How to tame a fox (and build a dog) : visionary scientists and a Siberian tale of jump-started evolution
(Book)

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Contributors
Trut, L. N. author.
Published
Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, [2017].
ISBN
9780226444185, 022644418X
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Indian Prairie Public Library District - 1st Floor636.9776 DUGATKINChecked out
Lansing Public Library - Adult Nonfiction636.9776 DUGOn Shelf
Oak Lawn Public Library - Stacks636.9776 DUGATKINOn Shelf
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Published
Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, [2017].
Format
Book
Physical Desc
216 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm
Language
English
ISBN
9780226444185, 022644418X

Notes

Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
"Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs-they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken-imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, by starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. This is the extraordinary, untold story of this remarkable undertaking. Most accounts of the natural evolution of wolves place it over a span of about 15,000 years, but within a decade, Belyaev and Trut's fox breeding experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. The foxes were bred using selection criteria for tameness, and with each generation, they became increasingly interested in human companionship. Trut has been there the whole time, and has been the lead scientist on this work since Belyaev's death in 1985, and with Lee Dugatkin, biologist and science writer, she tells the story of the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all. In How to Tame a Fox, Dugatkin and Trut take us inside this path-breaking experiment in the midst of the brutal winters of Siberia to reveal how scientific history is made and continues to be made today. To date, fifty-six generations of foxes have been domesticated, and we continue to learn significant lessons from them about the genetic and behavioral evolution of domesticated animals. How to Tame a Fox offers an incredible tale of scientists at work, while also celebrating the deep attachments that have brought humans and animals together throughout time" --Inside jacket.
Description
In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to speed up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. They started with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farms in the USSR and attempting to recreate the evolution of wolves into dogs in real time in order to witness the process of domestication. Within a decade the experiments had resulted in puppy-like foxes with floppy ears, piebald spots, and curly tails. Along with these physical changes came genetic and behavioral changes, as well. Dugatkin and Trut examine the adventure, science, politics, and love behind it all.

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APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Dugatkin, L. A., & Trut, L. N. (2017). How to tame a fox (and build a dog): visionary scientists and a Siberian tale of jump-started evolution . The University of Chicago Press.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Dugatkin, Lee Alan, 1962- and L. N. Trut. 2017. How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-started Evolution. The University of Chicago Press.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Dugatkin, Lee Alan, 1962- and L. N. Trut. How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-started Evolution The University of Chicago Press, 2017.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Dugatkin, Lee Alan, and L. N Trut. How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-started Evolution The University of Chicago Press, 2017.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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