Dogs to the rescue…

It took an entire research team to prove what dog parents have long known — your dog cares about you and will try to rescue you  if at all possible.  I have been blessed with a string of dogs who were not only splendid pack members,  but also highly intelligent, as well as quite devoted to me.  I hope you have all experienced such good fortune in your lives.

They don’t appear to have done similar studies with cats,  but I have seen a nanny-cam featuring a cat attacking the nanny handling an infant roughly..  Cats aren’t dogs,  but they do form attachments to their humans,  and like most mammals,  they recognize the young of another mammalian species and generally treat them very gently.  I would never be surprised that a cat would defend a human.  In my experience,  animals will move to defend you more quickly  than most humans will,  which is why I tend to like them more.

 

 

Monkeys outsmart humans…

Homo sapiens sometimes isn’t  —  witness how often we  behave like  rut people,  doing the same thing for whatever reasons,  even when we fail to achieve the best outcomes.

Ghost hunt…

No,  I don’t mean wraiths floating about haunted places.  I’m referring to the scientific search for ghost species,  because human DNA suggests strongly some of our  ancestors are  missing.

When I was in school we learned about Neanderthals, but no one had ever heard of Denisovans,  despite the fact that some living humans can trace as much as 5% of their ancestry to them.

What I find cool  is that the researchers are using deep learning to track down these missing populations resulting from breeding amongst other human species.  This is a type of artificial intelligence in which algorithms are designed to work as an artificial neural network,  or a program that can process information the same way a mammalian brain would.

It’s fascinating work,  as you can see from the charts.

 

Honeyguides…

Researchers have discovered that wild  birds understand  and respond to special calls made by humans when they want to enlist the help of the birds to locate bee nests.   The birds are after the wax,  the humans the honey,  so they are cooperating,  not competing.

I don’t know why the researchers seem surprised by this.   A number of species approach humans for assistance,  or offer it to them.   Animals survive because they are opportunistic.   If a particular behavior produces a benefit,  it is usually repeated so that the chances of survival are enhanced.

Ageing switch…

Scientists  have found  an ageing switch in worms.   Turns out we humans have the same genetic switch.   Basically,  cells in worms start to deteriorate when reproductive maturity is reached,  and the theory is that it works the same way for homo sapiens.

That seems logical to me, but I think we are still quite a long way from eternal youthfulness.   That should give us sufficient time to decide whether it’s something to be desired,  isn’t it?

Humans fail colors…

Apparently we homo sapiens can see a tremendous number of colors and distinguish among them,  but we are hopelessly bad  at remembering actual shades.   That would help explain the frustration we suffer when trying to match paint colors and such.   There is probably also an evolutionary reason for this lack,  since the basic colors are what you need to navigate through the world.

 

 

Cuddle hormone…

We humans have it,  and so do our  domesticated pets,  with pooches leading the way.   And yes,  your dog does love you.

 

 

Us and aliens…

Have aliens not found us,  or have they decided that we’re  just too stupid  to bother with?   Considering His Oneness is in his second term,  I lean towards the latter…

You’re just another big cat…

Or at least  that’s what  one study shows your own cat thinks,  and it would certainly explain some of their attitude towards humans.   I had cats as a child and quite enjoyed them,  but I prefer dogs as a species.

Dog empathy…

I don’t know why they had to do a study to learn that  dogs empathize  with their humans,  but they have now proved what we dog owners have long known.   Canines have spent thousands of years learning how to deal with us humans,  and they’ve been  extremely successful  at it.   Not a bad journey from that first wolf who dared venture close enough to share the fire and a bone.   If you can,  invite a couple to share your hearth and home.  They will repay you in so many ways.