Find out how your dog’s nose works at Museum’s first “Extreme Mammals” presentation

For immediate release ‐ September 28, 2015

Contact: Jon Pishney, 919.707.8083. Images available upon request

RALEIGH — We know that dogs have an incredible sense of smell and that they are used to detect everything from narcotics to explosives and even some cancers, but few of us know how they do this. Join NC State University professor Dr. David Dorman for “How Your Dog’s Nose Works,” a presentation at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Thursday, October 8 at 7pm.

In this presentation — the first in a series held in conjunction with the Museum’s newest special exhibition, “Extreme Mammals” — Dorman explores the basis for dogs’ amazing ability to detect scents, and how scientists at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine were able to improve the selection and training of dogs used for the detection of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Dorman, a professor of toxicology in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, was elected in July as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s most important scientific societies and publisher of the journal Science. “Dr. Dorman’s work in the field of toxicology has made outstanding contributions in areas including neurotoxicology, neonatal health, and environmental health,” says Dean Paul Lunn of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. “It has been especially intriguing to see his recent work on olfactory function and cognition in military working dogs, given their critical roles in bomb detection.”

“Extreme Mammals” explores the diversity, ancestry and evolution of numerous species, ranging from huge to tiny, from speedy to sloth-like. The exhibition features spectacular fossils, vivid reconstructions and life-like models — including a 15-foot-high touchable model of the extinct Indricotherium, the largest known land mammal. Dorman’s is the first in a series of scientific talks that delve into what makes a mammal extreme — the biological characteristics, behavior and ability to adapt for survival. Upcoming presentations include:

Thursday, November 5
“Nat Geo Explorer in Madagascar”
Dr. Luke Dollar, National Geographic Explorer

Thursday, December 3
“Eastern Coyotes: Part Wolf, Part Dog, Extremely Adaptable”
Dr. Roland Kays, Head of the Biodiversity Research Lab, NC Museum of Natural Sciences

Thursday, January 7
“Mammals in an Age of Extreme Environmental Change”
Dr. Kristopher Helgen, Head of Mammalogy, National Museum of Natural History

Thursday, February 4
“Chill Out! Hibernation as a ‘Cool’ Way to Survive the Winter”
Sheena Faherty, PhD candidate in the Department of Biology, Duke University

Thursday, March 3
“Africa’s Greatest Killer? Understanding Human-Hippopotamus Conflict”
Dr. Corinne Kendall, Assistant Curator of Conservation and Research, NC Zoo

Tickets: $10 Lecture or $50 Series, which includes all six lectures. Add an exhibition ticket to your order and receive $5 off admission. Friends of the Museum members receive free admission to the exhibition. Tickets are available online (naturalsciences.org/extreme) or at the Museum Box Office.

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