Toward which two geographical areas does evidence point regarding the debated origin of dog domestication?
Answer
East Asia or Europe
While the general mechanism of domestication—the gradual recruitment of bold individuals exploiting human refuse—is understood, the exact geographical starting point for the transition from wolf to dog remains an unresolved scientific question. Current evidence, compiled through various means including genetic analysis, does not provide a single definitive location. Instead, the data suggest two primary regions where this critical domestication event likely occurred: East Asia or Europe. This ambiguity highlights the complexity of tracking ancient human-animal interactions across vast time scales and differing ancient environments.
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