Nature Season 9 Episode 7 Supersense: Super Scents and Beyond (2)

Supersense: Super Scents and Beyond (2) is the seventh episode of the ninth season of the popular PBS show Nature. This episode is the second part of the two-part series exploring the incredible abilities of animals when it comes to their sense of smell.

This episode takes viewers on a fascinating journey into the world of animals and their incredible sense of smell. From dogs who can detect cancer to elephants who can smell water from miles away, this episode reveals the remarkable abilities of various species when it comes to their sense of smell.

The episode is hosted by biological anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher, who guides viewers through a series of fascinating experiments that demonstrate the incredible acuity of animal senses.

One of the highlights of the episode is the demonstration of how dogs can be trained to detect specific odors associated with medical conditions such as cancer. Fisher visits a laboratory where dogs are being trained to detect ovarian cancer by smelling blood samples. The dogs are able to accurately identify samples associated with cancer, offering hope for a new way to detect the disease early.

But it's not just dogs with incredible sense of smell. The episode also explores the abilities of other animals such as moths who use their sense of smell to find mates, dung beetles who navigate using smell, and salmon who rely on their sense of smell to navigate thousands of miles back to their place of birth to spawn.

The episode also touches on the fascinating science behind how smell actually works. Fisher explains how odors are detected by the olfactory system and how the brain processes the information into a recognizable scent.

Throughout the episode, Fisher and the team of scientists also reveal some surprising facts about our own sense of smell and how it compares to other animals. For example, humans have around 400 types of odor receptors, while dogs have up to 1,000.

Overall, Supersense: Super Scents and Beyond (2) is a fascinating look at the world of animal senses and how they are being used to improve human health and wellbeing. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in the natural world and the amazing adaptations that animals have developed to survive and thrive.