The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to the Sofa

16 hrs. 20 min.

Popular Science

Language Russian

Author Jonathan Losos

Narrator Alexander Lutoshkin

Description

Do lions and tigers meow—and if not, why? Where and how did cats make the evolutionary leap away from the African savanna? Why do cats leave a dead mouse at your feet—or even on the cushion? Is it really so bad to keep an ocelot at home? And what did cats mean in Egyptian hieroglyphics? Evolutionary biologist Jonathan Losos deciphers complex scientific and historical mysteries, explains how modern researchers uncover the secrets of cats’ past and present using cutting-edge technologies—from GPS tracking to genomics and forensic archeology—and shows how natural and artificial selection over the last few thousand years shaped the modern cat, which in a comparatively short time became the planet’s most successful and diverse biological species. People change cats, and in turn cats change the world around them—and this exciting, curiosity-filled book, among other things, tells what awaits both Felis catus and Homo sapiens in the future.