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☆ ‘Alphabet’ of sounds reveals complexity of sperm whale communication, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

They’ve identified previously unknown complexity in whale communication by analyzing thousands of recorded sequences of sperm whale clicks with artificial intelligence. What sperm whales are saying with their clicks remains a mystery to human ears. “This work builds on a lot of prior work focused on understanding the calls of sperm whales. For the new study, the researchers used machine learning to detect patterns in audio data collected by The Dominica Sperm Whale Project, a repository for observations of sperm whales that inhabit the Caribbean Sea. The study authors defined four features in codas: rhythm, tempo, rubato and ornamentation.

Persons: They’ve, ”, Daniela Rus, ” Rus, Luke Rendell, Andrews, Rendell, “, it’s, Rus, ” Rendell, Brenda McCowan, McCowan, ” McCowan, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN —, Nature Communications, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, MIT, University of St, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Scientific Locations: United Kingdom, Dominica, Eastern, Caribbean, Alaska

☆ In a Surprise, Cornell’s President Resigns
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Stephanie Saul | More About Stephanie Saul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Martha E. Pollack, Cornell University’s president for the past seven years, announced in a surprise email on Thursday afternoon that she is resigning. In a separate announcement, Kraig H. Kayser, the chairman of Cornell’s board of trustees, said the board had asked the university provost, Michael I. Kotlikoff, to serve as interim president for two years. Dr. Kotlikoff was previously dean of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, among other posts. Dr. Pollack’s resignation means that four of the eight Ivy League universities — Harvard, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell — will now be in various stages of leadership transition, three of them with interim presidents already in charge or presidential searches underway. The presidents of Harvard and Penn resigned in the last six months, in part because of fallout over their testimony at a December congressional hearing investigating campus antisemitism.

Persons: Martha E . Pollack, Cornell, “, ”, ” “, —, ” Dr, Pollack, Kraig H, Kayser, Michael I, Kotlikoff, Pollack’s, Cornell —, Penn Organizations: Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Ivy League, — Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Harvard

☆ Why experts are studying how to improve tablets for parrot use
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

By designing a balloon-popping tablet game and collecting data from 20 pet parrots, the researchers found that birds’ interest in the game indicated mental stimulation could be a potential benefit. Each parrot popped virtual balloons by using its tongue and beak, with eyes often very close to the screen. Rébecca KleinbergerResearchers designed the tablet game to be used by a parrot in collaboration with the bird's caretaker. One bird showed more interest in playing the game after researchers adjusted the tablets to only account for one tap per 300 milliseconds, she added. Mobile games for parrot enrichmentIf a parrot owner is looking to introduce tablets into a pet’s schedule, it’s important to remember that the activity should be collaborative between the owner and the bird, Pepperberg said.

Persons: Rébecca Kleinberger, ”, Kleinberger, Irene Pepperberg, Pepperberg, Rébecca, ” Kleinberger, Gabriel Miller, Kurt Sladky, Sladky Organizations: CNN, ACM, of Computing Machinery, Computing Systems, Northeastern University, Boston University, University of Wisconsin, Madison’s, of Veterinary Medicine, Mobile Locations: Boston

Harrison doesn’t have an overall diagnosis beyond being a French bulldog — an increasingly popular breed prone to health problems. While most patients pay out of pocket, AMC offers multiple initiatives to cover charity care, especially for rescue animals and working dogs. The price of veterinary services have increased in recent years because of inflation, but also because of advances in care. The same day Harrison visited the surgical suite, Lynx was brought in by a rescue group. “We get to take extraordinary care of rescue animals,” Spector said.

Persons: —, Harrison, ”, Daniel Spector, Harrison doesn’t, Grace Kim, Kiki, “, ” Spector, Spector, Jennie Anne Simson, Simson, we’ve, Helen Irving, Elaine, Kenneth Langone, Elaine Langone, they've, Emily McCobb, Kelly Hall, ” Irving, Kim Organizations: Animal Medical, AMC, Avian, Shepherd Fund, Buddy, Veterinary, Home Depot, Bucknell University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, Colorado State University, Associated, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: New York City, French, Manhattan, Manhattan’s, anesthesiologists, Brooklyn, New York

☆ A frog was found with mushroom sprouting from its side, leaving scientists baffled
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A tiny frog baffled scientists by growing a mushroom on its side. Whether the frog continued to live with the mushroom on its side will remain a mystery. Rao's intermediate golden-backed frog is a small frog that is endemic to India. "When I first observed the frog with the mushroom, I was amazed and intrigued by the sight," Lohit told CNN. "To the best of our knowledge, never has a mushroom sprouting from the flank of a live frog been documented," the authors said in their paper.

