Scientists discovered the oldest big-cat fossil ever — and illustrated it like a three-wolf moon

The latest evidence suggests that Mr. Whiskers' ancestors came from Asia, not Africa

Snow leopard
(Image credit: (Chris McGrath/Getty Images))

Cats. Where did they come from? What were their ancestors like? Do they even like us? A new study could help us answer the first two questions, at least.

The study, published this week in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, concerns an ancient snow leopard skull about the size of a grapefruit that could help us reconcile some of the more perplexing gaps in the feline fossil record.

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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.