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50 Years of Domesticating Foxes For Science

Posted by Soulskill on from the fox-eat-fox-world dept.

gamebittk writes "In 1959, Soviet scientist Dmitri Belyaev set out to breed a tamer fox that would be easier for their handlers in the Russian fur industry to work with. Much to the scientist's shock, changes no one had expected emerged after just 10 generations. The foxes began behaving playfully, were smaller in size, and even changed color — much like dogs." Belyaev died in 1985, but the experiment continued (PDF) in his absence, and to this day provides strong evidence to parts of evolutionary theory. The experiment eventually branched out to involve other species as well.

2 of 347 comments (clear)

  1. Playing God by Potor · · Score: 4, Informative

    All our science and technology is based on the idea that we can understand, control, and improve nature.

    Playing God, in the Xn tradition, is creatio ex nihilo. Tweaking nature - even with catastrophic results - is not playing God.

  2. Re:Evolutionary Theory by BasilBrush · · Score: 4, Informative

    Oh you creationists are so determinedly ignorant.

    Secondly, it is not clear even from a biological point of view how a new complex system can arise by random chance, such as developing an entirely different organ for example in a very gradual way.

    It's perfectly clear how organs can result from evolution in a gradual series of steps. Here Richard Dawkins explains exactly for the evolution of the eyeball in so simple a way a way a child could understand. You'd benefit from watching the whole thing, but if you want to cut to the chase, the eye section starts at about 23 minutes in.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT1vXXMsYak