Persons: Lohit, C Maliye, Matthew Smith, Smith, he'd, Alyssa Wetterau Kaganer, Karthikeyan Vasudevan, Kaganer Organizations: Service, CNN, New York Times, University of Florida, Times, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory, Centre, Cellular Locations: India, Telangana

☆ A frog in India has a mushroom sprouting out of it. Researchers have never seen anything like it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The prognosis of the frog with the mushroom hitchhiker is unknown, but there are a handful of theories as to the cause of its condition. Therefore, something like this is interesting and should be followed up with observations and screening of frogs,” Vasudevan said in an email. Initially, Vasudevan had thought the mushroom was stuck on the frog’s skin rather than a growth, but photos of the critter convinced him otherwise. “It is indeed the case of a live mushroom on a live frog,” Vasudevan said. The disease has been observed in low levels in all the frog hotspots across India, the authors of the new note wrote.

Persons: —, ”, Lohit, mycologists, Alyssa Wetterau Kaganer, ” Kaganer, Kaganer, Karthikeyan Vasudevan, Vasudevan, ” Vasudevan, it’ll Organizations: CNN, World Wildlife Fund, India, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory, Centre, Cellular Locations: Karnataka, India, Bengaluru, Kerala, Telangana

☆ Does your dog need a coat?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But all this begs the question: Does your dog need a coat? From high-fashion to high-performanceThere’s evidence of dog fashion and clothing throughout history — from the ancient Egyptians and 19th-century Paris dog boutiques to early 20th-century photographs of dogs wearing clothes. Prada's Re-Nylon puffer dog coat with hood comes in two colors and three sizes, $825 From PradaBut the transition from Fifth Avenue high-end and high fashion to high-performance and technical function has certainly accelerated in recent decades. Doberman Pinschers — along with sleek breeds like Greyhounds and Whippets — are prime candidates for dog coats because of their short hair, thin skin and minimal body fat. “Make sure the coat fits well for safety and they’re supervised while wearing the coat.

Persons: Jerry Klein, Klein, Godiva, Jessica Rinaldi, I’m, ”, Alan Fausel, Enoch Frères, ” Fausel, Tiffany, Bruiser Woods, ” Frank, “ Frasier, Prada, Gucci, Prada's, Peter Kearns, Batman, Robyn Baldrey, Joe Hafner, Voyagers, ” Hafner, That’s, ” Coats, Jackie Moord, Mark Makela, Nicole Wheatley, Shanoa, ’ ” Wheatley, MeadowCat, Wheatley, Minnesota’s Northwoods, Drogo, Lois Katchur, Richter, Whippets, Leon, Sypha, ” Wheatley, Jennifer Bruns, Kent Nishimura, ” Bruns, they’re Organizations: Minnesota CNN —, American Kennel Club, CNN, Boston, Boston Globe, AKC Museum, Prada, Fifth, American Pet Products Association, “, Husky, PetSmart Veterinary Services, Los Angeles Times Locations: Anoka, Minnesota, Boston , Massachusetts, New York City, Paris, Seattle, Bend , Oregon, Santa Monica, It’s, Tacoma , Washington, Ada , Michigan, Rehoboth Beach , Delaware, Anoka , Minnesota, Minnesota’s, Muncy , Pennsylvania, Washington , DC

☆ Xist molecule: Why autoimmune diseases strike more women than men
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“Xist is a very long RNA, 17,000 nucleotides long, or letters, and it associates with approximately almost 100 proteins,” Chang said. Chang wondered whether the clumps of protein molecules that arise when Xist connects with the X chromosome were a trigger for autoimmune disease. The experiments weren’t designed to show whether Xist or the related proteins cause autoimmune disease in the animals. The samples from patients with autoimmune disease produced higher levels of autoantibodies in reaction to proteins associated with Xist, the researchers found. Plus, environmental factors play a big role in autoimmune disease.

Persons: Howard Chang, Chang, ”, it’s, Montserrat Anguera, ” Anguera, wasn’t, ” Chang, “ It’s, “ Organizations: CNN, Stanford University, Cell, Stanford School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Locations: United States, Montserrat

Learn moreBusiness Insider Reviews has been covering the best pet products for more than five years. AdvertisementWhat types of pet products we coverFood: After hundreds of hours of interviews and research, we carefully selected the best cat foods and best dog foods. We also put dozens of litters to the test for our guides to the best cat litters and natural cat litter. Veterinarians and professional groomers also helped us narrow down the best dog toothpastes, dog dental chews, cat dental products, dog shampoos, and cat shampoos. Her article on pet anxiety in Pet Sitting Magazine was also nominated for The PSI Professional Pet Care Award.

