Dogs take shortcuts based on Earth’s magnetic fields
New research sees dogs checking a North-South axis on their way home.
22 July, 2020
Image source: BIGANDT.COM/Shutterstock
- As dogs navigate, they appear to be using the Earth's magnetic fields.
- 170 dogs orient themselves to north and south as they plot shortcuts back to their people.
- Dogs join the growing number of magnetism-sensitive animals.
<p>It's been known for a while that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/24/the-five-magnetoreceptive-animals-humans-earth-magnetic-field" target="_blank">some animals</a> — migratory birds, mole rats, and lobsters among them — use the Earth's magnetic fields to navigate. There's even some evidence suggesting <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/humans-other-animals-may-sense-earth-s-magnetic-field" target="_blank">we do</a>, too. In 2013, zoologist <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hynek_Burda" target="_blank">Hynek Burda</a> found that dogs tend to <a href="https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1742-9994-10-80" target="_blank">poop and pee</a> along a north-south axis, although at least some dogs (including our own Lulu) don't agree. New research indicates that dogs also orient themselves to the Earth's magnetic field as they invent shortcuts to get from place to place.</p><p>The research comes from Kateřina Benediktová of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague — Burda is her PhD adviser — and is published in <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/55080" target="_blank">eLife</a>.</p>
Guessing the secrets of canine navigators
<p>That dogs have excellent navigational talents is nothing new. The study recalls "messenger dogs" that were relied on during World War I to ferry sensitive communiqués back and forth across battle lines. In addition, of course, hunting dogs, or "scent hounds," have long exhibited the ability to return to their owners' positions, and previous studies have shown that they often devise new return routes, as opposed to simply retracing their steps. How they do this has been a bit mysterious, as the study notes: "Dogs often homed using novel routes and/or shortcuts, ruling out route reversal strategies, and making olfactory tracking and visual piloting unlikely."</p><p>In trying to figure out how dogs do what they do, researchers have divided their methods into three possible modes:</p><ul><li>tracking — following their own scent trail back to their point of origin</li><li>scouting — searching for a new, shorter way back to their point of origin</li><li>visual piloting — using landmarks to find their way back</li></ul><p>Benediktová's research began when she put video cameras and GPS trackers on four dogs, took them out into the forest, and set them loose. As might be expected, they took off in pursuit of some interesting scent. All of the dogs eventually returned. She mapped the collected GPS data, seeing runs of both tracking and scouting.</p><p>However, when she showed her maps to Burda, he noticed something else. Just before scouting their way back, the dogs did something odd: They ran for roughly 20 meters along a precise north-south axis, as if orienting themselves, before returning to Benediktová. Without some form of magnetic sensitivity, this would not be possible.<br></p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwMjY4OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjg2MDkyNX0.IxUIornhkTGk8aOxMclbByDmKW82FO4O6nXJ9-4Vpko/img.jpg?width=980" id="93a31" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="54d17432f595df655c0b8a8afe084956" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Image source: Benediktová, et al
Testing the theory
<p>A sample of four dogs is hardly definitive, so student and advisor developed a larger study involving 27 dogs who were taken on several hundred scouting trips over the course of three years. The dogs were typically taken to locales with which they had no familiarity, and the researchers avoided tipping off the canines with any navigational clues including the avoidance of situations in which wind could carry their scent toward the dogs. The researchers also hid after releasing their charges to make sure they weren't visible to the pooches.</p><p>In the end, the researchers documented 223 scouting runs in which the dogs averaged a return to their points of origin of about 1.1 kilometers (around 0.7 miles).</p><p>In 170 of these runs, the dogs did indeed repeat the smaller sample's behavior, running about 20 meters along a north-south axis. Just as intriguingly, it was these dogs who found the fastest, most direct route back. "I'm really quite impressed with the data," biologist Catherine Lohmann of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the study, tells <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/dogs-may-use-earth-s-magnetic-field-take-shortcuts" target="_blank">Science</a>.</p><p>Burda considers the dogs' seeming reliance on their north-south jog to be pretty convincing: "It's the most plausible explanation."</p> <div class="rm-shortcode" data-media_id="1W7raq4T" data-player_id="FvQKszTI" data-rm-shortcode-id="f1f23d529719339a12114da473a619ca"> <div id="botr_1W7raq4T_FvQKszTI_div" class="jwplayer-media" data-jwplayer-video-src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/1W7raq4T-FvQKszTI.js"> <img src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/1W7raq4T-1920.jpg" class="jwplayer-media-preview" /> </div> <script src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/1W7raq4T-FvQKszTI.js"></script> </div>Proving the theory
