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Birds that can
escape disasters...
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days before they occur.
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And horses that
actually have the ability
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to read our minds.
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Are humans really
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the kings of the animal kingdom?
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We'd like to believe we are.
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After all, we have language,
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create art... music...
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and have invented
incredible technologies.
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But what about animals?
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Some of them have
abilities that make us
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seem primitive by comparison.
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And not only don't we
possess those abilities,
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we don't even understand
how they work.
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Well, that is...
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what we'll try and find out.
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โช
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For centuries,
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mankind has had a unique
relationship with horses.
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A horse and its rider can
often form a unique bond...
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so strong that they eventually
become attuned
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to each other's wants and needs.
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And there are those,
who like myself,
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spend so much time around horses
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that they start
to ask themselves...
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can this animal
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actually read my mind?
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From the famed Mongol riders
of Genghis Khan...
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to the charging cavalries
of the American Civil War,
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horses have long been
a powerful force in combat.
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Horses have a unique combination
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of strength and speed
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that we don't see
in other animals.
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Their muscles are massive.
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The bones of the spine,
along the back,
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the upper leg bones
are fairly strong,
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so their super structure
is pretty substantial.
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And the horse's heart
and the horse's lungs
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are relatively large
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compared to other animals.
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So they are doing things
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that no other animal can do,
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because no other animal is built
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as big with such fine tolerance.
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Horses, because they have these
precocious physical abilities,
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become the central part
of so many
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different empires'
movement into history.
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In modern times,
horses are associated
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with the Wild West frontier.
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They're associated with
the indigenous peoples,
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who were master horsemen.
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And this is
a good example of how
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horses and humans
bond endlessly.
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SHATNER:
But as people who train
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and ride horses will tell you,
it isn't only
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the horse's strength and speed
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that makes it so unique.
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It is their incredible ability
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to form an almost
psychic connection...
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with humans.
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The United States Marines
unveil a statue
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dedicated to a Korean War hero
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who earned two Purple Hearts
for her service.
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But this was no ordinary hero.
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This hero...
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- was a horse.
- [applause and cheering]
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Sergeant Reckless
was a Mongolian mare,
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who in the Korean War,
became a legend.
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She would live
in the infantry camp,
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and they would let her run free,
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and she would walk around.
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But then she became most notable
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because of the Battle
of Outpost Vegas,
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where she made 51
unaccompanied trips
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to the front lines and back,
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carrying ammunition,
carrying wounded soldiers back.
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And not being led by people.
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One of the special qualities
she had was to become close
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to the men,
and she took many chances
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alone, without humans.
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It's one of the finest examples
of the human-horse bond.
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She was very bonded to the
individuals whom she was
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working with and thus went
beyond the call of duty.
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And that is what makes her
one of the great,
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great horses in history.
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SHATNER:
A horse courageously
charging into battle
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carrying wounded men
on her back...
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by herself?
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And without a rider?
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Is it possible that Sergeant
Reckless knew what she was
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needed to do because she
could read the soldiers' minds?
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There are many horse owners
and trainers who believe
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the notion is not
as far-fetched as it sounds.
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A lot of people will say that
horses mirror the people
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that they're with and I
think there is a lot to that.
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Horses don't put
themselves first.
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They put themselves
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as part of a group,
as part of a...
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00:05:08,137 --> 00:05:11,862
a group of horses
or a group of horse riders.
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If a horse has
a bond to the human,
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the horse is constantly getting
communication from the human,
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whether it's
our heartbeat racing,
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whether it's our
facial expressions,
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whether it's our breath.
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They're very sensitive to their
environment and to verbal cues.
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And so that may be why people
thought it was telepathic
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at that time because they
weren't aware
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of the sensitivity of a horse
to its environment.
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And in the sensitivity
of a horse to pick up
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on the cues
that humans give off.
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SHATNER:
Was Sergeant Reckless
guided by training?
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Instinct?
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Or some kind
of strange telepathy?
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In her case, we may never know,
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as Reckless passed away in 1968.
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And although urbanization has
made interaction between horses
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and humans an increasingly
rare occurrence,
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there is at least one area
where the unique bond
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between the two species can
be more closely investigated...
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JOAN BLANK:
That's really good.
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SHATNER:
...equine therapy.
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You're very thorough.
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I love it.
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[laughs]
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I describe
equine therapy as a way
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to use horses to help people
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that need physical
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or emotional assistance.
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There you go, perfect.
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When a human adult, for example,
is in a stress situation,
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horses know this.
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Horses are excellent
at securing our trust.
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And in a therapy situation,
that is ideal for letting
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the human begin to express
himself or herself
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- as much as possible.
- Now throw your leg over.
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And like a cowboy, perfect!
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SHATNER:
Today, 15% of United States
military veterans
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return home with post-traumatic
stress disorder, known as PTSD.
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Symptoms may include everything
from insomnia to psychosis.
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Fortunately, organizations such
as Dream Catcher of Los Angeles
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have proven effective
at using equine therapy
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to ease a veteran's too often
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difficult transition
back to normal life.
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BLANK:
Bring your hands forward.
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There you go.
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- Walk on.
- BLANK: All right!
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So Dream Catcher got started
about 11 years ago.
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What I thought would be
maybe one or two horses
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became ten and at one point 12,
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and serving over
200 people a-a week.
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And with veterans
that come to us
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with severe trauma, PTSD.
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Walk, walk on.
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BLANK:
There you go!
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The horrors of war
never leave you.
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For me, it was a combat PTSD.
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I used to have really
vivid nightmares.
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I had some substance
abuses years ago.
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I was lost.
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ABBIE JOHNSON:
When I got out of the military,
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Dream Catcher was
the first place I saw,
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and they welcomed me
with open arms.
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It was probably
one of the first times
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since I got out that I felt
like I could trust somebody,
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even if it was
a thousand-pound horse.
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I started out with Tristan
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and he just understood me.
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We clicked.
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I think he knew that I could
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barely be outside by myself
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without looking behind my back.
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We started off brushing the
horses and cleaning them up and
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I feel more pleased
around the horses.
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I feel like I can be
a little more relaxed,
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'cause apparently when you're
a little stressed about it,
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they tend to sense that
emotion and perhaps also be
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just as tense, if not more.
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Whoa!
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I feel like we've created
some type of little bond.
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Good job.
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Good boy.
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The thing about
equine therapy horses
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that makes them so good at it,
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they're tremendous
at picking up cues
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that we're not even aware of.
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Horses have a very
wide range of vision,
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so they can pick up
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in a 270-degree field
around them.
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But they'll also note how
that being is approaching them.
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If it's calm
or if it's aggressive,
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if it's moving quick.
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They'll hear, they'll listen.
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They'll turn their ears
towards whatever it is
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to try to pick up sounds.
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Thank you for letting me
ride you.
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I appreciate you.
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Did you want to kiss me?
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You want to get close?
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PAGE:
We've been shot at, blown up,
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screamed at.
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Seen dying brothers
and sisters.
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I've seen horses take
chances on some veterans
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that I knew were in some
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very questionable
psychological states...
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Josie, how you doing?
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PAGE:
...so I have to say
that might be
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God's divinity on how He allows
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these animals
to interact with us.
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WALDAU:
They read our body language,
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and often know what
we're feeling before we do.
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They know when we're tense,
they know when we're relaxing,
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they know when we're
breathing differently.
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So in a colloquial sense
we'd say,
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"Yes, they can read our mind."
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SHATNER:
Horses...
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reading our minds?
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Anticipating our needs
by sensing our emotions?
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Could such a profound notion
even be possible?
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Perhaps the answer can be found
in examining how one animal
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in particular can possess
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the ability to know
when a human
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is dangerously ill...
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before they do.
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SHATNER:
47-year-old Stephanie Herfel
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experiences a sharp pain
in her lower abdomen.
