Brilliant Beasts

Hog Genius explores the speed at which pigs can learn and the contribution they make to medical research due to their resemblance to humans.

Learn how these birds navigate their way home, flying hundreds of miles through unfamiliar territory.

Dog Genius sees the many facets of dog intelligence, which in some respects are closer to our own than even chimpanzees. From their wild evolutionary beginnings as wolves to the affable pooches we know and love today, dogs have undergone a miraculous transformation that has taken generations to transpire. Over the years, dogs and humans have become so closely connected that in many cases the bond seems almost telepathic. Take Mabel, a six-year-old beagle mix, for example. Like many pet dogs, she displays an almost spooky ability to predict when her owner, Sue Pressley, is coming home. Nelson Pressley, who stays at home with Mabel, says: “I noticed Mabel was sort of on a stake-out for Sue, and that she would be at the door clearly looking, clearly waiting, and this was before Sue would be anywhere on my radar.”