<p>Commenting on the research, dog behaviorist Adam Miklósi at Eötvös Loránd University tells Science, "The problem is that in order to 100% prove the magnetic sense, or any sense, you have to exclude all the others."</p><p>Given the difficulties of doing that, Benediktová and Burda intend to test their hypothesis from the other direction, seeing if they can confuse dogs' magnetnoreception by placing magnets on their collars and repeating the tests — if they no longer do their little north-south jog, a reliance on the Earth's magnetic field would look even more likely. </p>
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Want to feel better? Science says to care for your dog
Admit it, caring for your pet can make you happy too. Science is working on why.
09 July, 2020
- A study shows that caring for your pets can improve your well-being.
- The researchers found the act of caring provided more improvements than mere companionship.
- These results aren't limited to pets. Plenty of studies show caring for others can improve your well-being.
Many pet owners will tell you that tending to their pets is a chore, but one that often brings joy. Psychology noticed this a long time ago, and the "<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1046/j.0963-7214.2003.01269.x" target="_blank">Pet Effect,</a>" the tendency of people with pets to be healthier, happier, and live longer, is an <a href="https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0038147" target="_blank">increasingly well-documented phenomenon</a>. While these studies suggest that many of the benefits come from pets seeming to attend to our need for companionship, a new <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-020-00279-9" target="_blank">study</a> finds that providing for your pet's needs can grant similar benefits.
<p>Admit it, you treat your dog like it's a person and act accordingly. It's kind of okay though, tons of people do. <br><br>Researchers with the Interdisciplinary Center of the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology asked 104 dog owners to keep a journal for 21 days. The test subjects rated how much they agreed with statements about their interactions with their pet such as "When I interacted with my dog, I tried to show it that I really care for it" or "When I interacted with my dog, I tried to let it feel free to be its true self." They also responded to questions of how they were feeling, and if they supposed their dogs cared about them. </p><p>As predicted, owners who gave their dogs more support reported higher levels of well-being, felt closer to their pets, and noted less psychological distress. The effect was more substantial than the benefits gained from receiving support from pets, suggesting that giving support satisfies a need by itself.</p><p>The dogs involved in the study could not be reached for comment but are assumed to have enjoyed the attention. </p>
Self-Determination Theory
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-media_id="XikKCzfm" data-player_id="FvQKszTI" data-rm-shortcode-id="09db13714ed0c564ca2c54f7b00d8b2c"> <div id="botr_XikKCzfm_FvQKszTI_div" class="jwplayer-media" data-jwplayer-video-src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/XikKCzfm-FvQKszTI.js"> <img src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/XikKCzfm-1920.jpg" class="jwplayer-media-preview" /> </div> <script src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/XikKCzfm-FvQKszTI.js"></script> </div> <p>The authors interpreted these findings in the light of <a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/" target="_blank">Self-Determination Theory</a>, or SDT. A theory of human motivation that focuses on innate drives and needs, it centers around the idea that humans function well when our internal motivations are satisfied and less so when they are not. The key motivations are:</p> <ul><li>Autonomy, defined as a need to be a causal agent.</li> <li>Competence, defined as the need to experience mastery.</li> <li>Relatedness, defined as the need to interact and connect with others as well as the need to experience caring.</li></ul> <p>One possible explanation of the pet effect observed here is that owners are anthropomorphizing their dogs and allowing their owners to perceive tending to a dog's needs as similar to tending to another person's needs. In particular, this is satisfying the need for Relatedness. Whether dogs actually have the same need to connect with others or to be supported so it can "feel free to be its true self" as humans do remains unknown. </p><p>In any case, it does appear that you can satisfy your need to care for something by trying to make your pet happy. Exactly how far this effect can be pushed and if it still works if people aren't anthropomorphizing their pets are areas for future study. </p>But I don’t own pets, so how does this apply to me?
