Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2021

The Origin of the People and Dogs’ 20,000-Year Love Affair

It seems fitting during Valentine’s week to address the mystery of how the dog became the dog and ended up as a devoted and beloved companion for billions of people over the span of 20,000 years or so. Several academic papers and one blog by a consummate citizen-scientist that focus on this mystery have recently been published. The precise origins of the people and dogs’ love affair (where, when and how) are still unclear but modern techniques for collecting and analyzing ancient DNA samples are bringing new insights.

Unrequited Love among the Leaves! An Almost Valentine’s Tale?
On this Valentine’s Day: Imagine that you are taking a stroll (!) through the forests of Papua New Guinea and marvel at the beauty of the trees and the colors and textures of the leaves some of which may be “leaf” insects. These creatures are the source of an insect Valentine’s Tale from the Montréal Insectarium. READ MORE

Dogs Helping Veterans
Interest in research into the health benefits of companion animals has grown steadily and funding support for such research and its methodological rigor has increased significantly in just the past twenty years. The debate over the provision of support dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD will doubtless continue. This is an area where personal anecdotes have substantial impact and an example of what any gold standard clinical trial is going to have to address. READ MORE