Persons: We've, Ollie, we've, groomers, shampoos, Lisa Sabatini, Lisa, basset, JoAnna Pendergrass, JoAnna, Emory University's, Janelle Leeson, Janelle, Dodo, Shoshi Parks, Shoshi, Phoebe, Christy Caplan, Christy, Sherman, Walter, You'll, Jackie Brown, Jackie, Dr, Julie Liu, Liu, — Organizations: Health, Animal Association, Association of American, Business, Wall Street, JPen Communications, Virginia - Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Emory, Emory University's Yerkes, Primate Research, Insurance, Rover, Shop, USA, Freelance, Shoshi Parks, NPR, Smithsonian, Atlas Obscura, Portland Community College, Dog Writers Association of America, Animal Wellness, Product, Pet Health, Service Locations: Virginia, Shoshi, Oregon, Austin , Texas, Austin

The latest craze in Japan: The pig café. Very relaxing and enjoyable,” said Brad Loomis, a software engineer from Pullman, Washington, after visiting Tokyo’s Mipig Café with his 21-year-old daughter, Paige. Customers pay 2,200 yen ($15) for the first 30 minutes in the company of the pigs. The Mipig Café in fashionable Harajuku is among 10 such pig cafes the operator has opened around Japan. The animals, known as “micro pigs,” don’t get bigger than a corgi dog, even as adults.

Persons: cafés, lattes, ”, Brad Loomis, Tokyo’s Mipig, Paige, Shiho Kitagawa, Ben Russell, Sophie Mo’unga, Sachiko Azuma, Azuma, Bruce Kornreich, I’m, Kornreich, ” Paige Loomis, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, —, corgi, Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center Locations: Japan, Pullman , Washington, Tokyo, Mipig, Kyoto, New Zealand, Ithaca, N.Y

☆ THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' over 52 years later
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Martha Sorren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Peter Ostrum was 12 when he played Charlie Bucket, and he stopped acting after the film. Peter Ostrum as Charlie Bucket (left) and in 2014 (right). Paramount Pictures; Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty ImagesPeter Ostrum was scouted for the role of Charlie at 12 while he was participating in a local children's theater. No script existed at that point, so his audition consisted of him reading from Roald Dahl's novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Before retiring, he worked as a vet at New York's Countryside Veterinary Clinic, mainly working with dairy cows.

Persons: Peter Ostrum, Charlie Bucket, Steve Granitz, Charlie, Roald Dahl's, Willy Wonka Organizations: Paramount Pictures, American Veterinary Medical Association, Cornell University, Veterinary Clinic

☆ Mystery canine disease: A respiratory illness is spreading among dogs and baffling veterinarians. Here’s what owners can do
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Chris Boyette | Holly Yan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The mysterious illness is described as an “atypical canine infectious respiratory disease,” the Oregon Department of Agriculture said in a November 9 news release. In other words, dogs with the unidentified illness show similar signs of an upper respiratory disease but generally don’t test positive for common respiratory diseases. The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory has also reported cases of a mysterious canine disease, the lab’s director told CNN in an email. While the news may be concerning, “We suggest caution rather than worry,” the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association’s website says. While this particular disease is unusual, “Periodic outbreaks of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) can occur in a dog population.

Persons: Ryan Scholz, David B, ”, Kevin Snekvik, Snekvik Organizations: CNN, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon, American Veterinary Medical Association, New, Diagnostic Laboratory, University of New, Disease, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon Veterinary Locations: New Hampshire, Oregon, Colorado , Illinois, University of New Hampshire, Washington

☆ The Asian longhorned tick spreading across the US can clone itself thousands of times and even kill cattle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The ticks turned out to be an invasive species, the Asian longhorned tick, newly established in Ohio. The curious case of the dead cattleAsian longhorned ticks are tiny and can be difficult to distinguish between other species. Risa Pesapane/Ohio State UniversityPesapane and her colleagues suggest the Ohio cattle died from blood loss. Asian longhorned ticks are hard to spot, contain, and killTiny and brown, the ALT is hard to distinguish from other types of ticks, making it difficult to spot. AdvertisementCattle are the preferred meal of Asian longhorned ticks.

