RESEARCH ON SMELLING

For general background, this TED video is good: How dogs "see" with their noses (5 mins long).

I find it of special interest that smells have history. Dogs can sense in the fourth dimension – time. Their smell receptors are so refined that they suppress the smell of poo and can determine the mood and character of other dogs and how long it was since a smell was left behind. I don't think any other sense records the previous days' history.

Though not conclusive : if you expand the nostrils and breathe in without smelling and thereby warming and moistening the breath by its passage through the nasal canals – you will get a very sore throat.

This indicates that dogs are smelling while they are sleeping.

These quick inhalations are similar to some wine connoisseurs, but wine connoisseurs only do it once or twice.

Hares can continue like this for a minute at a time. How do they do it? And, how do they do it without getting dizzy or short of breath?

Sometimes we can see the body expanding and contracting quickly in rhythm with the breathing.

It must be something like the bellows breath in yoga, where we force the air in and out by breathing from the diaphragm.

In addition, hares will keep their heads still in one position, whereas most animals will gently scan round. I believe this is primarily because hares are also sensing with their eyes.

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