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Hard Science is Going to the Dogs

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Dogs are great at learning things. They love to be taught how to fetch, roll over, and heel, for instance.

You can also teach them physics. Physicist Chad Orzel has proven this with his two books "How to Teach Physics to your Dog" and the more specialized, "How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog".

Here, his dog Emmy is looking for "The Bacon Boson".


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But, what if we turned the table and trained dogs how to teach humans a subject like chemistry? That would be awesome!

Well, it has been done. Watch as Paige and Dexter, the well-trained dogs of chemist Lauren Curtis, teach us about chemical bonding.

This tutorial is very clear and relatable, just a science teaching should be. The only thing missing is my treat for sitting like a good human during the video.

Joanne Manaster is a university level cell and molecular biology lecturer with an insatiable passion for science outreach to all ages. Enjoy her quirky videos at www.joannelovesscience.com, on twitter @sciencegoddess and on her Facebook page at JoanneLovesScience

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