Here is a concise summary of the text:
**Title:** Uncovering the Origins of Dog Domestication
**Key Points:**
1. **Discovery of "Dogor"**: An 18,000-year-old puppy found in Siberian permafrost, whose species (dog or wolf) remains unclear, sparking interest in understanding dog domestication.
2. **Domestication Timeline**: Scientists believe wolves were domesticated between 40,000 to 27,000 years ago, with genetic divergence occurring over a short period, possibly around 28,500 years ago.
3. **Commensal Pathway**: Dogs were initially drawn to human settlements for food, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship, with humans later utilizing them for tasks like guarding and hunting.
4. **Single Domestication Event**: Recent research suggests dogs were domesticated only once, with a single continuous lineage, contrary to earlier theories of multiple domestication events.
5. **Archaeological Evidence**: Dog burials, often mirroring human burial practices, demonstrate the strong bond between humans and dogs, dating back thousands of years.
6. **Evolution of Breeds**: Over time, humans developed new breeds to suit various needs, leading to the diversity of dog breeds seen today, with most emerging during the Victorian era.
**Current Status:** The DNA results of "Dogor" are pending, expected to shed more light on the early days of dog domestication.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences:
**Fossil Discovery**
1. In 2018, a 2-month-old puppy's body was discovered in melted permafrost near the Indigirka River in Siberia.
2. The puppy, nicknamed "Dogor", was estimated to be 18,000 years old.
3. Dogor's remains were remarkably preserved, with most of its fur, teeth, and nose intact.
**Domestication of Dogs**
4. The exact species of Dogor (dog or wolf) could not be confirmed by scientists.
5. Dogor's age coincides with the period when scientists believe wolves were becoming domesticated.
6. The domestication of wolves is thought to have occurred between 40,000 and 27,000 years ago, based on genetic divergence.
7. The initial domestication process may have taken thousands of years, with multiple interactions between humans and wolves.
**Genetics and Diet**
8. Modern dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) share a key genetic trait with wolves: hypersociability.
9. Domesticated dogs have more copies of the AMY2B gene (for starch digestion) than wolves, indicating a dietary shift.
10. The increase in starch consumption in dogs mirrors the rise of agriculture in humans.
**Spread of Domesticated Dogs**
11. The spread of agriculture can be tracked through a genetic adaptation in dogs.
12. A 2017 study suggests that dogs may have been domesticated only once, with a single continuous lineage.
13. Earlier research (2016) had suggested possible dual domestication events in Europe and Asia.
**Archaeological Record**
14. Dog burials, similar to human burials, have been found across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America (Late Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene Epoch).
15. Some dog burials show evidence of close companionship, with dogs and humans sharing food and living spaces.
16. The earliest known dog burial (a puppy) dates back to around 16,000 years ago in Germany, alongside two human bodies.
**Breeding and Diversity**
17. Over thousands of years, domestication led to physical and genetic changes in dogs.
18. Many modern breeds were developed during the Victorian era in Britain, following the introduction of dog shows.
19. Today, there are hundreds of dog breeds, most of which are relatively recent developments.