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She rushes to the hospital,
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where doctors perform
a series of emergency tests.
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A few anxious hours later,
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00:11:20,724 --> 00:11:22,724
Stephanie receives
her diagnosis.
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She has a cyst on her ovaries.
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00:11:25,862 --> 00:11:28,896
According to the doctors,
it is completely harmless.
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She's sent home
with a prescription
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for pain medication
and told to rest.
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But unbeknownst to both
Stephanie and her doctors
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is a disturbing fact:
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00:11:40,068 --> 00:11:45,137
her condition is far
more serious than anyone knows.
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I thought, I'll be back to
normal, living my normal life,
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and that just was not the case.
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- [Sierra sniffing]
- My Siberian husky Sierra
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00:11:55,655 --> 00:11:58,517
put her nose
on my belly very intently,
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00:11:58,620 --> 00:12:00,000
- and I scolded her.
- [Sierra whines]
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And she went
and hid in the back closet.
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00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,310
And just the expression on her
face really touched at my heart.
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00:12:08,413 --> 00:12:10,655
There was some sort
of connection
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00:12:10,758 --> 00:12:14,137
between the two of us that was
happening in that moment.
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00:12:14,241 --> 00:12:17,896
And I thought,
"Well, maybe I need to follow up
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with a doctor just to make sure
everything's okay with me."
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SHATNER:
It was a decision that would
save Stephanie's life,
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because after she underwent
more tests,
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00:12:28,241 --> 00:12:30,379
it was determined
that what was originally thought
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00:12:30,482 --> 00:12:31,724
to be a benign cyst
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00:12:31,827 --> 00:12:35,724
was actually
stage 3 ovarian cancer.
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It was just a kind of
a numbing particular moment
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00:12:39,689 --> 00:12:42,241
in my life and very, very dark.
256
00:12:42,344 --> 00:12:43,965
And I just kept thinking
257
00:12:44,068 --> 00:12:47,034
about what Sierra
had just done for me.
258
00:12:47,137 --> 00:12:49,827
DAVID KUSHNER:
Unfortunately,
with ovarian cancer,
259
00:12:49,931 --> 00:12:53,275
the symptoms are really subtle,
and they go on for months.
260
00:12:53,379 --> 00:12:55,448
So, oftentimes, people will go
from doctor to doctor
261
00:12:55,551 --> 00:12:58,241
to doctor
and not get this diagnosed.
262
00:12:58,344 --> 00:13:01,172
In her case, that was really
shortened by the fact
263
00:13:01,275 --> 00:13:04,655
that her dog had noticed
something wrong.
264
00:13:04,758 --> 00:13:06,896
SHATNER:
Stephanie immediately
265
00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,896
began lifesaving treatment
266
00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,034
that put her cancer
into remission.
267
00:13:11,137 --> 00:13:12,862
But how was it
268
00:13:12,965 --> 00:13:16,068
that Sierra was able
to detect Stephanie's cancer
269
00:13:16,172 --> 00:13:19,551
when experienced doctors
using sophisticated labs
270
00:13:19,655 --> 00:13:22,655
and advanced equipment
missed it?
271
00:13:24,482 --> 00:13:28,586
Dogs have an incredible sense
of smell, far beyond the human.
272
00:13:28,689 --> 00:13:31,862
They can detect down
to parts per trillion.
273
00:13:31,965 --> 00:13:33,931
So what's parts per trillion?
274
00:13:34,034 --> 00:13:36,310
If us humans can detect
a spoonful of sugar
275
00:13:36,413 --> 00:13:39,586
in a cup of tea, a dog would be
able to detect the equivalent
276
00:13:39,689 --> 00:13:41,689
in the volume of water held
277
00:13:41,793 --> 00:13:44,413
in two Olympic-sized
swimming pools.
278
00:13:44,517 --> 00:13:47,551
Over the last ten to 15 years,
we've understood more
279
00:13:47,655 --> 00:13:50,344
and more about cancer,
and the fact that it has
280
00:13:50,448 --> 00:13:52,862
its own unique smell of disease.
281
00:13:52,965 --> 00:13:54,862
So what we believe
and understand
282
00:13:54,965 --> 00:13:56,827
is that dogs are finding
283
00:13:56,931 --> 00:13:59,965
different volatile
organic compounds-- VOCs--
284
00:14:00,068 --> 00:14:02,862
that are associated
with these disease changes.
285
00:14:02,965 --> 00:14:05,413
TRAVIS TAYLOR:
Volatile organic compounds,
286
00:14:05,517 --> 00:14:08,206
often called VOC-- V.O.C.--
287
00:14:08,310 --> 00:14:11,551
are organic molecules that,
in a gaseous form, can make you
288
00:14:11,655 --> 00:14:13,137
pass out or make you sick.
289
00:14:13,241 --> 00:14:15,965
It could even be deadly,
depending on which VOC it is.
290
00:14:16,068 --> 00:14:18,827
And a pet could certainly
smell that.
291
00:14:18,931 --> 00:14:21,241
SHATNER:
For Stephanie, it didn't matter
292
00:14:21,344 --> 00:14:24,827
where Sierra's cancer-detecting
ability came from.
293
00:14:24,931 --> 00:14:27,206
She was just grateful
that it worked.
294
00:14:27,310 --> 00:14:28,965
RUPERT SHELDRAKE:
It's hard to understand
295
00:14:29,068 --> 00:14:32,103
how Sierra could have done this, because
296
00:14:32,206 --> 00:14:34,413
you can train dogs
to detect cancer,
297
00:14:34,517 --> 00:14:36,655
but you have to tell them
what cancer smells like
298
00:14:36,758 --> 00:14:38,172
in the first place.
299
00:14:38,275 --> 00:14:41,000
And how Sierra could have known
that this
300
00:14:41,103 --> 00:14:43,482
was cancer, compared
with all the other smells
301
00:14:43,586 --> 00:14:47,896
that every human body emits
is very hard to know.
302
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,758
There's another level of things
we don't understand,
303
00:14:50,862 --> 00:14:53,724
and I think that Sierra is
tapping into that.
304
00:14:53,827 --> 00:14:56,620
- I love you.
- [whines]
305
00:14:56,724 --> 00:14:58,448
I love you.
306
00:14:58,551 --> 00:15:01,310
If it wasn't for what she did,
I wouldn't be here today.
307
00:15:02,758 --> 00:15:04,206
SHATNER:
What allowed an untrained dog
308
00:15:04,310 --> 00:15:09,379
like Sierra to detect
potentially fatal cancers?
309
00:15:09,482 --> 00:15:13,827
Was it her sense of smell,
as many scientists believe?
310
00:15:13,931 --> 00:15:16,000
Or could it have been
an even more powerful
311
00:15:16,103 --> 00:15:19,310
and mysterious sixth sense,
312
00:15:19,413 --> 00:15:22,517
something humans
don't currently understand?
313
00:15:22,620 --> 00:15:25,482
Perhaps the answer can be found
in the extraordinary way
314
00:15:25,586 --> 00:15:29,620
a dog remained psychically
connected to its owner
315
00:15:29,724 --> 00:15:32,862
long after its owner's death.
316
00:15:39,793 --> 00:15:43,241
SHATNER:
For the past six years,
John Gray has patrolled
317
00:15:43,344 --> 00:15:47,965
the city's cold, lamplit streets
as a night watchman.
318
00:15:48,068 --> 00:15:50,275
And every night, on his rounds,
he's been joined
319
00:15:50,379 --> 00:15:52,241
by an extraordinarily faithful
companion:
320
00:15:52,344 --> 00:15:56,724
- a Skye terrier named "Bobby."
