Why don鈥檛 dogs look up when a low-flying plane or helicopter passes overhead? I鈥檝e never seen one do this.
Pam Lunn
Kenilworth, Warwickshire, UK
Advertisement
This isn鈥檛 an answer but a deepening of the mystery. Rauer Island in Norway is a military site with significant natural importance. Near the shoreline, atop a tall tree, is an osprey nest. The birds display significant and prolonged alarm if boats come near the shore or if people on foot approach the tree. They show not the slightest concern at low-flying military helicopters in their airspace.
Richard Maddra
Queensbury, West Yorkshire, UK
Our most recent dog, Blu, regularly looked up at low-flying aircraft. He would stand still and turn his head to track it, then resume whatever he had been doing beforehand when it disappeared from sight.
He was the most intelligent dog I have ever known, teaching himself to open doors and letting himself out of the vet鈥檚
Mind you, he was the most intelligent dog I have ever known, teaching himself to open doors, and he would let himself out of the vet鈥檚 consulting room, much to the vet鈥檚 amusement.
To answer this question 鈥� or ask a new one 鈥� email lastword@newscientist.com.
Questions should be scientific enquiries about everyday phenomena, and both questions and answers should be concise. We reserve the right to edit items for clarity and style. Please include a postal address, daytime telephone number and email address.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude) to write either questions or answers is forbidden, and any submissions found to have been written using AI tools will be withdrawn.
