Israeli researchers Miki Ben-Dor and Ran Barkai have proposed a groundbreaking theory connecting the extinction of Neanderthals and the domestication of dogs to a single energetic shift in human evolution.
Their model, published in Quaternary Environments and Humans, argues that as early humans overhunted megafauna — their main source of calorie-rich fat — they were forced to adapt by developing more efficient hunting tools, including bows and arrows, and by forming a unique alliance with wolves. This “energy crisis,” they claim, drove the Upper Paleolithic Revolution: a burst of innovation, art, and cognitive growth that gave Homo sapiens the edge over other human species.
As large animals disappeared, humans had to rely on smaller, leaner prey that provided less fat. The researchers suggest that wolves, attracted by the scent of leftover cooked meat, began to cooperate with humans — a relationship that evolved into dog domestication. Dogs could thrive on surplus protein while helping humans hunt, creating what the authors call the world’s first “joint venture.”
This energetic partnership, they conclude, was key to humanity’s survival and eventual dominance, marking a turning point that shaped both human society and our enduring bond with dogs.