- [barking]
321
00:15:56,827 --> 00:15:59,551
TONY BROONFORD:
Round about 1856,
322
00:15:59,655 --> 00:16:02,965
John Gray, or as he was
affectionally known in town,
323
00:16:03,068 --> 00:16:05,413
"Auld Jock," uh,
must have got a little dog,
324
00:16:05,517 --> 00:16:07,896
a Skye terrier which would
accompany him round about,
325
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,517
on his beat, so to speak,
as he walked about town.
326
00:16:11,931 --> 00:16:13,758
ROGER EDWARDS:
And over the years,
327
00:16:13,862 --> 00:16:15,896
they became
inseparable companions,
328
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,758
devoted to each other.
329
00:16:17,862 --> 00:16:21,689
After a few years, sadly,
John Gray died,
330
00:16:21,793 --> 00:16:24,241
and he was buried
in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
331
00:16:25,379 --> 00:16:27,275
BROONFORD:
Now Bobby was a very
332
00:16:27,379 --> 00:16:29,137
loyal dog, and Bobby
333
00:16:29,241 --> 00:16:31,413
decided to stay
at his master's grave
334
00:16:31,517 --> 00:16:33,275
here in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
335
00:16:33,379 --> 00:16:36,137
The groundskeepers were
quite annoyed by this,
336
00:16:36,241 --> 00:16:38,172
and they did try
to chase him away a few times.
337
00:16:38,275 --> 00:16:41,551
However, he was a determined
little dog and stayed here.
338
00:16:41,655 --> 00:16:43,724
Bobby became very famous
in town.
339
00:16:43,827 --> 00:16:45,827
People used to come
and try and watch him,
340
00:16:45,931 --> 00:16:48,862
nicknaming him
"Greyfriars Bobby,"
341
00:16:48,965 --> 00:16:51,137
and Bobby stayed
at his master's grave
342
00:16:51,241 --> 00:16:54,344
for 14 years, until eventually,
he passed away,
343
00:16:54,448 --> 00:16:57,206
and is now buried
in this very graveyard.
344
00:16:58,724 --> 00:17:00,724
EDWARDS:
What was the bond
345
00:17:00,827 --> 00:17:02,517
between John Gray and Bobby
346
00:17:02,620 --> 00:17:05,827
that made this dog sit
on the grave for so long?
347
00:17:05,931 --> 00:17:07,310
You would think that a dog
348
00:17:07,413 --> 00:17:09,793
that lost its master
might actually,
349
00:17:09,896 --> 00:17:11,896
after a few days,
maybe after a few weeks,
350
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,172
run off
and find somewhere else to live.
351
00:17:14,275 --> 00:17:18,931
But something drew Bobby
back to his master's grave.
352
00:17:20,517 --> 00:17:23,000
They always say that dogs
are incredibly perceptive,
353
00:17:23,103 --> 00:17:25,482
and they can see and hear things
that humans can't.
354
00:17:25,586 --> 00:17:29,034
I actually like to think
that Greyfriars Bobby,
355
00:17:29,137 --> 00:17:32,172
when he sat on the grave,
could actually see
356
00:17:32,275 --> 00:17:34,827
maybe the spiritual form
of his master.
357
00:17:34,931 --> 00:17:36,724
And that was what
was keeping him there
358
00:17:36,827 --> 00:17:38,448
on the grave for so many years.
359
00:17:38,551 --> 00:17:40,379
CHARMAIN LEITCH:
When I first heard the story
360
00:17:40,482 --> 00:17:42,689
of Greyfriars Bobby,
I was really touched by it.
361
00:17:42,793 --> 00:17:46,275
I think I saw Greyfriars Bobby
as a member of the family.
362
00:17:46,379 --> 00:17:48,068
It was quite
a heartwarming story
363
00:17:48,172 --> 00:17:50,310
that the dog was still loyal
to its owner
364
00:17:50,413 --> 00:17:53,000
even though
the owner had passed away.
365
00:17:54,172 --> 00:17:56,344
SHATNER:
If dogs are able
366
00:17:56,448 --> 00:17:59,275
to smell cancer
and see the dead,
367
00:17:59,379 --> 00:18:02,172
could they also
have other senses
368
00:18:02,275 --> 00:18:05,137
that we're only just beginning
to discover?
369
00:18:05,241 --> 00:18:08,068
There are both dog owners
and scientists alike
370
00:18:08,172 --> 00:18:11,965
who believe the answer is "yes."
371
00:18:12,068 --> 00:18:14,344
And they also insist
that we are surrounded
372
00:18:14,448 --> 00:18:17,655
by animals
who possess abilities
373
00:18:17,758 --> 00:18:21,586
that are even more incredible.
374
00:18:30,758 --> 00:18:32,586
SHATNER:
Marine biologist Nan Hauser
375
00:18:32,689 --> 00:18:34,551
is diving in an area
376
00:18:34,655 --> 00:18:37,586
filled with migrating groups
of humpback whales.
377
00:18:37,689 --> 00:18:40,000
- [whale vocalizes]
- She's in the middle
378
00:18:40,103 --> 00:18:44,137
of collecting routine data
about these whales
379
00:18:44,241 --> 00:18:47,241
when an enormous shape swims
toward her from the depths.
380
00:18:49,931 --> 00:18:52,551
HAUSER:
It was just another day
out on the water.
381
00:18:52,655 --> 00:18:55,586
I saw the two whales,
and one of them,
382
00:18:55,689 --> 00:18:58,103
I started to swim towards
a little bit,
383
00:18:58,206 --> 00:19:01,241
and he started to swim
towards me, which was fine.
384
00:19:01,344 --> 00:19:03,931
I thought he was just going
to go past me.
385
00:19:05,379 --> 00:19:06,965
But he didn't go past me.
386
00:19:07,068 --> 00:19:09,793
He came right up against me.
387
00:19:12,275 --> 00:19:15,275
Right up to the point
where I put my hand out,
388
00:19:15,379 --> 00:19:16,862
not to touch him,
389
00:19:16,965 --> 00:19:20,896
but to push myself
away from him.
390
00:19:22,931 --> 00:19:24,827
SHATNER:
The gigantic humpback--
391
00:19:24,931 --> 00:19:27,241
estimated to be
around 50 feet long--
392
00:19:27,344 --> 00:19:29,965
began to nudge Hauser
393
00:19:30,068 --> 00:19:31,551
with its nose.
394
00:19:31,655 --> 00:19:34,758
It pushed her
with its enormous pectoral fins,
395
00:19:34,862 --> 00:19:37,206
and even rolled her
on its belly,
396
00:19:37,310 --> 00:19:41,655
before finally turning over
to bring Hauser to the surface.
397
00:19:41,758 --> 00:19:45,689
[Hauser laughs]
398
00:19:45,793 --> 00:19:48,172
HAUSER:
Next thing I know,
I'm sitting on his head.
399
00:19:48,275 --> 00:19:50,620
I'm thinking,
"Okay, what's he gonna do?"
400
00:19:50,724 --> 00:19:52,310
If he goes like that, I'm dead.
401
00:19:52,413 --> 00:19:55,241
If he takes his pec fin,
if he takes his tail fluke.
402
00:19:55,344 --> 00:19:56,793
[water gurgling]
403
00:19:56,896 --> 00:19:58,931
And you have to remember,
we're talking
404
00:19:59,034 --> 00:20:01,896
about an animal
that's the size of a school bus.
405
00:20:04,103 --> 00:20:06,482
I sort of, just gently
tried to get away,
406
00:20:06,586 --> 00:20:08,137
but he won't let me get away.
407
00:20:08,241 --> 00:20:09,724
So I'm on his head,
408
00:20:09,827 --> 00:20:12,206
and he flips over, and
at this point, I'm on his chin.
409
00:20:12,310 --> 00:20:16,827
And, um, I'm thinking
I'm gonna get away, but he...
