Who let the wolves in? Genetic record for domestic dogs pushed back by 5,000 years – nature.com

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Dogs were early man’s best friend. A pair of Nature papers published today have identified the oldest dog genomes on record in remains from archaeological sites spanning Europe and the Middle East1,2.
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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00900-6
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Ancient dog DNA reveals 11,000 years of canine evolution
The science of puppy dog eyes
Dog family tree reveals hidden history of canine diversity
Ancient wolf genome pushes back dawn of the dog
Ancient genomes heat up dog domestication debate
Ice Age wolf genomes home in on dog origins
Puppy-dog eyes in wild canines sparks rethink on dog evolution
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