Unearthing the Earliest Evidence of Domestic Yak on the Tibetan Plateau

Researchers have discovered the earliest evidence of domesticated yak, dating back 2,500 years, using both archaeology and ancient DNA. The study, published in Science Advances, confirms that yak were first domesticated in the high-altitude regions of the Tibetan Plateau. The research team used ancient DNA sequencing and zooarchaeological analysis to identify a male yak living alongside domestic cattle and yak-cattle hybrids in a settlement called Bangga. This discovery sheds light on the history of early yak and cattle domestication and the adaptation of humans to the challenging environment of the Tibetan Plateau.