Science Magazine Podcast Linking cat domestication to ancient cult sacrifices, and watching aurorae wander
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Apr 17, 2025 David Grimm, Online News Editor for Science Magazine, examines the intriguing connection between an ancient Egyptian cult that sacrificed cats and the domestication of these beloved pets. Agnit Mukhopadhyay, a research affiliate at the University of Michigan, discusses a fascinating magnetic pole shift that occurred 41,000 years ago, its environmental implications, and how it might affect us today. Together, they unravel the intersections of animal history and Earth's magnetic mysteries, shedding light on our past and future.
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True Ancestor of Domestic Cats
- Early European cats thought to be ancestors of domestic cats were actually wildcats unrelated to house cats today.
- The African wildcat is the true ancestor of domestic cats, reaffirming Egypt as the likely origin of cat domestication.
Cat Cult Breeding Leads to Domestication
- Ancient Egyptian cults required millions of cat mummies, necessitating breeding many cats in close quarters.
- This intense captivity likely selected for the tamest cats, fostering domestication, termed the "murder domestication pathway."
Ancient Magnetic Pole Excursion
- About 41,000 years ago, Earth's magnetic poles shifted equatorward and weakened to one-tenth normal strength.
- This caused a greatly reduced, tilted magnetosphere exposing lower latitudes to increased solar and cosmic radiation.