Tuesday, August 3, 2010

News Reel - Scientists Discover World's Oldest Dog Bone

Ok, this is just neat. In Tuebingen University, scientists have identified a bone that has been sitting around in storage since it was found in Switzerland in 1873. (Read the entire article here - Scientists discover world's oldest dog bone )



The bone has been identified as a canine jaw bone that is between 14,000 and 14,600 years old! Scientists have confirmed that it is a dog bone, not a wolf bone (the shape is distinctly different).




This find proves that humans kept dogs over 14,000 years ago, which was a time when humans were still hunter-gatherers. "The find shed no further light on when man began to tame wolves but indicated that the process was well underway 14 000 years ago, as the dog bones had already evolved differently from their wild ancestors"




So why is this important to us?? It doesn't really change the way we treat our dogs, but it is important that we understand how long the relationship between dogs and humans have existed.




I think that the lengthy relationship is, in and of itself, important to acknowledge.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I am currently reading Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. She, too, acknowledges the very long relationship between humans and dogs - this is another confirmation. I highly recommend her book.

FFMag said...

I am a huge dog lover, this is a great blog.

Blair Sorrel said...

Protect yourself, your dog walkers, and dogs from post-blizzard outdoor shocks or electrocution.


HOW TO SLAY AN INVISIBLE DANGER.

Blair Sorrel, Founder
www.StreetZaps.com

Contact voltage is a chronic hidden hazard that can readily victimize an unsuspecting dog, walker, or both. No dog lover could possibly observe a more horrifying scene than witnessing his beloved pet instantaneously maimed or tragically electrocuted. When you exercise your pooch, please exercise greater prudence. Common outdoor electrical and metal fixtures may shock or even kill your vulnerable dog. And depending upon the current, the walker will be bitten and like poor Aric Roman, suffer permanently. But you can, indeed, self-protect.

Just start to adopt this simple strategy -- EYEBALL THE BLOCK, AND AVOID A SHOCK. Take a few seconds and make your trajectory toward generally safer, free standing, non-conductive surfaces, ie., plastic, wood, cardboard. Intuit your dog's cues and if it's resistant, change directions. Work site perimeters may be live so try to elude them. If necessary, switch sides of the street or your hands when leading to skirt hazards. If you traverse the same route, you may memorize locations of potential dangers. Carry your pooch when in doubt. Consider indoor restroom products like PottyPark when external conditions are chancy or RopeNGo's hardware-free leash and harness. And don't rely on dog booties as a palliative as they will actually put your pet at even greater risk since the dog can't tell you they're leaking! To learn to more, please see StreetZaps. A safer walk is yours year round if you are willing to open to your eyes and mind to it.