November '23

Perhaps you’ve heard a competing theory that, fifteen thousand years ago, we first domesticated a wolf to help us hunt. However, a closer look may reveal this narrative to be a chimaera.

First of all, it would be quite bold to demand that a voracious beast share its prey. Second, humans had already long been the best hunters around, using tools, traps and tactics without the need for lupine assistance. It is much likelier that the wolf first scavenged for any remains and gradually learned to push all the right human buttons. The success of this evolutionary strategy is hard to deny. Every year, people procure millions of tons of dog food, provide them with medical care and even produce canine socks. Who domesticated whom remains debatable, to say the least.

It is crystal-clear how very unbalanced the ratio of benefits between sheep and humans is. Sheep can feed themselves, serve as a great source of protein and provide fleece. Human ancestors, who have perhaps acted a bit too rashly when disposing of their own fur, surely came to regret this after they migrated up north and faced a more hostile climate. What would have become of humanity if it had not been for this warm sheep filament?