Dogs are humans oldest companions

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Dogs

A study of dog DNA has shown that our “best friend” in the animal world may also be our oldest one. The analysis reveals that dog domestication can be traced back 11,000 years, to the end of the last Ice Age. This confirms that dogs were domesticated before any other known species.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54690458

Dog genetics

Dogs were the first domesticated animal, likely originating from human-associated wolves, but their origin remains unclear. Bergstrom et al. sequenced 27 ancient dog genomes from multiple locations near to and corresponding in time to comparable human ancient DNA sites (see the Perspective by Pavlidis and Somel). By analyzing these genomes, along with other ancient and modern dog genomes, the authors found that dogs likely arose once from a now-extinct wolf population. They also found that at least five different dog populations ∼10,000 years before the present show replacement in Europe at later dates. Furthermore, some dog population genetics are similar to those of humans, whereas others differ, inferring a complex ancestral history for humanity’s best friend.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6516/557

End of tomatos

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gardening, tomato plants

I brought in the remaining tomatos a few days ago as we were expecting a hard freeze. We got it. Some of the green ones should ripen indoors.

I did thank the plants.

Summer ends in Prescott

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prescott az, summer, weather

Looks like summer is finally over in Prescott, Az

Snake vs Lizard

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lizard, reptile, snake

Update: These are madrean alligator lizards! I did not see the legs on the darker one.

Lizard vs snake under my Jeep tire. When I first saw this, I thought it was a pair of lizards mating. But no, it looks like a fight to the death. The lizard has the snake’s neck in its jaws. Gary poked them gently with a stick to free the snake, but the lizard ran into the bushes with its prize.

In our Prescott, Az driveway.