scrutinized scientific debate, there is no doubt that the lineage of all dogs is directly connected to wolves. In As Comes Man - Arrives the Dog, Russell M. Cera has written a graphic narrative of how humans and wolves began a momentous relationship. Mr. Cera transports you back into the pristine world of our prehistoric ancestors to witness the initial bonding of Man and wolf. The reader becomes audience to the remarkable evolution of both. You will hear the lore of the ancient people's connection to the gray wolf. You will see the transformation of a Neanderthal-like creature into a man. You will observe the conversion of the wolf into the beginnings of the beloved dog. You will feel man's exhilaration and the animal's comfort to the first touch of a human's hand to lupine fur. The author's story is fraught with trepidation, perilous adventure and heartbreak, but all are overcome by indomitable courage, glory and ultimate joy. It is a chronicle about the sadness and happiness of men and wolves in their arduous journeys through life. As Comes Man - Arrives the Dog is a sensitive account and spellbinding tale of how the chance connection between Man and wolf would impact the two distinct species and ultimately alter both in their transcendence into the modern world.
Download or read book Our First Dog written by Robert Copps and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2011-06-03 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our First Dog is a fictionalized account of the domestication of the wolf and its profound impact, first on a small settlement of Stone Age hunters and gatherers, and then on the course of human history. Tork the Bison Butcher, a clever observer of animals, is fascinated by the behavior of a young female wolf which has been rejected by her pack. He brings her home to his family. Initially terrified, his children and their mother are soon enchanted by the animal which they name Star and welcome into the clan, never anticipating the dramatic consequences of their action. Within a brief period, Stars sentry duties and hunting skills provide the family with unprecedented wealth and security. Her contributions alter the established primitive trading patterns in the valley, unleashing jealousy and retribution between competing settlement leadersand within Torks own family. Torks philosophical ponderings on the inter-relationship of all living things prepare the reader for the inevitable clash of forces between competing settlements and reveal that early humans share with us the same aspirations and fundamental questions about life.
Download or read book Wolf written by S. Roberts, Rachel and published by John Hunt Publishing. This book was released on 2024-08-30 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reconnect to your authentic expression. Learn to trust your wild and untamed nature. Find the courage to be fearlessly you. A howl from the deepest parts of the forest signals the wolf within, rising. Wolf is calling all those who are ready to reclaim their sovereign place as students of wild embodiment and self-empowerment. Wolf is an inspirational guide for deepening your spiritual connection to wolves, exploring practices and embodiment tools for personal empowerment. It offers solace to all those who, like wolves, have ever felt different, an outsider, made wrong, bad or ugly. It invites you into the warm, cosy den of the wolf to learn that you are not alone in craving belonging and the rightness of self. With the wolves, you will bravely leave self-doubt behind and courageously reclaim your self-worth. This book is your reminder that you are worthy, you are powerful, and you are of value exactly as you are. Through an exploration of wolf wisdom, mythology, legend, gods and goddesses, this guide will lead you on the hunt for self-acceptance and self-actualisation. Through guided connection to Wolf Spirit and the Wolf Council, you will increase your self-confidence, learn to honour your unique self and celebrate all the ways in which you are and can be Wolf - untamed, courageous, and wildly free. Journey with Grand Mother Wolf, the elemental wolves and the great Wolf God Fenrir to learn what it means to be part of the wolf pack and to finally trust your innate abilities and purpose. Wolf will support you in the most powerful reclamation and liberation of your authentic self.
Download or read book The First Domestication written by Raymond Pierotti and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2017-11-28 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A riveting look at how dog and humans became best friends, and the first history of dog domestication to include insights from indigenous peoples In this fascinating book, Raymond Pierotti and Brandy Fogg change the narrative about how wolves became dogs and in turn, humanity’s best friend. Rather than describe how people mastered and tamed an aggressive, dangerous species, the authors describe coevolution and mutualism. Wolves, particularly ones shunned by their packs, most likely initiated the relationship with Paleolithic humans, forming bonds built on mutually recognized skills and emotional capacity. This interdisciplinary study draws on sources from evolutionary biology as well as tribal and indigenous histories to produce an intelligent, insightful, and often unexpected story of cooperative hunting, wolves protecting camps, and wolf-human companionship. This fascinating assessment is a must-read for anyone interested in human evolution, ecology, animal behavior, anthropology, and the history of canine domestication.
Download or read book Part Wild written by Ceiridwen Terrill and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traces the author's four-year relationship with a wolf-dog hybrid named Inyo, recounting their shared journeys in the snow, her battles with fearful neighbors, and the wolfdog's ultimate inability to be domesticated.
