Beside the point, I know, but that is interesting about the dogs!

TheFallible, on the program, did they explain why the wolves, who'd hitherto been predators, began to evolve smaller, scavenger's brains? So long as it doesn't affect "fitness" (in the Darwinian sense of the word) evolved attributes are retained even when the environment renders them useless. Presumably then, there was some advantage in having smaller brains. Perhaps there is some kind of connection between obedience and low-intelligence, and the less-intelligent dogs faired better under synanthropic [1] conditions.

[1] I've been waiting my whole life to use that word.

Last edited by Hydra; 10/20/06 01:53 AM.