Dire Wolves Were Not Really Wolves, New Genetic Clues Reveal

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January 13, 2021

Dear Reader, Ever since they were first described in the 1850s, dire wolves have captured modern humans' imagination. And the massive canids have also received some time in the spotlight thanks to Game of Thrones. Now, a new study of dire wolf genetics has shocked paleontologists: it found that these animals were not wolves at all, but rather the last of a dog lineage that evolved in North America. Learn more about the discovery in today's featured story.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

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FROM THE ARCHIVE How Wolf Became Dog Scientists are racing to solve the enduring mystery of how a large, dangerous carnivore evolved into our best friend By Virginia Morell | July 2015

QUOTE OF THE DAY "These results totally shake up the idea that dire wolves were just bigger cousins of gray wolves." Grant Zazula, paleontologist

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