• Random_Character_A@lemmy.world
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    22 hours ago

    You heard about the theory that dogs are just wolves with their version of down syndrome, so they were more docile. We kept breeding that trait till it became standard. This was in the very beginning 30-40 thousand years ago.

    • HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml
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      16 hours ago

      are just wolves with their version of down syndrome

      Categorically false. Down syndrome is due to having an extra chromosome. While dogs have 2 fewer chromosomes than wolves. No, it’s not the same thing because it is a single matched pair that is missing, which is the the “normal” way chromosome counts change through evolution. Dogs don’t act like wolves because they have been evolving mostly separately from wolves to the point where they are generally considered a separate species. Dogs aren’t wolves with down syndrome in the same way coyotes aren’t wolves with down syndrome. They act differently because they’re different animals adapted to wildly different niches.

      The docile nature comes from literally having fewer neurons in aggression/panic/fight regions of their brain. MinuteEarth video

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        17 hours ago

        And there are shitloads more super-hot peppers that never existed in nature. Evolution be weird sometimes.