410
00:20:16,931 --> 00:20:18,482
Nope, he turns right around,
411
00:20:18,586 --> 00:20:21,896
and he keeps trying to tuck me
under his pectoral fin.
412
00:20:25,379 --> 00:20:28,827
He had his eye next to me
413
00:20:28,931 --> 00:20:31,206
over and over and over again.
414
00:20:31,310 --> 00:20:35,586
That was the most intense part
of the entire encounter.
415
00:20:35,689 --> 00:20:38,793
There's a word in the English
416
00:20:38,896 --> 00:20:40,793
language called "opia,"
417
00:20:40,896 --> 00:20:43,655
and it's when you stare
into someone's eye,
418
00:20:43,758 --> 00:20:47,275
and you feel an emotion
that's very strong.
419
00:20:47,379 --> 00:20:49,689
Well, this was an emotion
420
00:20:49,793 --> 00:20:54,275
of curiosity and love, and...
421
00:20:54,379 --> 00:20:57,000
it looked like he was trying
to tell me something.
422
00:20:58,655 --> 00:21:00,448
SHATNER:
After about ten minutes,
423
00:21:00,551 --> 00:21:04,103
the whale swam off, allowing
Hauser to return to her boat.
424
00:21:04,206 --> 00:21:08,413
And that's when Hauser realized
why the humpback may have taken
425
00:21:08,517 --> 00:21:10,103
such a strong interest in her.
426
00:21:12,793 --> 00:21:14,896
WOMAN:
Well, come on the boat.
427
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,379
It never occurred to me
that he was pushing me away
428
00:21:17,482 --> 00:21:18,655
from potential danger.
429
00:21:18,758 --> 00:21:20,896
SHATNER:
Growing to nearly 20 feet
430
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,896
and weighing as much as a ton,
431
00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,862
tiger sharks are one of the most
feared predators in the ocean,
432
00:21:25,965 --> 00:21:27,517
and for good reason.
433
00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:29,206
Since 2010,
434
00:21:29,310 --> 00:21:31,551
experts believe tiger sharks
have been responsible
435
00:21:31,655 --> 00:21:34,379
for nearly two dozen
human attacks,
436
00:21:34,482 --> 00:21:36,965
ten of which were fatal.
437
00:21:37,068 --> 00:21:40,379
Is it possible
the presence of a tiger shark
438
00:21:40,482 --> 00:21:44,068
motivated the whale's
interaction with Hauser?
439
00:21:44,172 --> 00:21:48,172
Was it trying to save her life?
440
00:21:48,275 --> 00:21:50,103
She was tail slapping,
441
00:21:50,206 --> 00:21:53,448
and I looked,
and it was undoubtedly
442
00:21:53,551 --> 00:21:55,586
a big, fat tiger shark
443
00:21:55,689 --> 00:21:57,586
coming right for me.
444
00:21:57,689 --> 00:21:59,551
[excited chatter]
445
00:21:59,655 --> 00:22:01,862
[laughter]
446
00:22:01,965 --> 00:22:04,827
I'm sorry. I love you, too.
447
00:22:04,931 --> 00:22:07,448
I love you, too. I do.
448
00:22:07,551 --> 00:22:09,827
I love you.
449
00:22:09,931 --> 00:22:11,172
Humpback whales have
450
00:22:11,275 --> 00:22:14,103
a very strong
antipredator response
451
00:22:14,206 --> 00:22:17,758
in which they try to protect
their young from predators.
452
00:22:17,862 --> 00:22:21,551
And there have been a number
of documented cases
453
00:22:21,655 --> 00:22:22,827
all around the world
454
00:22:22,931 --> 00:22:25,517
of humpbacks
not only trying to protect
455
00:22:25,620 --> 00:22:26,896
their own young
456
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,034
but actually protecting
other species.
457
00:22:30,137 --> 00:22:33,241
There's many cases
where whales and dolphins
458
00:22:33,344 --> 00:22:36,000
will actually rescue humans
from shark attacks and drownings
459
00:22:36,103 --> 00:22:37,655
and other things like that.
460
00:22:37,758 --> 00:22:39,586
There's an interesting story
in New Zealand
461
00:22:39,689 --> 00:22:41,310
where a group of lifeguards
462
00:22:41,413 --> 00:22:45,034
were actually approached
by a great white shark.
463
00:22:46,586 --> 00:22:49,034
And a pod of dolphins
464
00:22:49,137 --> 00:22:51,620
came in and actually formed
a protective ring
465
00:22:51,724 --> 00:22:54,827
around the lifeguards
to protect them.
466
00:22:54,931 --> 00:22:57,413
The question is why would they
be motivated to do this?
467
00:22:57,517 --> 00:23:00,793
ABRAHMS
We don't know why
that behavior exists,
468
00:23:00,896 --> 00:23:03,000
but there are a number
of different hypotheses.
469
00:23:03,103 --> 00:23:07,448
One of those hypotheses
is that it's altruism.
470
00:23:09,620 --> 00:23:12,241
SHATNER:
Altruism? Could that be
471
00:23:12,344 --> 00:23:16,034
what compels whales,
dolphins and other sea creatures
472
00:23:16,137 --> 00:23:19,103
to come to the aid of humans?
473
00:23:19,206 --> 00:23:20,862
If true,
474
00:23:20,965 --> 00:23:25,827
it almost sounds like
something a human would do.
475
00:23:25,931 --> 00:23:30,379
This animal was telling me
by the look in his eye
476
00:23:30,482 --> 00:23:33,241
to let him protect me.
477
00:23:33,344 --> 00:23:36,034
This animal
pushed me back to the boat
478
00:23:36,137 --> 00:23:38,344
and made sure I was on board.
479
00:23:43,310 --> 00:23:45,689
WHITEHEAD:
The interesting thing
about whales
480
00:23:45,793 --> 00:23:47,206
is that they're
highly intelligent,
481
00:23:47,310 --> 00:23:49,344
and there's a lot of commonality
482
00:23:49,448 --> 00:23:51,689
being demonstrated
in modern research
483
00:23:51,793 --> 00:23:53,896
between whales and humans.
484
00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:55,896
Could it be
that we should start thinking
485
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,206
about these animals as a level
486
00:23:59,310 --> 00:24:03,172
of personhood in a way
that could be given to them?
487
00:24:05,206 --> 00:24:07,034
TOK THOMPSON:
If you do something nice,
488
00:24:07,137 --> 00:24:08,758
it's a humane thing to do.
489
00:24:08,862 --> 00:24:11,758
Uh, but what happens when
a dolphin does something nice?
490
00:24:11,862 --> 00:24:12,827
Is it still
a humane thing to do?
491
00:24:12,931 --> 00:24:14,241
Is that a word we should use?
492
00:24:14,344 --> 00:24:16,586
Or is it more
of a dolphin thing to do?
493
00:24:16,689 --> 00:24:18,620
ABRAHMS:
There was
a really interesting study
494
00:24:18,724 --> 00:24:20,000
that was done a few years ago
495
00:24:20,103 --> 00:24:21,793
that demonstrated
that killer whales
496
00:24:21,896 --> 00:24:24,586
learned to vocalize
with bottlenose dolphins
497
00:24:24,689 --> 00:24:28,241
in order to interact with them,
which suggests that some animals
498
00:24:28,344 --> 00:24:31,310
can learn to develop
the language of other species
499
00:24:31,413 --> 00:24:34,482
in order to facilitate
social interactions.
500
00:24:34,586 --> 00:24:37,965
THOMPSON:
The idea of learning
another species' language
501
00:24:38,068 --> 00:24:40,517
is just cutting-edge
in academic thought.
502
00:24:40,620 --> 00:24:42,862
And yet other species
have been doing this
503
00:24:42,965 --> 00:24:44,482
for presumably millions
of years.
