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We've all heard the phrase “dog is man's best friend.”
我們都聽過這句話“狗是人類最好的朋友”。
But how did dogs get to be so friendly with humans?
但是為什么狗對人類那么友好呢？
It turns out that dog domestication wasn't simply a matter of teaching Fido to play “fetch.”
事實證明狗的馴化并不是簡單教會狗接住東西。
Scientific research indicates that genetic selection played a key role as well.
科學家的研究表明，遺傳選擇也起到了一個重要的作用。
We know that dog domestication began over ten thousand years ago.
我們知道狗的馴化開始于一萬多年前。
However, scientists have yet to reach a consensus on the details of how and why certain ancient wolves evolved into our furry canine friends.
但是，科學家并未就遠古狼如何以及為何演變成我們毛茸茸的犬類朋友而達成共識，并得到相關細節。
Those details are getting clearer, though, thanks to a group of scientists working in Sweden and the United States.
但是得感謝瑞典和美國的一組科學家，他們讓這些細節變得明朗。
They analyzed the DNA from a dozen wolves and sixty dogs to determine which genetic markers distinguish domestic canines.
他們分析了12只狼和60只狗的DNA，確定哪種遺傳標記區別于被馴化的狗。
In total, 122 specific genes that could be linked to domestication turned up.
總共有122個特定基因被證實與已經馴化的狗有聯系。
Probably the most illuminating discovery was the importance of three of those genes to doggie diet: they help with starch digestion.
可能最具啟蒙性的發現是，三個關于狗飲食的基因的重要性:他們幫助淀粉消化。
It turns out that dogs possess significantly more copies of these genes than wolves do.
這被證實,狗比狼更多的復制了這些基因。
As a result, your family pet is about five times better than its carnivorous relatives at digesting starchy foods like potatoes and rice.
結果就是你的狗比它的食肉親戚在消化淀粉類食物,如土豆和大米方面大約強五倍。
This genetic evidence links the most recent phase of canine evolution to human history: during the shift from a hunter gatherer to an agricultural society, we started eating more starch, too.
基因證據表明，狗的進化與人類社會的歷史發展有關聯:從狩獵社會到農業社會,人類開始食用更多的淀粉食物。
Waste dumps near new human settlements would have provided an ideal place for canines to scavenge food–but only if they were willing to trade in carnivorous cravings for a more starchy supper.
廢棄垃圾場就在人類的住所附近，這也為犬類提供了理想的覓食場所，但前提是它們愿意放棄肉食而選擇淀粉類食物。
So, there you have it: your pooch isn't merely your best friend–it's also your evolutionary partner!
所以，要知道，你的狗不僅僅是你最好的朋友，它也是你一同進化的小伙伴。