Persons: —, Risa Pesapane, Pesapane, It's, Oleksandr Melnyk, Kevin Lahmers, Lahmers, Joellen Lampman, Lampman, Ohio State University Pesapane, it's, There's, Ikeda Organizations: Service, Ohio State, Medical Entomology, Pesapane, US Department of Agriculture, Getty Images, Virginia - Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ohio State University, Plant Health, Yale School of Public Health Locations: Ohio, West Virginia, But Ohio, East Asia, Virginia, United States, New Zealand, North Carolina, Lyme, Rocky

☆ The US-based veterinarian who’s returned to Greece to help stray cats
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Giving backKatogiritis teaches a student pre-operative care steps for anesthetized cats during the 2021 spay/neuter program in Karpathos, Greece. Changing mentalitiesKatogiritis speaks to local elementary school students during a community outreach event on Karpathos island in 2022. Fragitsa Katogiritis“The community of adopters is connected through our Facebook group (Animal Welfare Karpathos) where they will often share photos and videos of our beloved rescues,” she says, adding that Animal Welfare Karpathos has found homes for over 300 pets in the past three years. In Karpathos, over 700 animals have been spayed or neutered through the Animal Welfare Karpathos programs. She credits her team of volunteers for helping to get the Animal Welfare Karpathos program off the ground and keeping it going.

Persons: Anna Katogiritis, Katogiritis, Karpathos, Anna Katogiritis “, ”, “, ” Katogiritis, Jane Goodall, Goodall, she’d, Sophia Hiras, “ We’ve, Welfare Karpathos, Fragitsa, neutering, it’s “, Bruno Morandi, Julia Konstantina, hasn’t, She’s, there’s Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Biology, Biotechnology, University of Crete, Virginia - Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Jane, Jane Goodall Institute, Rehabilitation, Animal Welfare, Welfare, Facebook, Interior Ministry, “, Bank, Veterinary Global Aid Locations: Karpathos, Greece, Rhodes, Crete, Athens, Katogiritis, Virginia, Republic of Congo

☆ A Museum of ‘Electrifying Frankness’ Weighs Dialing It Down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Franz Lidz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Mütter Museum, a 19th-century repository of medical oddments and arcana at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, attracts as many as 160,000 visitors a year. “Who could look at a two-headed calf without wanting to know how that happened? Biology is a marvel and better understood if you recognize that its complexities must inevitably lead to some ‘errors.’”The celebrity magician Teller, a Philadelphia native, called the Mütter a place of electrifying frankness. But, like museums everywhere, the Mütter is reassessing what it has and why it has it. Recently, the institution enlisted a public-relations consultant with expertise in crisis management to contain criticism from within and without.

Persons: Jack Russell, Grover, ” Cheng, Eng, ”, Dean Richardson, Veterinary Medicine’s, Teller Organizations: College of Physicians of, Soap, “, University of Pennsylvania School, Veterinary, Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center Locations: College of Physicians of Philadelphia, China, Philadelphia

☆ Older dogs who sleep badly may have dementia, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

During his snooze, the study team will analyze Woofus’ brain waves to judge the quality of his sleep. John Joyner/NC State Veterinary MedicineTraining the dogs to accept EEGTo find out whether sleep problems in dogs indicate early signs of dementia as they do in people, Olby and her team turned to a group of senior dogs enrolled in an ongoing study testing antiaging supplements. John Joyner/NC State Veterinary MedicineFor the new study measuring a dog’s brain waves during sleep, researchers used a form of electroencephalogram called polysomnography, used in sleep clinics to diagnose sleep problems in people. Jake, a 13-year-old pointer, was one of 28 dogs trained to sleep with EEG electrodes. When sleeping brain waves were compared with a dog’s cognitive testing, researchers found that dogs with greater dementia spent less time in deep and REM sleep, just as people do.

☆ US government is testing avian flu vaccines for birds, but ending the historic outbreak isn’t that simple
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Eradication and vaccinationAs of April 26, the CDC says, nearly 58.8 million poultry have been affected by avian flu since January 2022. The virus has been detected in at least 6,737 wild birds, and the number is likely to be much higher. Vaccinated birds would be protected, but with this highly infectious disease, they still could shed some virus that could infect unprotected birds. Partial protection means more birds will be spreading the virus,” Gallardo said. The US has the largest poultry industry in the world, with 294,000 poultry farms.

☆ The worst bird flu outbreak in US history is 'wiping out everything in numbers we've never seen before.' Here's what you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A new strain of bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is spreading across the US. Bill Powers with his flock of white turkeys, kept under shelter to prevent exposure to bird flu, on November 14, 2022 in Townsend, Delaware. And we now have the highest amount of poultry loss to avian influenza, so this is a worst-case scenario," she added. Last week the US Government started testing four new bird flu vaccines to try and protect the poultry from this mass outbreak, per Reuters. Markets are in troubleFarmers and the markets are being hit hard by the ravages of avian flu.

