Fur is a defining characteristic of mammals, coming in a wide variety of colors and patterns—thanks to a world-first study, we now know which genes make a marsupial's coat black or gray.

Most of the 2,500 to 3,000 wolves in Poland are gray with red or black accents. Black fur comes from a genetic mutation that was likely in domesticated dogs thousands of years ago.

Thanks to melanosome analysis, researchers discovered that the animal had dark grey-brown fur all over. Because of this, they ...

Most of the 2,500 to 3,000 wolves in Poland are gray with red or black accents. Black fur comes from a genetic mutation that was likely in domesticated dogs thousands of years ago.