雙語：喵星人從3000年前開始傳遍世界

世界上第一個被貓征服的國家是古埃及，3000年前埃及貓被沿商路傳播，貓奴的身影才開始遍布全世界。

They often have a funny way of showing their affection, but domestic cats may owe their love of curling up on human laps to the ancient Egyptians.

家貓通常會以一種有趣的方式來表達自己的愛意，一項研究表明家貓可能從古埃及時代起就已經是人類的寵物了。

A genetic study on feline remains dating back 9,000 years has revealed a lineage of cats from Egypt began spreading around the world around 3,000 years ago.

據一項針對9000年前貓科動物的遺傳學研究顯示，貓起源於埃及，並於3000年前開始向世界各地傳播。

These creatures interbred with local animals and left distinct DNA that persist in our pets to this day.

這些生物與當地物種雜交誕下後代，在寵物體內留下不同的DNA直到今天。

The scientists behind the research believe the Egyptian cats were so successful because they had developed traits that made them better 』companions』 than other types of wildcat.

這項研究背後的科學家們認為，埃及貓之所以如此成功，是因為它們培育出了比其他野貓更好的「夥伴」特徵。

They say ancient Egyptians and those trading with them may have transported these cats in ships to far off ports, allowing the animals to pass on genes that made their descendants friendlier to humans.

他們表示，古埃及人和那些同他們貿易的人可能把這些貓用船運到了遙遠的港口，使得這些動物可以傳遞基因、誕下對人類更加友好的後代。

Dr Eva-Maria Geigl, a molecular anthropologist at the Jacques Monod Institute in Paris and research director at the French National Research Centre CNRS, said: 』The peculiar social and cultural context of the Egyptian society may have facilitated the evolution of a more 』friendly』 disposition of cats towards humans.

巴黎賈可莫諾研究所分子人類學家、法國國家研究中心CNRS研究主任伊娃-瑪麗亞表示：「埃及社會特有的社會和文化語境可能促進了貓咪對人類更加『友好』性格的演變。」

』Their popularity as a companion animal, together with its role as pest control agent on ships, might have determined the success of the Egyptian cat in spreading along trade routes.』

「它們是人類的好朋友、還能消滅船上的害蟲，也許就是這些原因決定了埃及貓在商路上傳播的成功。」

The research, which is published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, gives the first detailed look at the genetics underlying early cat domestication.

該項研究被刊載在《自然生態與進化》期刊上，首次詳細地描述了早期貓咪被馴化的遺傳學基礎。

Unlike dogs, which were domesticated at least 14,600 years ago, cat were domesticated relatively late.

和早在1.46萬年前就被馴服了的狗不同，貓咪馴化的歷史比較晚。

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