"Survival of the fittest" often brings to mind a notion that physical strength and power are key to survival, but that's a misconception. Evolutionarily, fittest refers to a species' ability to reproduce and create an environment where its offspring can flourish. Scientists have found that being able to cooperate and form strong relationships is often essential to species survival, and it's seen when we examine the evolutionary success of our human ancestors, apes, and even our dogs. For that reason, some might say friendliness actually beats out fitness when it comes to survival.
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