14: Domesticating Foxes, The Oldest Potted Plant, and Crosswords

Could you domesticate a fox, and what even IS domestication? What is the oldest potted plant, and, wait, what does Caroline mean by that question? And how did Tom go from hating crosswords to loving them?           The photo we mention of Mecta the Fox Pup           Support us with a Max Fun Membership!Join our Discord!We also learn about: the first domesticated animals, one of Darwin’s sequels, floppy ears, domestication syndrome, the fox bachelor, the neural crest cell hypothesis, our version of Behind the Bastards, cited comment critiques, we all just want to learn, I’ve never seen a plant in the middle ages, we completely misinterpret the question, ella’s old man wisdom, a plant older than america, the anxious keepers of the oldest potted plant, crosswords were a fad, we were always insufferable, relearnig ocular immunity, crossword fuckery, “thirsty” well shortz, what is and isn’t general knowledge? and bad jokes with friends.            Sources:                A New Origin Story for DogsDog Domestication and the Dual Dispersal of People and Dogs into the AmericasGenomic and archaeological evidence suggest a dual origin of domestic dogsThe Silver Fox Domestication ExperimentEarly Canid Domestication: interplay between behavioral genetics and developmentRed Fox Genomic Regions Associated with Tame BehavioursThe “Domestication Syndrome” in Mammals: Neural Crest Cell Behavior and GeneticsThe History of Farm Foxes Undermines the Animal Domestication Syndrome---The History Of HouseplantsPenjingKew GardensSouth African Encephalartos SpeciesCycad Palm, Ursula Bucham---New York Times History of the CrosswordMargaret FarrarYes, You Can Write More Than One Letter in a SquareNYTimes Scumbag ControversyThe Hidden Bigotry of CrosswordsHow Will Shortz Edits a New York Times Crossword Puzzle (Lorelai)DownForAcross Thanks to everyone who participated in this year's MaxFunDrive! Still want to get in on the action? Follow this link to support this show (and get in on our limited-time keychain sale to benefit the Center for Constitutional Rights): https://maximumfun.org/joinlearn