DNA Evidence Shows Ancient Humans and Dogs Migrated Together

The study is the first to show a genomic relationship between dogs and humans on the move.

Written byLisa Winter

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The landscape of what early relationships between canines and humans looked like is now becoming clearer, as a study published in Science on October 30 uses DNA evidence to explain migrational partnerships between dogs and humans going back to the end of the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago.

To understand how ancient hunter-gatherer societies might have associated with early dogs, a research team analyzed the genomes from the remains of ancient dogs representing 27 species. The time when the dogs lived spanned from the last ice age to about 800 years ago. These sequences were then compared to the genomes from ancient humans from the same time period and regions.

Trying to marry this history of dog evolution with that of humans is a tall order. “It’s like you have an ancient text in two different languages, and you’re looking to see how ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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