Washington State University’s resident feline scientist, Dr. Universe, answers a wild question from Florian of Austria: Could humans have domesticated bears instead of wolves? With help from wildlife biologist Sean Farley, who studied at the WSU Bear Center, Dr. Universe explains how wolves’ social behavior made them better suited for life alongside early humans. Wolves live and hunt cooperatively in packs, while bears are generally solitary animals whose hierarchies are based more on size and dominance than teamwork. Readers also learn how some ancient wolves may have gradually domesticated themselves by becoming less fearful of humans and feeding on scraps near their camps. Along the way, Dr. Universe explores ancient cave bears, the evolutionary relationship between dogs and gray wolves and how the mobile lifestyle of hunter-gatherers would have made raising bears especially difficult.