The world of science has lost a visionary, and perhaps one of the most impactful women in evolutionary biology. Lyudmila Trut, the trailblazing geneticist behind the Silver Fox Experiment, passed away peacefully on October 9, just before her 91st birthday. Though her name may not be as widely known as some of her male counterparts, Trut’s work has been nothing short of revolutionary, reshaping our understanding of domestication, genetics, and epigenetics.

For over 60 years, Trut’s dedication to unravelling the mysteries of domestication helped lay the foundation for modern evolutionary biology. In 1959, Trut, then just 25 and freshly graduated from Moscow State University, was invited by geneticist Dmitri Belyaev to co-lead an ambitious and risky project: attempting to domesticate wild silver foxes to study the genetic basis of tameness. As a young woman scientist in Soviet Russia—a time and place where gender discrimination and scientific repression were severe—Trut risked her career and safety by taking on this project, even facing potential political persecution under Soviet agronomist Trofim Lysenko’s anti-genetic policies.

But Trut persisted, driven by her passion for discovery and her unrelenting belief in the project’s potential. Working alongside Belyaev, she developed the experiment’s core methods and led it through the decades, even after his passing in 1985. Together, they tested a hypothesis that would ultimately reshape our understanding of genetics and evolution: “domestication syndrome,” or the idea that breeding for calmness could produce a suite of traits—like floppy ears, curly tails, and juvenile facial features—seen across domesticated animals. By breeding only the calmest, most human-friendly foxes, they observed changes in behaviour within just six generations. Soon, these foxes sought affection, wagged their tails, and even looked like domesticated dogs.

Trut’s early publication, a 1966 thesis on canid behavioural traits and reproduction, set the foundation for her later, widely recognised work, including her 1999 article “Early Canid Domestication: The Farm-Fox Experiment” in American Scientist. This piece became pivotal, offering insight into how selective breeding for tameness could produce not only behavioural but also physical changes—a breakthrough in understanding domestication syndrome. Her findings indicated that genes associated with friendly behaviour were linked to physical traits, suggesting a genetic basis for domestication.

One of the most poignant tales from Trut’s time on the experimental farm involves Pushinka, a particularly special fox who played a key role in the experiment. In the 1970s, Trut took Pushinka into her home for an intimate study of how far the domestication process had progressed. Trut and Pushinka shared an extraordinary bond, one that symbolised the deep connection between humans and the domesticated animals they have shaped.

Pushinka’s most remarkable traits were not just physical but emotional. Trut recounted how, every night, Pushinka would sneak into her bedroom and curl up beside her in bed. This behaviour mirrored that of a domesticated dog—something Trut had hoped to see through selective breeding. When Pushinka gave birth to a litter of pups, she placed one of the newborns gently into Trut’s lap, a clear sign of the fox’s trust and affection. This marked a milestone in the experiment, confirming that the foxes had become so domesticated that they could live alongside humans just as dogs do.

Later, her work was further celebrated in the 2017 book How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog), and later in the children's book Pushinka: The Barking Fox and the Unexpected Friendship (2019), co-authored with evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin. This book presents an in-depth narrative of the fox experiment and provides valuable insights into genetics and epigenetics, highlighting how environments and behaviours can trigger changes in gene expression across generations. Trut’s work, alongside Belyaev’s, has since become a cornerstone for understanding how selective breeding and environmental influences shape animal behaviour and appearance.

Though Trut’s work has been foundational, she rarely received the recognition she deserved. Often overlooked in favour of her male contemporaries, her pioneering contributions have been essential in establishing genetics as we understand it. She and Belyaev paved the way for new generations of scientists to examine the role of genes in behaviour and the ways in which environmental influences affect gene expression over time.

In celebrating Trut, we honour not only a remarkable scientist but also a pioneering woman who broke barriers in a field that has too often overlooked the contributions of women. Her work exemplifies the importance of women in science and reminds us that some of the most groundbreaking discoveries are made by those who quietly persist, driven by a love of discovery and a desire to unlock the secrets of life.

Lyudmila Trut may not have sought the limelight, but her legacy will endure, inspiring generations of scientists—especially women—to follow in her footsteps, pushing boundaries and advancing our understanding of the natural world. In recent years, she passed on the responsibility for her monumental research to Dr. Anna Kukekova, ensuring that the study of fox domestication continues to flourish.

Thank you, Lyudmila Trut, for your brilliance, your bravery, and your contributions to science. You were an inspiration.