Download or read book How the Dog Became the Dog written by Mark Derr and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2011-10-27 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This “informative account” of canine evolution will “appeal to dog lovers with a curiosity about the origins of their favorite companion.” (Publishers Weekly) Many have made the case that dogs have evolved from wolves but the evolutionary link between wolves and dogs remains a mystery. In How the Dog Became the Dog, Mark Derr posits that the dog’s evolution from wolf was inevitable due to the mutually beneficial nature of the relationship between wolves and hunter-gatherer humans. How the Dog Became the Dog presents the domestication of the dog as a biological and cultural process that began with a reciprocal cooperation between dogwolves and humans that evolved over time, from the first dogs that took refuge with humans against the cold at the end of the last Ice Age, to the 18th century, when humans began to exercise full control of dog reproduction, life, and death, through centuries of natural and artificial selection that led us to the many breeds of dogs we know and love today. “A transporting slice of dog/wolf thinking that will pique the interest of anyone with a dog in their orbit.” —Kirkus Reviews
Download or read book Of Wolves and Men written by Barry Holstun Lopez and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2004 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Wolf in the Parlor written by Jon Franklin and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A man and puppy exhumed from a 12,000-year-old grave sends a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer on a journey to the dogs Of all the things hidden in plain sight, dogs are one of the most enigmatic. They are everywhere but how much do we really know about where they came from and what the implications are of their place in our world? Jon Franklin set out to find out and ended up spending a decade studying the origins and significance of the dog and its peculiar attachment to humans. As the intellectual pursuit of his subject began to take over Franklin's life, he married a dog lover and was quickly introduced to the ancient and powerful law of nature, to wit: Love me, love my dog. Soon Franklin was sharing hearth and home with a soulful and clever poodle named Charlie. And so began one man's journey to the dogs, an odyssey that would take him from a 12,000-year-old grave to a conclusion so remarkable as to change our perception of ourselves. Building on evolutionary science, archaeology, behavioral science, and the firsthand experience of watching his own dog evolve from puppy to family member, Franklin posits that man and dog are more than just inseparable; they are part and parcel of the same creature. Along the way, The Wolf in the Parlor imparts a substantial yet painless education on subjects as far ranging as psychological evolution and neurochemistry. In this groundbreaking book, master storyteller Franklin shatters the lens through which we see the world and shows us an unexpected, enthralling picture of the human/canine relationship.
Download or read book The First Domestication written by Raymond John Pierotti and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Raymond Pierotti and Brandy Fogg change the narrative about how wolves became dogs and, in turn, humanity's best friend. Rather than recount how people mastered and tamed an aggressive, dangerous species, the authors describe coevolution and mutualism. Wolves, particularly ones shunned by their packs, most likely initiated the relationship with Paleolithic humans, forming bonds built on mutually recognized skills and emotional capacity. This interdisciplinary study draws on sources from evolutionary biology as well as tribal and indigenous histories to produce an intelligent, insightful, and often unexpected story of cooperative hunting, wolves protecting camps, and wolf-human companionship"--Dust jacket flap.
Download or read book Once a Wolf written by Stephen R. Swinburne and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2001-02 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the long and troubled relationship between humans and wolves--from persecution to preservation. Full-color photos.
Download or read book A Dog in the Cave written by Kay Frydenborg and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2017-03-14 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A compelling look at the origins of and the ongoing unique relationship between humans and dogs . . . [a] lively blend of science and history.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) We know dogs are our best animal friends, but have you ever thought about what that might mean? Fossils show we’ve shared our work and homes with dogs for tens of thousands of years. Now there’s growing evidence that we influenced dogs’ evolution—and they, in turn, changed ours. Even more than our closest relatives, the apes, dogs are the species with whom we communicate best. Combining history, paleontology, biology, and cutting-edge medical science, Kay Frydenborg paints a picture of how two different species became deeply entwined—and how we coevolved into the species we are today. “Narrative nonfiction at its best—high interest and engaging, with meaty interdisciplinary science exploration. A top choice for tweens and teens.”—School Library Journal (starred review) “This narrative blend of history and science belongs on all shelves.”—Booklist (starred review) “A fascinating study of the ways in which a relationship with canines has been pivotal to humanity’s development . . . Sidebars and color photographs supplement and expand on the central narrative, which is all but certain to leave readers thinking about their dogs, and themselves, in entirely new ways.”—Publishers Weekly “Evident throughout [A Dog in the Cave] are the author’s passion and curiosity.”—The Horn Book
Download or read book How to Tame a Fox and Build a Dog written by Lee Alan Dugatkin and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2019-04-14 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, by starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. This is the extraordinary, untold story of this remarkable undertaking. Most accounts of the natural evolution of wolves place it over a span of about 15,000 years, but within a decade, Belyaev and Trut’s fox breeding experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. The foxes were bred using selection criteria for tameness, and with each generation, they became increasingly interested in human companionship. Trut has been there the whole time, and has been the lead scientist on this work since Belyaev’s death in 1985, and with Lee Dugatkin, biologist and science writer, she tells the story of the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all. In How to Tame a Fox, Dugatkin and Trut take us inside this path-breaking experiment in the midst of the brutal winters of Siberia to reveal how scientific history is made and continues to be made today. To date, fifty-six generations of foxes have been domesticated, and we continue to learn significant lessons from them about the genetic and behavioral evolution of domesticated animals. How to Tame a Fox offers an incredible tale of scientists at work, while also celebrating the deep attachments that have brought humans and animals together throughout time.
Download or read book The Wolf in the Whale written by Jordanna Max Brodsky and published by Redhook. This book was released on 2019-01-29 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "If you liked American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Circe by Madeline Miller, be sure to pick this one up." -- Timeworn A sweeping tale of forbidden love and warring gods, where a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies in a war that will determine the fate of the new world. There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. . . Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening and Omat's family is starving. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she encounters Brandr, a wounded Viking warrior, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world. . .or save it.
