SNF Brain Insight Lecture: Inside the Lives and Minds of Animals

Inside the lives and minds of animals

On a planet filled with millions of species, it is only natural to wonder what life would be like as a different animal. Although nonhuman animals can’t exactly talk to us about what they’re thinking and feeling, scientists have been able to peek into their minds through careful observation and clever experiments. What is it like to experience the world primarily through a sense we don’t often focus on, like smell, or through a sense humans don’t have at all? How does an animal’s perception of its surroundings shape its own sense of self? In this event, three experts come together from cognitive science, neuroscience, and biology to shed light on the rich inner lives of animals and guide us as we step into a completely different world.

Alexandra Horowitz, MS, PhD, Author and Professor, Sr. Research Fellow and Head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College, Columbia University, will begin by leading us on a journey that starts close to home as we venture into the world of dogs. Drawing from her bestselling books, she will share her research studying canine behavior and how dogs lead their lives nose-first, through their exceptional sense of smell. Dogs and their human companions visit her lab where they complete cleverly designed puzzles, games, and tasks, allowing researchers to watch what dogs do and get a glimpse into their mind. How do dogs formulate an understanding of themselves, their people, and our shared world through scent?

Nathaniel Sawtell, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience and Principal Investigator at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, will then take us to a species that appears much more alien: the electric fish. Living in very muddy waters makes seeing with eyes a challenge. However, these fish have a sensory superpower that allows them to “see” their environment and each other by sending and detecting electric signals. What is the neural circuitry that allows these fish to process this type of information? By studying the brain and behavior of the electric fish, Dr. Sawtell’s research reveals how an animal’s sensory world can shape its approach to learning, making decisions, and thriving in its environment.

Following the two talks, Jessica Zung, PhD, Kanzer Postdoctoral Fellow in the the lab of Dr. Gwyneth Card at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute, will moderate a discussion and Q&A with the speakers. Audience questions are welcomed, either submitted during registration or live during the event.

This talk is part of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Brain Insight Lecture series, offered free to the public to enhance understanding of the biology of the mind and the complexity of human behavior. The lectures are hosted by Columbia’s Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. All registrants will receive a Zoom link to watch the event livestream virtually and a recording of the lecture shortly after the event concludes.

Host or Publisher Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute