Records of dogs’ brain activity show that dogs seem to understand that words refer to specific objects.
Some dogs can retrieve a variety of objects on command, but few do well in such tests in the lab. Additionally, it is unclear whether dogs understand words as names of objects rather than instructions.
To explore this question further, Marianna Boros Researchers at Eötvös Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, tested 18 dogs from a wide range of breeds, including border collies, toy poodles and Labrador retrievers.
Owners selected five objects that were familiar to each dog. In the test, they said the name of an object and showed the dog either the named object or another object.
Each dog’s brain waves were monitored using electroencephalography (EEG) to see if there was a difference in activity compared to when the word and object were the same, such as when the dog’s owner said “ball” and showed a stick. Ta.
“The idea was that if dogs understood the meaning of words, their brains would respond differently when presented with matching objects than when presented with mismatched objects,” Boros says.
The researchers found that the brainwave signals were different when the objects did not match, and that the effect was stronger for words that the individual dogs were familiar with. This is similar to results seen in humans and suggests that dogs know that certain words represent certain objects.
“The most important takeaway from this study is not only that non-humans have the ability to understand words referentially, but also that this ability appears to be present in dogs in general as well,” Boros said. says. “This study shows that dogs may understand more than they show.”
No one breed of dog seemed to exhibit better language skills than the other, Boros said.
susan hazel Researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia say their study adds to our knowledge of dog cognition.
“I think both dogs understand more than we realize,” says Hazel. “This study shows that dogs seem to have mental representations of words they know, such as ball. This shows how dogs understand some words. This is no surprise at all to most dog owners.
On the other hand, many dog owners anthropomorphize their pets, ascribing emotions and understanding abilities to them that don’t exist, she says.
“Canine cognition is currently one of the most researched areas in the world,” says Hazell. “I love all the research about dogs, but I’d also like to learn more about the other animals we live closely with: cats, rabbits, horses.”
football dial F Widely available every week starting Wednesday Total Sport FM listeners are used to their hosts being white and ungainly, so what happens when the management brings in a young YouTuber? Rory Adefope (below), with Des (Fergus Craig) She plays Lisa, a new employee who pairs up to compete for airtime. The fast-talking, tongue-in-cheek satire of sports radio is spot-on, and every character is a bit ignorant and awful. As the producer says, “Hate equals clicks, views, and ad dollars.” Hannah Verdier
miss me? BBC Sounds, 2 episodes every week Lifelong friends Lily Allen and Mikita Oliver have a wealth of chemicals and materials for their twice-weekly updates. Funny stories, memories from her ’90s involving A-listers, discussion of hot topics, musings on the Princess of Wales are all here, and an insider’s look at how the celebrity world works It also includes a perspective. HV
Rory Adefope. Photo: Julia Kennedy/Observer
smarter than me Wide range of weekly episodes available Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ best podcast with older (and smarter) women is back for season two. Billie Jean King, Patti Smith, and Sally Field are among the sensational subjects who offer pure inspiration this time around. Louis-Dreyfus says it has “brainwashed” her about her own ideas about aging and made her look forward to it. I can see why. HV
unreliable witness Wide range of weekly episodes available Who is Ellie Williams? The 22-year-old was jailed on false rape charges in 2022, but this nuanced podcast proves there’s a lot the public doesn’t know. Sky News home editor Jason Farrell and producer Liz Lane have spoken to her family and friends, who portray her as an intelligent and sociable woman who had shown signs of abuse. HV
strike BBC Sounds, weekly episodes There are many reflections on the miners’ strike, which marks its 40th anniversary, but it is the personal memories that are truly moving. Merthyr Tydfil-born filmmaker Jonny Owen, then 13, explores the divide between miners who went on strike and those who didn’t, and how it divided friendships and communities. talked about. HV
There’s a podcast for that
Danny Robbins, host of the Battersea Poltergeist Podcast. Photo: David Levin/The Guardian
this week, Rachel Aroesti choose the best five paranormal phenomenon Podcasts from a guide to American spiritualism to a BBC investigation finding the truth about 1950s London poltergeists.
ghost story This wonderful podcast by journalist Tristan Redman begins as a vague anecdote about a potentially haunted attic in south-west London and turns into a fascinating, deep, and rather beautiful meditation on memory and the past. We will continue to expand. This series was started by a strange coincidence. As a child, Redman experienced strange occurrences in her bedroom. Years later, he found his wife’s great-grandmother murdered next to her. What follows is an interesting investigation into a very strange murder and a spine-chilling investigation into the possibility of ghosts. Could it be that Redman has lived under the influence of supernatural forces all his adult life? Although his conclusions were by no means definitive, they were revelatory and moving.
battersea poltergeist Danny Robbins is the king of paranormal podcasting in the UK, as host of the BBC’s excellent audio series-turned-TV show Uncanny. But it was actually the 2021 series Battersea Poltergeist that first ignited the comedy writer’s late career. switch. An incredibly thorough investigation into the ghostly events that took place on Wycliffe Road in the 1950s, Robbins pulls out all the stops to uncover the noises and flights that haunted the Hitchings family and made headlines for more than a decade. Provided a reasonable explanation for the object. But no matter how hard he tries, the host can’t completely dismiss the idea that something happened there that can’t be explained scientifically. And by the end of the series, you will too.
ghost church Podcaster and comedian Jamie Loftus (known as co-host of the long-running show “The Bechdel Cast”) is an American spiritualist (a religion adjacent to Christianity defined by the belief that the dead never actually die). ) is a reliable and often hilarious guide to. This charming, funny and heartfelt series. To delve into the shaky underpinnings of spiritualism and its less comical modern aspects, Loftus ventures into Cassadaga, a small, highly insular community in Florida that has dedicated its life to communicating with spirits. I would like to interview mediums. Although she arrived with an open mind, she quickly realized that it would take a preternatural level of seriousness to keep from laughing at all the mind-bogglingly bizarre details. Ta.
radio rental Podcaster Payne Lindsay, who made a name for himself by investigating a series of cold cases, goes on to create a series of gruesome films that revolve around something that isn’t exactly a true crime, but is still incredibly sinister. I turned my attention to the story. After scouring forums for suitably chilling stories, from stories of her girlfriend’s doppelgänger to an evil babysitter that clearly never existed, Lindsay tracks down the posters and reveals the gruesome details of their experiences. I recorded everything. The paranormal is just one possibility in these explanations, but human evil is a far more terrifying possibility, so for once it’s often the preferable option. Oh, and if that gets a little too much, Rainn Wilson (aka Dwight from The Office US) is on hand to break the ice, serving as MC for the whole thing in the guise of video store owner Terry Carnation .
ghost in the suburbs Wellesley, Massachusetts is a real place, but it’s not the poltergeist-filled community this podcast would have you believe. Ghosts in the Burbs does not initially appear to be a work of fiction. Our host is a seemingly real person named Liz Sower, a community member who decided to compile local ghost stories from her neighbors into a (real) blog. However, it soon becomes clear that Sour is actually narrating a sophisticated melodrama about a town plagued by paranormal activity. The tone is pleasant, and Sour and his acquaintances give off a delicious mummy vibe, but it’s also very unsettling. After a while, the host will be able to see ghosts, spirits, and demons. It’s not a skill set that will help you sleep at night.
Why not try it…
After Broad and Market Examines the 2003 murder of Sakia Gunn, a young, black, gay 15-year-old student in downtown Newark. Her murder galvanized LGBTQ+ activism in New Jersey.
in Y is importantnutritionist Alina Kuzmina and expert guests discuss a wide range of health topics, including overeating, work-life balance, and the relationship between mind and body.
Serpentine Podcast: Intimacy We ask how we can expand and evolve our connections with ourselves, others, and the world around us.
If you want to read the full newsletter, subscribe to receive Listen Here in your inbox every Thursday.
