The discovery of plague DNA in a 4,000-year-old sheep bone is rewriting the story of one of humanity’s most feared pathogens, ...

Cats didn’t become house pets because humans needed them. They didn’t herd animals, pull carts, or guard property.

Bird flu has the potential to spread to more animal species and could mix with seasonal flu, making it easier to spread among humans, according to scientists behind a new study from Iowa State ...

An ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has affected more than 184 million domestic poultry since 2022 and, ...

A new study finds urban raccoons have snouts 3.56% shorter than rural ones, supporting early domestication traits.

A research team led by Professor Luo Shujin from the School of Life Sciences has uncovered a surprising chapter in the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. A domesticated animal is one that has been bred and adapted ...

Big, soulful eyes, a wagging tail, and playful cuddles are a pet parent’s ultimate weakness. These heartwarming traits are not by chance: Shaped by domestication, these behavioral and anatomical ...

Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the University of Southampton, and specializes in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment. Rachael has a degree in Zoology from the ...

Human rights require the very opposite mindset. They demand that we value every life. Drawing artificial boundaries around ...