Uploaded May 2019 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago

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From their eyes, to their noses, and senses we can't truly know about, join me as we discover 8 animal super senses that they have that humans don't.
8. Ears That Can Smell
When it comes to dogs, there are several things that it has naturally that dwarfs what humans have naturally. But for the Basset Hound, they take it to the next level by bringing its ears into the mix. And no, I don't mean just them having better hearing, they can actually do something far more interesting with their ear canals. Mainly...they can smell with them. No, I'm not making this up, they can really do this! First, the ears will catch the scent of whatever they're trying to track. Then, they'll rub their ears on the ground to further catch it, and then flick their ears up into the air with the sole purpose of ensuring that their nose can catch it, and then never lose it. Which makes them an excellent tracker dog, among other things of course.
This may seem like a little backwards, as most dogs, including a certain breed that I'll be talking about later, track with very power noses. So why do the Basset Hounds do it with their ears?. It mainly has to do with the fact that they have the longest ears of any dog breed, which makes them even more equipped to catch scents and send them up to their noses.
This kind of dual-powered smelling is very unique in the animal world, and definitely unique in the dog world. Personally, I'm ok with a dog having this and not a human...because that must feel weird.
7. Heat Detection
For the record, I'm not talking about an animal knowing that , "it's hot", I'm going well beyond that here as you'll see. Snakes as a species are already known for their very refined senses, such as detecting scents with their tongues, a very useful skill to have. However, in the case of the Pit Viper (and a few other snake species like certain pythons and boas), they can go beyond that. Their skin and nerves are so refined that they're actually able to detect the very heat given off by an animal.
Confused? Don't worry, I'll explain. Think about it like how when you are cold, and you touch someone who is warm, you feel that heat that they have, which is actually why you're advised to stay close to one another in cold situations. But now, I want you to imagine being able to sense that heat even though the person is several feet away from you. That kind of heat detection is what snakes like the Pit Viper can do.
So, how does this work exactly? It happens with pit that are on the snakes face. These pits actually let the snake detect thermal radiation. That's right, they can sense radiation! And you thought snakes were scary before, huh? The then sends the information to the nerves in the brain, and thus, the snake can "touch" the heat of other animals, guiding them either to prey, or away from foes.
The ironic thing here? Humans technically have this ability, but obviously it's nowhere near the power of these Pit Vipers.
6. Precognition
The future. Something that everyone has in one way, and yet doesn't have in another. Something that every person alive desperately wants to know about, and yet, are afraid to see it. In the history of our world, there are many who have said that they have the ability to see into the future. Apparently, so do dogs, but how many actually do have this ability is unclear. But, it is put forth that many have a form of it.
But of course, like most "superpowers", there must be attributes to be defined. We're not saying that dogs have the ability to "know" the future, but mainly "sense" what might come. A lot of people have noted that their dogs can sense danger long before it comes in range. Many have attributed this to their heightened senses of hearing and smell, and yet, there are times when no such indicators have been detectable, and yet, the dog would sense danger. An example was unintentionally shown during an episode of Mythbusters. Host Jaime Hyneman had a dog named Zero who detected danger in a small scale experiment, and made sure it wasn't in the area when it indeed did go wrong.
Another form of precognition dogs are said to have is when they can "detect" when an owner is going to come home. Again, without clues like sight, sound, or smell. There was even a study done to show that they could indeed predict when the owner was coming home.
So yeah, dogs can sense the future in a way. Which may be why they can be such good pets, as they can help their owners know if trouble is coming.
Or as Game of Thrones would say...Winter is coming...I'm just saying, they had dogs in that show!
5. People Tracking/Blood Detection
Insects are annoying! And few of them are as annoying as the mosquito. Because no matter where you go, they'll get to you. But that raises a great question, have you ever wondered why a mosquito is always able to find you? It does seem oddly persistent for such a small creature. The answer is their superpower, detection.