Despite the recent surge in “fake news,” misinformation has actually been around for as long as humans have existed. Outlandish claims and conspiracy theories have always been a part of human culture.
Misinformation often originates from, spreads through, and holds significant influence on individuals.
When trying to convey complex information to a general audience, even with strong evidence and expert support, it may still be less convincing than anecdotal evidence like “someone I met in the pub said something different.”
Interestingly, the source of misinformation is often someone close or loosely connected to an individual, rather than a stranger in a pub. This can range from friends to distant acquaintances.
Despite lacking relevant expertise, these individual sources can hold significant influence in shaping beliefs and perceptions.
Humans are not always rational beings, and our brains are heavily influenced by emotions and social connections. Emotional experiences play a significant role in memory retention.
Our brains have evolved to rely on social connections and emotions to gather information. Empathy and emotional connections with others are key factors in how we process information.
Human faces and relationships play a crucial role in how we absorb and understand information. This is evident in the preference for newsreaders over text-only news delivery.
Individuals with personal connections or relatable stories often have a greater impact on us than impersonal sources of information.
Despite the importance of facts, emotions play a significant role in shaping our beliefs and actions. This is why anecdotal evidence from individuals can sometimes carry more weight than concrete research.
Elon Musk criticized a feature in Microsoft Word known as “Inclusivity Checker,” where he claimed he was “reprimanded” for typing the word “insane.”
The billionaire owner of Tesla posted a screenshot of a Microsoft Word document that discussed Tesla’s new Cybertruck and highlighted the new electric vehicle’s “unusual stability.”
The phrase was flagged by Word’s software, which identifies terms and phrases considered politically incorrect and suggests alternative wording.
“Microsoft Word now scolds you for using words that are not ‘inclusive’,” wrote the world’s richest man on his social media platform.
Musk also posted a screenshot showing an attempt to type “11,000 pounds,” though it’s unclear why that term would be considered non-inclusive.
The prompt in Microsoft Word says, “Think about it from a different perspective,” and suggests alternatives such as “11,000 pounds” or “11,000 pounds (about twice the weight of an elephant).”
Elon Musk has mocked Microsoft Word’s “inclusivity checker,” which flags terms and phrases deemed politically incorrect. Reuters
The Post has reached out to Microsoft for comment.
Other social media users posted screenshots of attempts to use the terms flagged by the software’s “inclusivity checker.”
One user wrote in a Word document: “Hello, could you please guard the booth this afternoon?”
The checker, which is only available to customers on the Windows maker’s $7 per month Microsoft 365 subscription plan, flags the phrase “man in the booth” as a “gender-neutral term” and suggests “staff” and “control” as alternatives.
Other terms flagged by the “inclusivity checker” include “postman” (suggested substitute: “postal worker”) and “master” (“expert”).
GitHub, a Microsoft-owned open-source software engineering site, banned the use of the phrases “master” and “slave” in response to the killing of George Floyd in 2020, deeming them racially insensitive.
Microsoft Word’s “inclusiveness checker” flagged the use of the term “insane.”
Beginning in 2020, updated versions of Microsoft Word flag the use of language promoting age bias, gender bias, cultural slurs, sexual orientation bias, and racial bias, with a built-in feature that prompts users to do so.
Users must manually enable this feature by opening a new Word document and clicking the “Editor” button, then selecting “Proofreading” in the settings section.
The Microsoft Word Inclusiveness Checker is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers.
There is a drag-down menu for “Grammar and Refinement” near the “Writing Style” option. The user must push the “Settings” button, displaying a drag-down menu where the user can click on the box under the “Inclusiveness” category.
When the “inclusivity checker” is activated, the software flags terms that are not included in the “approved” and “allowed” lists of terms.
Microsoft removed terms such as “slave” and “master” from its GitHub site in response to the 2020 killing of George Floyd. AFP (via Getty Images)
When a user types the word “humanity,” the software flags the term and suggests alternatives such as “human race” or “human race.” Users can also simply ignore the prompt and accept the term.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
