Domesticated: Evolution in a Man-Made World

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Biological Sciences, Zoology, Evolution
Cover of the book Domesticated: Evolution in a Man-Made World by Richard C. Francis, W. W. Norton & Company
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard C. Francis ISBN: 9780393246513
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Publication: May 25, 2015
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company Language: English
Author: Richard C. Francis
ISBN: 9780393246513
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publication: May 25, 2015
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English

“An essential read for anyone interested in the stories of the animals in our home or on our plate.”—BBC Focus

Without our domesticated plants and animals, human civilization as we know it would not exist. We would still be living at subsistence level as hunter-gatherers if not for domestication. It is no accident that the cradle of civilization—the Middle East—is where sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, and cats commenced their fatefully intimate association with humans.

Before the agricultural revolution, there were perhaps 10 million humans on earth. Now there are more than 7 billion of us. Our domesticated species have also thrived, in stark contrast to their wild ancestors. In a human-constructed environment—or man-made world—it pays to be domesticated.

Domestication is an evolutionary process first and foremost. What most distinguishes domesticated animals from their wild ancestors are genetic alterations resulting in tameness, the capacity to tolerate close human proximity. But selection for tameness often results in a host of seemingly unrelated by-products, including floppy ears, skeletal alterations, reduced aggression, increased sociality, and reduced brain size. It's a package deal known as the domestication syndrome.

Elements of the domestication syndrome can be found in every domesticated species—not only cats, dogs, pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses but also more recent human creations, such as domesticated camels, reindeer, and laboratory rats. That domestication results in this suite of changes in such a wide variety of mammals is a fascinating evolutionary story, one that sheds much light on the evolutionary process in general.

We humans, too, show signs of the domestication syndrome, which some believe was key to our evolutionary success. By this view, human evolution parallels the evolution of dogs from wolves, in particular.

A natural storyteller, Richard C. Francis weaves history, archaeology, and anthropology to create a fascinating narrative while seamlessly integrating the most cutting-edge ideas in twenty-first-century biology, from genomics to evo-devo.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

“An essential read for anyone interested in the stories of the animals in our home or on our plate.”—BBC Focus

Without our domesticated plants and animals, human civilization as we know it would not exist. We would still be living at subsistence level as hunter-gatherers if not for domestication. It is no accident that the cradle of civilization—the Middle East—is where sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, and cats commenced their fatefully intimate association with humans.

Before the agricultural revolution, there were perhaps 10 million humans on earth. Now there are more than 7 billion of us. Our domesticated species have also thrived, in stark contrast to their wild ancestors. In a human-constructed environment—or man-made world—it pays to be domesticated.

Domestication is an evolutionary process first and foremost. What most distinguishes domesticated animals from their wild ancestors are genetic alterations resulting in tameness, the capacity to tolerate close human proximity. But selection for tameness often results in a host of seemingly unrelated by-products, including floppy ears, skeletal alterations, reduced aggression, increased sociality, and reduced brain size. It's a package deal known as the domestication syndrome.

Elements of the domestication syndrome can be found in every domesticated species—not only cats, dogs, pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses but also more recent human creations, such as domesticated camels, reindeer, and laboratory rats. That domestication results in this suite of changes in such a wide variety of mammals is a fascinating evolutionary story, one that sheds much light on the evolutionary process in general.

We humans, too, show signs of the domestication syndrome, which some believe was key to our evolutionary success. By this view, human evolution parallels the evolution of dogs from wolves, in particular.

A natural storyteller, Richard C. Francis weaves history, archaeology, and anthropology to create a fascinating narrative while seamlessly integrating the most cutting-edge ideas in twenty-first-century biology, from genomics to evo-devo.

More books from W. W. Norton & Company

Cover of the book The Collective: A Novel by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book The School Discipline Fix: Changing Behavior Using the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book In the Shadow of a Rainbow: The True Story of a Friendship Between Man and Wolf by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book The Terror Presidency: Law and Judgment Inside the Bush Administration by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book The Invitation: A Novel by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Jacob's Ladder: A Story of Virginia During the War by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Focusing in Clinical Practice: The Essence of Change by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Shadow of Cain: A Novel by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Lines of Defense: Poems by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Mexican Everyday by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book Poetry of Witness: The Tradition in English, 1500-2001 by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Richard C. Francis
Cover of the book The Road to Calm Workbook: Life-Changing Tools to Stop Runaway Emotions by Richard C. Francis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy