remetheus

Can you tell us a bit about the discovery itself?

Sure, we first started noticing the Dog Effect in the lab but dismissed it as a one-off. It wasn't until we noticed it in the beagle that we decided to see what research had been done into the effect. When we couldn't find anything about it, even when we expanded the scope of our search, we knew we had something.

And why did you choose to name it the Dog Effect instead of after one of you or the lab or one of the other dogs?

We just thought it was right. We didn't name it after any of us because the discovery didn't belong to us, it belonged to the world. And as pivotal as the lab was to the discovery, it didn't seem right to single out a dog when the effect is so widespread.

There has been some confusion over the specifics of the effect. Especially after that CNN article that went viral.

I would love to. It's a lot simpler than some have been making out. The Dog Effect is the observation that dogs woof. I know some of the confusion has been related to how scientists tend to use words that also have a popular meaning. A yip, a bark, an arf—even a boof—these all are included in the scientific definition of woof

A bow wow?

Yes, a bow wow too.

Sorry, I shouldn't interrupt

No, no. Please do. I'm here to educate the public and I know there are others in the audience wondering that too. The other confusion we've run into is people thinking that growls or howls disprove the effect. We're not saying dogs only woof or that a dog is unable to do anything but woof. We're merely observing that dogs do woof and in fact they tend to woof.

Thanks, putting it in those terms is helpful.

Oh yes, and the CNN article. We try not to be too negative or to ascribe any kind of malice but there clearly was some sort of systematic failure that that got published. How they got to "mammals only bark" is as mystifying as it is incorrect. Thanks for giving me the chance to come on address it

My pleasure. Is there anything else you want to bring up while you're here?

I just want to suggest to your viewers that if they see a dog and the dog is friendly, they should consider giving the dog a pat. It's those kinds of simple but considered actions that may very well lead to the next big scientific breakthrough