It won’t surprise pet owners, but now, scientific research also shows that many animals are intelligent, and even have some abilities that dwarf ours. Dogs are able to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes and warn humans of impending heart attacks and strokes. Elephants, whales, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and alligators use low-frequency sounds to communicate over long distances. Many animals also display wide-ranging emotions, including joy, happiness, empathy, compassion, grief, and even resentment and embarrassment. It’s not surprising that animals — especially, but not only, mammals — share many emotions with us, since we also share brain structures that are the seat of our emotions.

Read the full article: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/can-animals-save-us/we-second-that-emotion