504
00:24:44,586 --> 00:24:46,758
Science is becoming aware
505
00:24:46,862 --> 00:24:50,172
that animals
are much more thoughtful,
506
00:24:50,275 --> 00:24:52,655
inventive and have much more
of an inner life
507
00:24:52,758 --> 00:24:55,586
than we ever
gave them credit for.
508
00:24:58,068 --> 00:25:00,034
SHATNER:
We humans have always
perceived ourselves
509
00:25:00,137 --> 00:25:03,344
to be separate from the rest
of the animal kingdom.
510
00:25:03,448 --> 00:25:05,758
We like to think
we are intelligent,
511
00:25:05,862 --> 00:25:08,310
noble, righteous and moral
512
00:25:08,413 --> 00:25:11,655
in ways that animals are not.
513
00:25:11,758 --> 00:25:13,103
[Hauser laughs]
514
00:25:13,206 --> 00:25:15,965
And yet does the story
of Nan Hauser's encounter
515
00:25:16,068 --> 00:25:19,655
with a humpback whale
indicate otherwise?
516
00:25:19,758 --> 00:25:23,862
Perhaps a clue can be found
by examining an animal
517
00:25:23,965 --> 00:25:26,275
that not only has
an incredible homing sense
518
00:25:26,379 --> 00:25:30,586
but also has the ability
to anticipate disaster
519
00:25:30,689 --> 00:25:33,620
before it happens.
520
00:25:39,517 --> 00:25:40,758
In many cultures,
521
00:25:40,862 --> 00:25:42,310
the appearance
of a certain type of bird
522
00:25:42,413 --> 00:25:43,965
at a specific time
523
00:25:44,068 --> 00:25:47,241
can signify either good
or bad things to come.
524
00:25:47,344 --> 00:25:49,655
And while this may seem like
a far-fetched notion
525
00:25:49,758 --> 00:25:52,206
that belongs
in the realm of folklore,
526
00:25:52,310 --> 00:25:54,586
one group of scientists
recently discovered
527
00:25:54,689 --> 00:25:56,793
that some birds
actually have the ability
528
00:25:56,896 --> 00:26:01,241
to warn us of natural disasters
before they happen.
529
00:26:08,172 --> 00:26:12,344
University of Toledo biologist
Dr. Henry Streby and his team
530
00:26:12,448 --> 00:26:13,931
are studying
a species of songbird
531
00:26:14,034 --> 00:26:16,689
called golden-winged warblers.
532
00:26:17,689 --> 00:26:20,620
It's well-known
that the tiny birds,
533
00:26:20,724 --> 00:26:22,344
small as your thumb,
534
00:26:22,448 --> 00:26:23,758
migrate thousands of miles
535
00:26:23,862 --> 00:26:27,310
to the Tennessee forests
every year to mate.
536
00:26:27,413 --> 00:26:30,827
But no one could figure out
where they went afterward.
537
00:26:30,931 --> 00:26:34,689
So the scientists devise a way
538
00:26:34,793 --> 00:26:36,448
to track them.
539
00:26:36,551 --> 00:26:38,793
STREBY:
We were trying to determine
540
00:26:38,896 --> 00:26:41,241
why these birds had to move.
541
00:26:41,344 --> 00:26:44,413
But when you have an animal
that's only nine grams,
542
00:26:44,517 --> 00:26:46,034
a GPS unit is too heavy.
543
00:26:46,137 --> 00:26:48,965
So we needed
a very tiny tracking device
544
00:26:49,068 --> 00:26:50,827
called a light-level geolocator
545
00:26:50,931 --> 00:26:52,482
that these
golden-winged warblers
546
00:26:52,586 --> 00:26:54,310
can carry throughout
their entire migration
547
00:26:54,413 --> 00:26:56,103
for a year.
548
00:26:56,206 --> 00:27:01,034
All they are is a computer chip
and a battery and a light sensor
549
00:27:01,137 --> 00:27:04,344
that can estimate approximately
where you are on the Earth.
550
00:27:05,586 --> 00:27:07,413
SHATNER:
Dr. Streby and his team
551
00:27:07,517 --> 00:27:10,482
started tracking the birds
when they arrived in Tennessee
552
00:27:10,586 --> 00:27:12,344
at the beginning
of their mating season,
553
00:27:12,448 --> 00:27:16,379
which is supposed to last
for at least a month.
554
00:27:16,482 --> 00:27:19,965
But when they analyzed
the birds' location data,
555
00:27:20,068 --> 00:27:23,034
they realized that
something strange had happened.
556
00:27:23,137 --> 00:27:24,586
STREBY:
These birds were settling
557
00:27:24,689 --> 00:27:26,068
into their breeding season
558
00:27:26,172 --> 00:27:28,896
for two weeks
and then just left.
559
00:27:29,793 --> 00:27:32,724
That was unheard of.
560
00:27:32,827 --> 00:27:34,620
And then the question was why?
561
00:27:34,724 --> 00:27:36,689
We noticed this pattern
562
00:27:36,793 --> 00:27:38,793
where it seemed
as if they had backtracked
563
00:27:38,896 --> 00:27:41,931
to the Gulf Coast
and even on to Cuba.
564
00:27:42,034 --> 00:27:44,655
And being good,
skeptical scientists,
565
00:27:44,758 --> 00:27:46,724
we thought,
"Okay, how did we mess up?"
566
00:27:46,827 --> 00:27:48,206
So we started ruling out
567
00:27:48,310 --> 00:27:50,758
all these possible errors
in our analysis.
568
00:27:50,862 --> 00:27:52,655
We went through
and meticulously checked
569
00:27:52,758 --> 00:27:54,344
each data point,
570
00:27:54,448 --> 00:27:59,034
and we couldn't find
anything that explained
571
00:27:59,137 --> 00:28:00,689
why these birds
seem to have moved.
572
00:28:00,793 --> 00:28:04,344
SHATNER:
The warblers
had mysteriously interrupted
573
00:28:04,448 --> 00:28:07,379
their mating season
after only two weeks
574
00:28:07,482 --> 00:28:10,551
to make a quick trip
almost a thousand miles south,
575
00:28:10,655 --> 00:28:13,551
only to return five days later
576
00:28:13,655 --> 00:28:15,724
as if nothing had happened.
577
00:28:15,827 --> 00:28:19,206
Dr. Streby and his team
were dumbfounded.
578
00:28:19,310 --> 00:28:20,413
Until they discovered
579
00:28:20,517 --> 00:28:24,103
that the birds knew something
that they didn't.
580
00:28:24,206 --> 00:28:26,137
We remembered
that during that time,
581
00:28:26,241 --> 00:28:28,206
roughly in the middle
of when the birds were gone,
582
00:28:28,310 --> 00:28:30,655
a massive storm system
583
00:28:30,758 --> 00:28:33,000
from off the coast
of the Carolinas
584
00:28:33,103 --> 00:28:35,448
blew through
Central United States.
585
00:28:35,551 --> 00:28:37,103
And that's when we realized,
586
00:28:37,206 --> 00:28:38,827
aha, that's why they did this.
587
00:28:40,862 --> 00:28:45,172
SHATNER:
On April 27,
a massive storm system
588
00:28:45,275 --> 00:28:48,137
swept through Tennessee
and the surrounding states.
589
00:28:48,241 --> 00:28:52,551
More than 80 tornadoes
touched down in the region,
590
00:28:52,655 --> 00:28:55,344
killing 35 people and causing
591
00:28:55,448 --> 00:28:58,000
$1 billion in damage.
592
00:28:59,172 --> 00:29:00,482
But amazingly,
593
00:29:00,586 --> 00:29:03,655
the golden warblers
were already on their way south,
594
00:29:03,758 --> 00:29:05,344
having left two days
before the storms
595
00:29:05,448 --> 00:29:06,758
hit their mating area.
