Multiple domestications do not appear monophyletic.

Detecting multiple origins of domesticated crops.

C rop domestication has long been studied both as a model for understanding the process of evolution (1) and for gaining insights into the history of human civilization (2). In recent decades, a wealth of neutral molecular markers (e.g., SNPs, microsatellites, amplified fragment length polymorphisms) has become available for many crop species, permitting genomewide examinations of genetic diver...

Exploring “Absent Presence” and “offstage Space” in Sam Shepard’s True West

There are several dramatic characters who enormously appeal to us since they are attractive. Part of this attraction might be owing to their strong stage presence. More interesting, however, are characters who do not appear on stage but their “absent presence” is so strong that influences the characters who do appear physically on stage. There are numerous examples of...

New insights into the history of rice domestication.

The history of rice domestication has long been a subject of debate. Recently obtained genetic evidence provides new insights into this complex story. Genome-wide studies of variation demonstrate that the two varietal groups in Oryza sativa (indica and japonica) arose from genetically distinct gene pools within a common wild ancestor, Oryza rufipogon, suggesting multiple domestications of O. sa...

Targeted re-sequencing reveals the genomic signatures of multiple barley domestications

Evaluating the roles of directed breeding and gene flow in animal domestication.

For the last 150 y scholars have focused upon the roles of intentional breeding and genetic isolation as fundamental to understanding the process of animal domestication. This analysis of ethnoarchaeological, archaeological, and genetic data suggests that long-term gene flow between wild and domestic stocks was much more common than previously assumed, and that selective breeding of females was...