Dogs' Brains Have Human-like "Voice Area" 139
sciencehabit writes "When you hear a friend's voice, you immediately picture her, even if you can't see her. And from the tone of her speech, you quickly gauge if she's happy or sad. You can do all of this because your human brain has a 'voice area.' Now, scientists using brain scanners and a crew of eager dogs have discovered that dog brains, too, have dedicated voice areas. The finding helps explain how canines can be so attuned to their owners' feelings."
It goes both way (Score:5, Informative)
If you've been around dogs much you can get a pretty good idea of their emotional state by their vocalizations. Not just the obvious growl or excited yipping, even straight barks have an inflection that tells you a lot.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that an animal which can vocalize emotion has a brain that can pick it up as well
Re:Dogs are best (Score:5, Informative)
This study was the first to actually look for a "voice center" in a non-primate. It seems more likely a great many animals have one, much as it may disappoint exceptionalists.
Re:Dog smarts (Score:4, Informative)