Self-Domestication: How Wolves May Have Tamed Themselves

A new study suggests that dog domestication may not have been entirely human-driven. Using a statistical model, researchers found that over 15,000 years, wolves could have self-domesticated by choosing to live near humans for consistent food scraps and selectively mating with similarly docile partners. This 'food-driven' strategy allowed wolves to adapt to human life, eventually evolving into domestic dogs. The research offers new insights into animal domestication mechanisms and sheds light on the long-term co-existence between humans and animals.