People and Dogs Evolving in Parallel

Humans and dogs are alike on many levels.  For one, we are both social pack predators and omnivores.

Now it turns out that we have also evolved along parallel lines.

Some years back, scientists in China discovered that both Tibetans dogs and the Tibetan people have a special version of a gene that helps their blood cope with low levels of oxygen. The gene — called ESPA1 — turns on a whole bunch of other genes when oxygen levels drop.

Now scientists in China have discovered that native African dogs have developed genetic resistance to Malaria in the same way that people in West Africa have.