596
00:29:06,862 --> 00:29:09,448
And, as if that
wasn't incredible enough,
597
00:29:09,551 --> 00:29:11,413
when the warblers fled,
598
00:29:11,517 --> 00:29:14,689
meteorologists
hadn't even identified yet
599
00:29:14,793 --> 00:29:16,310
the oncoming storm.
600
00:29:16,413 --> 00:29:18,758
Now, the storm system
has yet to form.
601
00:29:18,862 --> 00:29:20,827
The atmospheric pressure
hasn't changed.
602
00:29:20,931 --> 00:29:22,206
The temperature hasn't changed.
603
00:29:22,310 --> 00:29:26,000
So what is occurring
that tells these birds
604
00:29:26,103 --> 00:29:28,068
that they shouldn't be there?
605
00:29:29,758 --> 00:29:32,413
We've done a lot of research,
but one thing we know for sure
606
00:29:32,517 --> 00:29:34,482
is that there's far more
that we don't know
607
00:29:34,586 --> 00:29:36,103
than there is that we do know.
608
00:29:36,206 --> 00:29:40,896
Birds see in a much different
wavelength than we do.
609
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,344
They see
all of our visual wavelengths,
610
00:29:43,448 --> 00:29:45,655
and they also see
in a tetrahedral color space,
611
00:29:45,758 --> 00:29:48,000
which is impossible
to show a human,
612
00:29:48,103 --> 00:29:51,241
but it's sort of
a fourth dimension of color.
613
00:29:51,344 --> 00:29:54,862
Birds seem to have evolved
to see better than us
614
00:29:54,965 --> 00:29:57,103
and hear better than us.
615
00:29:57,206 --> 00:29:59,551
All of this adding up
to this incredible ability
616
00:29:59,655 --> 00:30:02,310
to navigate the planet.
617
00:30:02,413 --> 00:30:04,793
SHATNER:
As the storm started gathering
618
00:30:04,896 --> 00:30:06,620
thousands of miles away,
619
00:30:06,724 --> 00:30:09,068
according to one theory,
the birds
620
00:30:09,172 --> 00:30:11,482
may have literally been
listening in
621
00:30:11,586 --> 00:30:12,896
by detecting what is known
622
00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,344
as infrasound.
623
00:30:15,448 --> 00:30:17,689
MICHAEL DENNIN:
Infrasound is fairly simple
to understand.
624
00:30:17,793 --> 00:30:19,379
It's just sound
that has a lower frequency
625
00:30:19,482 --> 00:30:20,931
than we as humans can hear.
626
00:30:21,034 --> 00:30:23,931
But there's no reason
to assume that birds
627
00:30:24,034 --> 00:30:26,517
wouldn't be able to detect it
in various ways.
628
00:30:26,620 --> 00:30:30,931
It's such a low vibration,
they might just simply detect it
629
00:30:31,034 --> 00:30:32,827
literally in their body.
630
00:30:32,931 --> 00:30:35,448
KIRSTEN FISHER:
Infrasound waves can travel
631
00:30:35,551 --> 00:30:36,965
very far distances,
632
00:30:37,068 --> 00:30:40,034
so the vortices of
strong tornadoes would generate
633
00:30:40,137 --> 00:30:41,862
these very low frequency
sound waves
634
00:30:41,965 --> 00:30:44,655
that animals could detect
and potentially respond to.
635
00:30:44,758 --> 00:30:48,206
TAYLOR:
We have instruments
that can detect infrasound,
636
00:30:48,310 --> 00:30:50,655
and we haven't seen
this infrasound phenomena
637
00:30:50,758 --> 00:30:52,413
two days before a tornado.
638
00:30:52,517 --> 00:30:55,482
I think there's something else
at play here
639
00:30:55,586 --> 00:30:57,827
that is, as of yet, unexplained.
640
00:30:57,931 --> 00:31:01,068
SHATNER:
While it's possible
that infrasound
641
00:31:01,172 --> 00:31:02,655
might have alerted the birds,
642
00:31:02,758 --> 00:31:04,344
other scientists have suggested
643
00:31:04,448 --> 00:31:06,862
that they were listening
to something else entirely:
644
00:31:06,965 --> 00:31:10,000
nature itself.
645
00:31:11,379 --> 00:31:13,137
FISHER:
Within the last
probably 20 years or so,
646
00:31:13,241 --> 00:31:16,241
we've really opened up
a whole new understanding
647
00:31:16,344 --> 00:31:17,586
of the way
that plants communicate
648
00:31:17,689 --> 00:31:18,655
with their neighbors.
649
00:31:18,758 --> 00:31:20,103
So, a plant that's being eaten
650
00:31:20,206 --> 00:31:22,448
by an herbivore--
say, a caterpillar--
651
00:31:22,551 --> 00:31:25,206
will actually emit
chemical signals into the air
652
00:31:25,310 --> 00:31:27,413
that warn other plants
in the vicinity
653
00:31:27,517 --> 00:31:29,551
to beef up their defenses.
654
00:31:29,655 --> 00:31:31,689
And it also sends
chemical signals
655
00:31:31,793 --> 00:31:34,241
to wasps or other predators
656
00:31:34,344 --> 00:31:36,931
to come and attack
the caterpillars.
657
00:31:37,034 --> 00:31:38,517
And presumably, those messages
658
00:31:38,620 --> 00:31:42,275
might be propagated
across plants for some distance.
659
00:31:42,379 --> 00:31:46,413
So there's a lot of intricate
communication webs going on.
660
00:31:47,965 --> 00:31:49,517
STREBY:
It seems very unlikely
661
00:31:49,620 --> 00:31:51,965
that it was just a coincidence,
and these birds
662
00:31:52,068 --> 00:31:53,413
moved out of the way
and got lucky.
663
00:31:53,517 --> 00:31:58,172
So it isn't completely
impossible to think
664
00:31:58,275 --> 00:32:02,275
the plants could be receiving
some signal from far away,
665
00:32:02,379 --> 00:32:05,482
and their response
to that is picked up
666
00:32:05,586 --> 00:32:08,068
by the birds as kind of
a passive communication.
667
00:32:08,172 --> 00:32:13,344
But until we can ask the birds themselves,
668
00:32:13,448 --> 00:32:16,310
parts of this are just going
to remain unexplained.
669
00:32:16,413 --> 00:32:19,275
SHATNER:
If the golden-winged warblers
670
00:32:19,379 --> 00:32:23,517
are any indication, perhaps
we should pay closer attention
671
00:32:23,620 --> 00:32:27,448
when a flock of birds
is headed towards the horizon.
672
00:32:27,551 --> 00:32:32,586
Or when encountering an animal
that most of us assume is just
673
00:32:32,689 --> 00:32:35,103
a playful and cuddly feline,
674
00:32:35,206 --> 00:32:37,482
but who some believe
675
00:32:37,586 --> 00:32:41,586
is the most intelligent
and cunning of all.
676
00:32:50,068 --> 00:32:51,448
SHATNER:
They lurk in the shadows,
677
00:32:51,551 --> 00:32:53,448
waiting to strike.
678
00:32:53,551 --> 00:32:55,655
[growling]
679
00:32:55,758 --> 00:32:58,655
Creatures so mysterious,
680
00:32:58,758 --> 00:33:00,931
they were once worshipped
681
00:33:01,034 --> 00:33:03,137
as gods.
682
00:33:05,241 --> 00:33:07,931
Across history, you can see
a certain series of patterns
683
00:33:08,034 --> 00:33:10,000
with regard to human attitude
towards cats.
684
00:33:10,103 --> 00:33:14,931
By far, the most distinctive
example is Ancient Egypt,
685
00:33:15,034 --> 00:33:17,586
which started early and
continued for thousands of years
686
00:33:17,689 --> 00:33:21,000
to foreground the importance
of cats.