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-media_id="XnsnciQP" data-player_id="FvQKszTI" data-rm-shortcode-id="cd72136aae7a6a2a8fd6c0d002af54d4"> <div id="botr_XnsnciQP_FvQKszTI_div" class="jwplayer-media" data-jwplayer-video-src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/XnsnciQP-FvQKszTI.js"> <img src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/XnsnciQP-1920.jpg" class="jwplayer-media-preview" /> </div> <script src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/XnsnciQP-FvQKszTI.js"></script> </div> <p>The ideas behind SDT can be applied in many situations, not only ones involving pets. A variety of other studies have shown that providing care for others can improve your well-being, but have focused on what happens when <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315803968_On_the_Benefits_of_Giving_Social_Support_When_Why_and_How_Support_Providers_Gain_by_Caring_for_Others" target="_blank">humans tend to other humans</a>.</p><p>Science has confirmed what many pet owners always knew, taking care of your fur-covered friend is often more of a joy than a chore. This study points to new ways to improve your well-being by interacting with both humans and animals to make everybody feel a little better. </p><p>Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to play with a cat.</p>
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7 DIY test kits that can reveal hidden info about you, your pet, and your home
Learn where your ancestors are from, the breed of your rescue dog, and if your home is safe with these easy at-home kits.
02 December, 2019
Photo by Dimitri Bong on Unsplash
- There is a lot we can learn from the saliva in our mouths and the air in our homes.
- There are at-home DIY tests for just about everything, but not all of them are as accurate as they claim.
- From revealing the breed of your dog to testing your home for harmful gases, these kits are worth the money.
<p>We've all heard the ads and seen the commercials. If you want to know where your great grandparents are from or if your beagle has a little golden retriever in him, there is a kit for that and it can be on your doorstep in 2 business days. The market for do-it-yourself medical kits is projected to reach <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/hidden-danger-do-it-yourself-genetic-tests-749475" target="_blank">$340 million by 2022</a>, and with that comes more companies overselling themselves and their product as cheap alternatives to real science. Not all at-home test kits are bad, but some are more worth it than others.</p><p>Scientists and experts warn that consumers should proceed with caution when it comes to offering up their DNA and personal information. Adding your spit (or your dog's slobber) to a tube and blindly sending it to a PO Box across the country is not a small thing, which is why the reputation of those offering the services and reviews by independent parties are important. For the DIY kets on this list, we looked at recommendations from trusted sources, as well as online customer reviews to see which products delivered on their promises and which should be avoided. From radon testers to ancestry and health reports, here are 7 ways to discover more important information about your life.<br></p>
Finally learn your dog's breed and if it is at risk of certain genetic diseases.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="3RGRH91575272894" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Embark-Health-Identification-Genetic-Screening/dp/B01EINBA76?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01EINBA76" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GuMgYkvxL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Embark | Dog DNA Test | Breed & Health Kit | Breed Identification & Canine Genetic Health Screening</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Embark-Health-Identification-Genetic-Screening/dp/B01EINBA76?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01EINBA76" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$199.00</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$189.00</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>Dying to know what breed your adorable companion really is? This easy and affordable test can help! While scientists warn that the science of pet DNA tests is <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/07/should-you-get-your-pet-s-dna-tested-scientists-urge-caution" target="_blank">not yet perfect</a>, the Embark Dog Breed + Health has a few things working in its favor. First and foremost, it was developed through a partnership with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (one of the top veterinary colleges in the United States) and geneticist Spencer Wells. The doggie saliva swab test screens for 250 breeds and tests for over 170 genetic diseases, though a trusted doctor should be consulted before any treatment begins. Rescue moms and puppy pops reviewing the product on Amazon reported receiving their results in 2-7 weeks, but the wait is worth it. </p>If you suspect your home is hiding lead, this kit will help you know for sure.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="VUG7OT1575272895" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3M-717834209102DUPE-LeadCheck-Swabs-8-Pack/dp/B008BK15PU?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B008BK15PU" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41lZobozx1L.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">3M LeadCheck Swabs, 8-Pack</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3M-717834209102DUPE-LeadCheck-Swabs-8-Pack/dp/B008BK15PU?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B008BK15PU" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$23.00</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$22.70</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__used-price"><span class="grey">Used From: </span><span class="used-price">$19.71</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-exposures-lead" target="_blank">EPA</a>, the older the house the more likely it is to contain lead-based paint. The U.S. government banned the use of lead-containing paint in 1978, but there are millions of homes that are still filled with the potentially hazardous material. Since 2008, only three lead test kits have been recognized by the agency's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. 3M's Lead Check is listed as Amazon's Choice for such kits, and the reviews support the pick. The disposable swabs can be used on any surface. There are 8 in this pack, which should be enough to test every room in an average home. If lead is detected, the swabs turn pink in as little as 30 seconds, alerting the user that future steps need to be taken to ensure the safety of his/her family.</p>This popular ancestry and wellness test provides over 150 personalized reports.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="30MMLF1575324164" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/23andMe-Health-Ancestry-Service-Predispositions/dp/B01G7PYQTM?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01G7PYQTM" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41uqM55moeL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test Including Health Predispositions, Carrier Status, Wellness, and Trait Reports</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/23andMe-Health-Ancestry-Service-Predispositions/dp/B01G7PYQTM?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01G7PYQTM" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$199.00</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$99.00</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>Combining the company's ancestry service with health predisposition reports, this package deal is a bargain for the price. With only a swab of saliva, buyers can learn where their family hails from across 1500+ regions included in 23andMe's databases. The kit includes over 150 personalized genetic reports on variables such as traits, ancestry, wellness, and carrier status for numerous diseases, disorders, and deficiencies. 23andMe is the first direct-to-consumer DNA company to be granted <a href="https://time.com/5510009/23andme-fda-approval-cancer-test/" target="_blank">FDA approval</a> for tests associated with cancer risks, which has done a lot for their reputation in recent months.</p>Easily test your drinking water for bacteria, pesticides, and other contaminants.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="49S5W41575324164" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/PurTest-Home-Drinking-Water-Test/dp/B00MCLV0PY?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00MCLV0PY" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wCaxM720L.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">PurTest Home Drinking Water Test Kit - 11 Contaminants</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/PurTest-Home-Drinking-Water-Test/dp/B00MCLV0PY?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00MCLV0PY" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$26.31</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$26.31</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>According to a multi-test comparison conducted in 2012 by <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health-products/a18919/water-tests/" target="_blank">Good Housekeeping </a>and the Water Sciences Laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the PurTest Water Analysis kit most accurately detected the things it said it would on the label. Using vials and test strips, the kit does not involve sending samples to a lab for analysis and does not have additional fees added onto the retail price. Everything you need to test up to 19 samples is right in the package, including a handbook and results sheet.</p>Radon is dangerous and it's important that your home be tested for it.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="SS822V1575324164" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Accustar-Alpha-Track-Test-Kit/dp/B001I8A0ZS?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001I8A0ZS" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31v-16tjQPL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Accustar Alpha Track Test Kit AT 100</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Accustar-Alpha-Track-Test-Kit/dp/B001I8A0ZS?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001I8A0ZS" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$21.87</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$20.95</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>The second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you do not want around your family and pets. Recommended by <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/01/what-home-sellers-and-buyers-should-know-about-radon/index.htm" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a> as a great option for longer-term, more accurate testing, the Accustar Alpha Track Test Kit AT 100 is very easy to use. Once opened, the device is exposed to the air you want to test for between 3 months and a full year. It is then returned to Accustar's lab using a prepaid shipping label, and all you have to do is wait a few weeks for the very important results to arrive. </p>Take the guesswork out of identifying harmful mold and mycotoxins.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="4O6Z461575324164" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Testing-Analysis-Expert-Consultation-included/dp/B016YSY8XQ?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B016YSY8XQ" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wuilBIgHL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">DIY Mold Test, Mold Testing Kit (3 tests). Lab Analysis and Expert Consultation included</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Testing-Analysis-Expert-Consultation-included/dp/B016YSY8XQ?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B016YSY8XQ" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$75.95</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$44.00</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__used-price"><span class="grey">Used From: </span><span class="used-price">$42.27</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>If you're concerned that a substance in your home may be mold but aren't ready to hire a professional inspector, this highly rated DIY Mold Test Kit may be the best solution. The product contains tape lift samples for surface testing as well as an inspection booklet so that at-home consumers know where and what to look for. The samples are shipped to a lab and once they are analyzed, the consumer receives an email with the findings. Lab fees are included in the buying price in every state except Texas, where an additional $24 fee is applied.</p>Bitten by a tick? Determine the tick's lyme disease status without a hospital or vet visit.
<div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="64KJ0G1575324164" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cutter-Lyme-Disease-Tick-Test/dp/B071KCQ45R?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B071KCQ45R" target="_blank"> <img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WQvxdfKDL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Test</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cutter-Lyme-Disease-Tick-Test/dp/B071KCQ45R?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B071KCQ45R" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$24.99</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$25.28</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div> <p>What do hikers, pet owners, hunters, and gardeners all have in common? A shared enemy: the deer tick. Finding one of those tiny bloodsuckers after a day outdoors can be scary. This kit allows for DNA-based screening to see if the culprit is a carrier of the disease Lyme borreliosis. Testing is provided by the Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory at East Stroudsburg University, with 99.9 percent accurate results delivered within three days of the lab receiving your samples. </p><p><em>When you buy something through a link in this article Big Think earns a small affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting our team's work.</em></p>
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Researchers have identified an area of the dog brain dedicated to processing human faces
The dogs' ability to recognise and process human faces surpasses even that of monkeys. This newly-identified brain region may be the reason why.
12 January, 2019
If you want to know about the special relationship between human and canine you need only watch a dog owner slavishly feed, cuddle and clean up after her furry companion, day after day after day. But is this unique cross-species relationship also reflected at a deeper level, in the workings of the canine brain? A recent study in Learning and Behavior suggests so, finding that highly trained dogs have a dedicated neural area for processing human faces, separate from the area involved in processing the faces of other dogs.
<p>The researchers, led by Andie Thompkins at Auburn University, say their results are of theoretical importance (in relation to the evolutionary origin of cognitive abilities) and could have practical use too, potentially paving the way to using brain scans to validate the expertise of trained dogs.</p><p>The researchers trained 12 working dogs ("detector dogs" aged between six months and three years) to lie still in a brain scanner and look at photographs of the faces of humans and dogs. The human faces varied in their familiarity (being both trainers and strangers) and in their emotional expression. Similarly, the dog faces varied in familiarity (being either kennel buddies or canine strangers).</p><p>Remarkably, only 5 per cent of the data had to be removed because of excess movement by the canine participants. Analysis of the remaining data showed a distinct pattern of increased brain activity in the participating dogs' left temporal lobes when viewing the faces. Furthermore, regardless of facial familiarity or emotion, the specific distribution of this activity depended on whether the dogs were looking at human or dog faces.</p><p>The "human face area" in the dog brain corresponded with a similar region in the human brain known as the "fusiform face area", which is particularly involved in processing facial identity. The "dog face area" meanwhile mapped onto the human superior temporal gyrus, perhaps reflecting a functional analogue of the superior temporal sulcus in humans, which is involved in dynamic face processing, including recognising emotions and facial movement.</p><p>Previous behavioural research has already established that the ability of dogs to recognise and process human faces surpasses even that of species that are evolutionarily more closely related to us, such as monkeys. The new findings suggest this impressive ability is reflected in the functional geography of the dogs' brains, with grey matter dedicated to the task.</p><p>This conclusion remains somewhat tentative and hard to interpret, however. Not only because this small study needs replicating, but because we can't know from a brain scan conducted at a single time point whether the observed brain activation patterns are a consequence of the training previously undertaken by these dog participants (meaning that human faces would have been extra important for them) or are a more universally evolved feature of canine cognition.</p><p>—<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758%2Fs13420-018-0352-z" target="_blank">Separate brain areas for processing human and dog faces as revealed by awake fMRI in dogs (Canis familiaris)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.psychologywriter.org.uk/" target="_blank">Christian Jarrett</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/psych_Writer" target="_blank">@Psych_Writer</a>) is Editor of <a href="https://digest.bps.org.uk/" target="_blank">BPS Research Digest</a></p><p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://digest.bps.org.uk/" target="_blank">BPS Research Digest</a>. Read the <a href="https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/01/03/researchers-have-identified-an-area-of-the-dog-brain-dedicated-to-processing-human-faces/" target="_blank">original article.</a></p>
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Dogs help humans with disabilities socialize with others, researchers find
Having a dog may be one way to curb lonelieness.
20 December, 2018
Photo credit: JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE/AFP/Getty Images
- A pilot study has found that dogs help socialize those with intellectual disabilities at Australian group homes.
- Previous research finds that pets helps those who use wheelchairs "feel more secure and confident in public."
- People are far more likely to interact with someone with an intellectual disability if they were walking with a dog.
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<p>There are an estimated 5,000 people with a range of intellectual disabilities living in 900 places of "shared accommodation" with 24-hour staff support in Victoria, Australia. A <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jir.12538" target="_blank">pilot study</a> from the <a href="https://www.latrobe.edu.au/lids" target="_blank">Living with Disability Research Centre</a>, in Melbourne, has found that providing regular access to dogs appears to help socialize those living with certain disabilities.</p>This is important because of already existing literature that says people who live in supported accommodation "have relatively poor outcomes on the quality of life" in terms of social inclusion and interpersonal relationship. Existing literature also notes that, "In an Australian survey, 58 percent of pet owners indicated they had got to know people and made friends through having pets."<p><br></p><p>But not everyone has the time and resources to devote to owning a dog, so the researchers observed a visiting dog walking program, which was run in collaboration with two qualified and experienced dog handlers from a national non-profit organization. Participants in the study visited cafés, shops, the local park, and made their way around the community. They'd typically pursue the same activity each outing, sometimes varying the location.<br></p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTAyMTg4Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDE1NTk0OH0.tEokH56e4557mUbH4VA_ZQBB3_HVICD9H7QiPr1RxLE/img.jpg?width=980" id="876e1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f19f9dc3ce7720cee5379d24e7276d02" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Average (and standard deviations) number of encounters each outing for participants in Group 1 (with a dog) and Group 2 (without a dog; with a dog).
Image source: Living with Disability Research Centre
<p>The results strongly suggest that, when dogs are present, people have more social encounters. It's a finding that's emphasized all the more by the subjective observations of the animal handlers:</p><blockquote>"I am noticing an interesting pattern in the outings where there is no dog present. Only shop attendants initiate conversation. Some say 'Hello' to me, but they try not to look at the person with the disability."</blockquote><p>This stands in stark contrast with how someone with an intellectual disability is treated if they do have a dog, say the handlers. What does this augur, then? It suggests there are social benefits to providing a dog to those with intellectual disabilities. On top of this, the findings also partially indict those who would not have interacted with someone with an intellectual disability were it not for the dog. </p><p>If loneliness has a degree of impact on our health, then it's incumbent on us to try and take steps to socialize the most vulnerable.</p>
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