☆ Fact Check-Chinese study made coronavirus antibodies in eggs by vaccinating hens
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A 2021 study in China investigated antibodies generated by immunizing hens with a specific protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and found that the antibodies extracted from yolks could neutralize some versions of the coronavirus tested in the lab. The results do not mean that all egg yolks contain coronavirus-neutralizing antibodies or that eating eggs would prevent COVID-19, as suggested in some widely shared posts online. Posts refer to a study originally published in November 2020 (here), which analyzed immunoglobulin Y (or lgY) antibodies generated in the yolks of eggs from laying hens that had been immunized with the “spike” protein from SARS-CoV-2. Not all eggs, however, contain the specific antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, Rodrigo Gallardo, professor in poultry medicine at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, told Reuters via email. A study in China immunized hens to generate antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in their eggs, it did not find that all eggs contain such antibodies or that eggs have any effect on COVID.

More than 40 million egg-laying hens have been culled in the U.S. alone, causing the price of eggs nationwide to skyrocket, Lorenzoni said. Months earlier, the “bird flu” outbreak drove the cost of turkey meat to record highs. Poultry can become infected through direct exposure to wild birds but more likely from fecal matter that contaminates the ground around farms or yards. Many migrating birds are not sickened by bird flu, which means it’s not well understood just how widespread it is in the wild, Lorenzoni added. The sun can, for instance, naturally disinfect surfaces while gloomier days help viral particles survive on surfaces contaminated by infected bird poop, Lorenzoni said.

☆ Hong Kong to resume hamster imports a year after mass cull over Covid
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Marie Brockling | Dorothy Kam | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG — Hong Kong is lifting a ban on the importing of hamsters for sale, a year after it ordered more than 2,000 hamsters and other small mammals to be culled in an effort to prevent pets from spreading Covid-19 to people. The Hong Kong government ordered the culling last January after a small virus outbreak was traced to a pet shop called Little Boss that had imported hamsters from the Netherlands. Hong Kong residents who had recently purchased hamsters were advised to surrender their pets, shops selling hamsters were temporarily shut down and an import ban was enacted. But at the time of the Hong Kong government’s decision last year, the Chinese territory was following a strict “zero-Covid” approach in line with mainland China, leading officials to act aggressively. In recent weeks both Hong Kong and mainland China have relaxed anti-Covid restrictions that minimized cases and deaths but also caused widespread public frustration.

☆ Dogs poop less if they eat human-grade food, but it may not be better for their health, say experts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It's not clear whether human-grade food is better for dogs' health, experts said. A 2021 study followed the poop output of 12 dogs fed "fresh" dog food (from the FreshPet brand), classic dog food ( from Blue Buffalo), or "human-grade" beef or chicken dog food (JustFoodForDogs) for 28 days. The study found that the dogs pooped around half as much when eating fresh and human-grade food — a drop of 50% to 70%. None so far have definitively shown that kibble or canned food is worse for the dog's health or lifespan, he said. In the process, molecules that could be bad for your dog's health appear in the food.

K9s for Warriors, an organization that has rescued over 1,500 dogs from shelters and trained them as service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, matched Romero with Puppy — an Australian shepherd — in June. His wife, Brenda, who is a nurse practitioner in psychiatry, encouraged him to apply for a service dog. So far, O’Haire said, research based on participants from K9s for Warriors is showing that veterans with service dogs are struggling significantly less. And for those who are employed, there’s five times less absenteeism from work due to health.”But getting a service dog for veterans with PTSD is still a challenge. “The waitlist for service dogs on average tends to be two years.

"Look we all love Emmanuel the Emu but he has avian flu. Avian flu experts, too, said touching an infected emu isn't advisable, given that the virus can jump from animals to humans in rare cases. H5N1, the bird flu strain currently spreading, is highly contagious among birds, and it can be deadly to them. "Once an avian virus can move to mammals, now we’re in the realm of 'Yeah, we better be careful.'" All three experts said scientists are watching this bird flu closely even though the risk to humans is low.

For their study, Wilson and her colleagues first set out to train a variety of 20 pet dogs to point with their noses at samples from a person who was stressed. The dogs' accuracy at detecting the stress samples — from 90 percent to 96.88 percent — was even better than the researchers anticipated. Scientists discovered how a dog's sense of smell and the sense of vision are closely linked in its brain. She compared it to dogs who can smell cancer by picking out breath samples in a line-up. It’s hard to tell whether the dogs equate what they smell with actual feelings of stress, Houpt said.

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