687
00:33:21,103 --> 00:33:23,896
The initial push of cats
as domestic creatures did seem
688
00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,793
to spread out of Egypt
and the Middle East.
689
00:33:26,896 --> 00:33:29,206
And so,
throughout the world today,
690
00:33:29,310 --> 00:33:31,482
all cats, even if they have
different genetics
691
00:33:31,586 --> 00:33:33,689
of wild cats
in different areas of the world,
692
00:33:33,793 --> 00:33:36,517
they also share
that genetic commonality
693
00:33:36,620 --> 00:33:39,379
that traces right back
to ancient Egyptian cats
694
00:33:39,482 --> 00:33:43,482
that were represented to the
Egyptians as the goddess Bastet.
695
00:33:43,586 --> 00:33:46,482
WALDAU:
Bastet was an ancient god,
696
00:33:46,586 --> 00:33:48,620
but as always happens
with images of God,
697
00:33:48,724 --> 00:33:50,655
Bastet's image is going
to change.
698
00:33:50,758 --> 00:33:55,103
Bastet starts out
as a fierce lioness,
699
00:33:55,206 --> 00:33:58,172
later becomes the protector
of the king,
700
00:33:58,275 --> 00:34:02,103
later becomes the guide
in the afterlife.
701
00:34:02,206 --> 00:34:04,275
Moving forward
into the Middle Ages,
702
00:34:04,379 --> 00:34:06,000
we shift that perspective
703
00:34:06,103 --> 00:34:08,827
to now being more associated
perhaps with devils,
704
00:34:08,931 --> 00:34:12,620
where there's an image more
of being a trickster,
705
00:34:12,724 --> 00:34:15,965
or some might even call
sort of a shape-shifter.
706
00:34:16,068 --> 00:34:17,862
Europe had associations of cats
707
00:34:17,965 --> 00:34:21,517
with many different kinds
of negative powers.
708
00:34:21,620 --> 00:34:22,931
[rain pouring]
709
00:34:23,034 --> 00:34:25,448
They were known to be secretive,
710
00:34:25,551 --> 00:34:27,000
or with people
who had power thought
711
00:34:27,103 --> 00:34:30,620
to be used
in a negative way for humans.
712
00:34:30,724 --> 00:34:32,103
So, for this reason,
713
00:34:32,206 --> 00:34:34,482
there were times
where churches condemned cats.
714
00:34:34,586 --> 00:34:35,896
There were times when people
715
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,965
rebelled against cats
and massacred them.
716
00:34:40,068 --> 00:34:41,896
PACHEL:
When we see this attribution
717
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,551
of shape-shifting,
or their ability
718
00:34:43,655 --> 00:34:45,620
to be so incredibly secretive,
719
00:34:45,724 --> 00:34:49,068
my brain goes back
to those inherent qualities
720
00:34:49,172 --> 00:34:52,827
that allow cats to be successful
in their wild environment.
721
00:34:54,517 --> 00:34:56,931
Cats are incredible predators.
722
00:34:57,034 --> 00:34:58,965
The amount of muscle control
that they have
723
00:34:59,068 --> 00:35:01,103
and their ability
to move through a variety
724
00:35:01,206 --> 00:35:04,793
of environments with almost
a silence about them
725
00:35:04,896 --> 00:35:09,034
really is about them being able
to sneak up
726
00:35:09,137 --> 00:35:11,068
- in an undetected way.
- [pigeon coos]
727
00:35:11,172 --> 00:35:13,551
Either getting close enough
to launch an attack
728
00:35:13,655 --> 00:35:15,206
or to remain still enough
729
00:35:15,310 --> 00:35:18,965
that they're undetected
prior to that attack.
730
00:35:19,068 --> 00:35:20,551
[purring]
731
00:35:20,655 --> 00:35:22,068
SHATNER:
Today, cats are thought of more
732
00:35:22,172 --> 00:35:24,862
as pampered pets
than as primal hunters.
733
00:35:24,965 --> 00:35:28,758
Unlike dogs,
they resist training,
734
00:35:28,862 --> 00:35:31,551
and behave more
as if they are not your pet,
735
00:35:31,655 --> 00:35:34,379
but that you are theirs.
736
00:35:34,482 --> 00:35:38,482
Nevertheless, the bond between
cats and humans has proven
737
00:35:38,586 --> 00:35:40,586
to be stronger
and more astounding
738
00:35:40,689 --> 00:35:42,793
- than previously thought.
- [mews]
739
00:35:42,896 --> 00:35:46,620
Especially when examining
their eerie ability
740
00:35:46,724 --> 00:35:48,896
to track down their human owners
741
00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:51,068
across hundreds of miles.
742
00:35:54,241 --> 00:35:56,931
LOYD AUERBACH:
There was this case in 1949.
743
00:35:57,034 --> 00:35:58,931
The cat's name was
"Clementine Jones."
744
00:35:59,034 --> 00:36:02,965
The family moved
from Western New York to Denver.
745
00:36:03,068 --> 00:36:05,206
They couldn't take the cat
with them.
746
00:36:05,310 --> 00:36:07,172
They left the cat
with some friends,
747
00:36:07,275 --> 00:36:09,551
and they got a call
a while later
748
00:36:09,655 --> 00:36:11,862
that the cat had disappeared.
749
00:36:11,965 --> 00:36:15,034
Four months later,
750
00:36:15,137 --> 00:36:17,758
this cat showed up
at their door.
751
00:36:17,862 --> 00:36:20,068
It was their cat.
752
00:36:20,172 --> 00:36:23,551
That's a 1,600-mile commute
for that cat.
753
00:36:25,896 --> 00:36:28,896
SHATNER:
1,600 miles in four months?
754
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,793
It seems nothing
short of miraculous.
755
00:36:31,896 --> 00:36:34,689
And yet,
there have long been stories
756
00:36:34,793 --> 00:36:37,655
of cats
traversing vast distances,
757
00:36:37,758 --> 00:36:40,172
and we don't know
how they do it.
758
00:36:40,275 --> 00:36:42,137
PACHEL:
When I think of a story
759
00:36:42,241 --> 00:36:44,965
where a cat has traveled
an incredible distance,
760
00:36:45,068 --> 00:36:48,172
in order to go
from point A to point B,
761
00:36:48,275 --> 00:36:51,241
lots of questions come to mind
for me as a scientist.
762
00:36:51,344 --> 00:36:53,724
Is there a scent trail, essentially,
763
00:36:53,827 --> 00:36:55,620
that they're following
that allows them
764
00:36:55,724 --> 00:36:57,344
to navigate that space?
765
00:36:58,517 --> 00:37:00,655
And do they have that ability
766
00:37:00,758 --> 00:37:02,517
to create that mental map?
767
00:37:04,655 --> 00:37:07,137
FISHER:
We know cats potentially
768
00:37:07,241 --> 00:37:09,482
have other types
of navigational capacities, too,
769
00:37:09,586 --> 00:37:11,206
that we don't even know about
770
00:37:11,310 --> 00:37:14,137
that sort of hearken back
to their ancient ancestors who
771
00:37:14,241 --> 00:37:15,862
maybe need
to roam great distances
772
00:37:15,965 --> 00:37:17,793
in order to hunt, for example,
773
00:37:17,896 --> 00:37:19,655
and home their way back
to their den.
774
00:37:21,172 --> 00:37:23,586
DEBRA HORWITZ:
Some people posit
775
00:37:23,689 --> 00:37:27,068
that cats are somehow attuned
into the electromagnetic
776
00:37:27,172 --> 00:37:30,758
field of the Earth
that birds use for navigation.
777
00:37:30,862 --> 00:37:32,620
[birds singing]
778
00:37:34,137 --> 00:37:36,034
SHELDRAKE:
There are all sorts of theories.
779
00:37:36,137 --> 00:37:38,482
The magnetism one's
the most popular,
780
00:37:38,586 --> 00:37:40,137
but that can't explain it.
781
00:37:42,689 --> 00:37:44,137
If you were given a compass
782
00:37:44,241 --> 00:37:46,379
and taken to a place
you'd never been before,
783
00:37:46,482 --> 00:37:48,896
the compass would tell you
where north was,
784
00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,482
but it wouldn't tell you
where home was.
785
00:37:51,586 --> 00:37:54,758
So, homing animals,
including this cat,
786
00:37:54,862 --> 00:37:58,517
require more
than a magnetical compass sense.
787
00:38:00,724 --> 00:38:03,517
AUERBACH:
We think the animal
is using their ESP
788
00:38:03,620 --> 00:38:07,206
to trail where the family
actually went to.
789
00:38:07,310 --> 00:38:09,551
That's called "psi-trailing."
790
00:38:09,655 --> 00:38:13,137
"Psi" is the catchall term we
use for any psychic experience.
791
00:38:13,241 --> 00:38:16,517
Psi-trailing typically happens
where there's an animal
792
00:38:16,620 --> 00:38:18,965
that has a real close connection
with the family,
793
00:38:19,068 --> 00:38:20,965
and it's possible
794
00:38:21,068 --> 00:38:23,448
that the animal saw the path
in front of her
795
00:38:23,551 --> 00:38:26,137
and followed that path.
796
00:38:26,241 --> 00:38:29,206
PACHEL:
There's a lot
of unknowns around cats.
797
00:38:29,310 --> 00:38:30,931
Is there a psychic connection
that exists
798
00:38:31,034 --> 00:38:32,655
between cats and their owners,
799
00:38:32,758 --> 00:38:35,000
and there's a-a magnetism
that's there that's drawing
800
00:38:35,103 --> 00:38:36,965
that cat in?
801
00:38:37,068 --> 00:38:40,137
It's entirely possible.
802
00:38:40,241 --> 00:38:42,517
SHATNER:
Until cats can talk
to us themselves,
803
00:38:42,620 --> 00:38:47,103
we may never know exactly
what lies behind their eyes.
804
00:38:47,206 --> 00:38:49,655
Perhaps it's time
to rethink our place
805
00:38:49,758 --> 00:38:52,379
in the natural order of things
806
00:38:52,482 --> 00:38:55,586
and to look to animals
as inspiration
807
00:38:55,689 --> 00:38:58,620
for how we can evolve.
808
00:39:08,689 --> 00:39:11,206
SHATNER:
Scientists at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology's
809
00:39:11,310 --> 00:39:14,517
Center for Bits and Atoms
announce the creation
810
00:39:14,620 --> 00:39:17,586
of an innovative
new device dubbed:
811
00:39:17,689 --> 00:39:20,275
"the nano-nose."
812
00:39:20,379 --> 00:39:22,000
It is touted as being able
813
00:39:22,103 --> 00:39:24,655
to identify scents
millions of times fainter
814
00:39:24,758 --> 00:39:27,103
than can be detected by humans.
815
00:39:27,206 --> 00:39:31,758
And this extraordinary piece
of technology was invented
816
00:39:31,862 --> 00:39:36,655
by reverse engineering
the inside of a dog's nose.
817
00:39:36,758 --> 00:39:39,034
HOROWITZ:
Dogs are macrosmatic.
818
00:39:39,137 --> 00:39:42,344
In other words, they can smell
bigger molecules than we can,
819
00:39:42,448 --> 00:39:45,379
and their sense of smell
is probably about a thousand
820
00:39:45,482 --> 00:39:49,241
to a hundred million times
more sensitive than ours.
821
00:39:49,344 --> 00:39:52,103
GUEST:
So it's not impossible
822
00:39:52,206 --> 00:39:56,000
that within the next ten years,
our phones may be able
823
00:39:56,103 --> 00:39:59,620
to detect cancer in the way
that dogs can currently do.
824
00:39:59,724 --> 00:40:01,551
SHATNER:
In other labs,
825
00:40:01,655 --> 00:40:03,793
scientists are developing
next-generation robots
826
00:40:03,896 --> 00:40:06,827
than can walk, jump
and run just like
827
00:40:06,931 --> 00:40:10,310
the fastest
and most agile animals on Earth.
828
00:40:10,413 --> 00:40:13,000
The abilities of humans pale
829
00:40:13,103 --> 00:40:17,241
in comparison to these
animal-emulating machines.
830
00:40:19,517 --> 00:40:22,241
But even so,
831
00:40:22,344 --> 00:40:25,689
these incredible inventions
can only scratch the surface
832
00:40:25,793 --> 00:40:30,551
of what real animals can do.
833
00:40:30,655 --> 00:40:32,137
Humans really are just animals,
I think,
834
00:40:32,241 --> 00:40:34,655
that have lost a lot
of their other sensory
835
00:40:34,758 --> 00:40:38,620
abilities in favor of cognition
and higher thought.
836
00:40:38,724 --> 00:40:40,517
I think
we are totally out of tune
837
00:40:40,620 --> 00:40:42,482
with a lot
of the sensory information
838
00:40:42,586 --> 00:40:45,793
that animals are able
to tap into.
839
00:40:45,896 --> 00:40:47,931
HOROWITZ:
I look forward to the future
840
00:40:48,034 --> 00:40:52,034
as we learn more about how
they interact with us, and
841
00:40:52,137 --> 00:40:53,724
I think
there's a deeper connection
842
00:40:53,827 --> 00:40:55,172
between us and animals
843
00:40:55,275 --> 00:40:57,724
that we don't even really
understand yet.
844
00:40:57,827 --> 00:41:00,689
THOMPSON:
We've been taught so long
845
00:41:00,793 --> 00:41:03,206
that we are sort of the pinnacle
of evolution, as if
846
00:41:03,310 --> 00:41:04,827
evolution was just for us.
847
00:41:04,931 --> 00:41:06,827
And in fact,
many of our mythologies
848
00:41:06,931 --> 00:41:08,827
and creation stories
reinforce this vision
849
00:41:08,931 --> 00:41:12,551
that the world is built for us.
850
00:41:12,655 --> 00:41:14,620
And yet, are those stories true?
851
00:41:14,724 --> 00:41:18,827
Now that we're becoming more and
more aware of how close we are
852
00:41:18,931 --> 00:41:21,068
connected
to all these other organisms
853
00:41:21,172 --> 00:41:23,379
and how much of a part
we all are of each other,
854
00:41:23,482 --> 00:41:25,896
it causes
to reassess this notion
855
00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:28,896
that we are somehow separate
from the rest of life.
856
00:41:33,448 --> 00:41:36,413
Whether it's birds
857
00:41:36,517 --> 00:41:39,517
fleeing an unseen danger,
858
00:41:39,620 --> 00:41:44,724
or dogs sensing illness,
or aquatic animals
859
00:41:44,827 --> 00:41:46,965
risking their lives to protect
humans from predators,
860
00:41:47,068 --> 00:41:49,379
animals possess
incredible abilities
861
00:41:49,482 --> 00:41:51,655
that make us look like, uh,
862
00:41:51,758 --> 00:41:54,413
well, animals.
863
00:41:54,517 --> 00:41:57,000
So, what are we to make of it?
864
00:41:57,103 --> 00:41:59,344
Perhaps animals are here
to keep us humble
865
00:41:59,448 --> 00:42:03,068
by reminding us that there are
an amazing number of things
866
00:42:03,172 --> 00:42:05,413
about them that will remain...
867
00:42:05,517 --> 00:42:07,689
unexplained.
67543
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