11 Dog Superpowers That Prove They're Cooler Than Us

If being cute counts as a superpower, that makes it 12!

1/ Tail code secrecy

As if having an extra appendage wasn't cool enough, dogs can speak with their tails. When they are terrified or nervous, they lower their tails. The tails wag more when they are awake or agitated. When a dog is agitated or feels threatened, his tail will stand straight up in the air. Dogs may also sense how other dogs are feeling by the direction their tails wag. Researchers in Italy noticed that canines got more worried when they saw other dogs wag their tails to the left rather than the right or not at all. Previous research found that left-leaning tail wagging was caused by a dog experiencing an unpleasant experience, such as encountering a vicious dog.

2/ Telepathy

Well, sort of. Dogs can't read your mind, but they can sense how you're feeling. In a study published in Biology Letters, researchers presented dogs images of faces depicting various emotions while also playing an audio clip depicting a certain mood. What's fascinating is that the dogs stared at the face that corresponded to the type of voice being played, such as a mad face when the audio clip was of an angry voice. So, while your pet may not be able to digest the words "You ate all of my cereal?!?" like humans, she may tell by your facial expressions and tone that you're not in a good mood.

3/ Sniffer extraordinaire

Try not to hide treats from your dog. His nose is aware that you have them. Just don't let him get his paws on any things that dogs aren't supposed to consume. The sense of smell in dogs is 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than in humans. How effective is that? "If you draw the parallel to eyesight, what you and I can see at a third of a mile, a dog might see more than 3,000 miles away and still see as well," James Walker, former head of the Sensory Research Institute at Florida State University, told PBS.

4/ Internal weather forecaster

Some weather myths are false, such as lightning never striking the same spot twice. But here is one you should never question: Dogs can detect impending adverse weather. Researchers don't have an exact explanation—perhaps your pet is a superhero!—but they do have some ideas. Dogs are sensitive to barometric pressure dips caused by violent storms, and they can hear low frequencies that people cannot, such as distant thunder and earthquake rumbles. You shouldn't rely exclusively on your pet over meteorologists, but don't ignore their odd behavior. It may save your life.

5/ Empathy

Empathy is, in fact, a superpower. According to Psychology Today, dogs and puppies not only understand your sentiments, but they can also empathize with you. Goldsmiths College in London psychologists conducted the same investigation on 18 dogs: Each dog would keep an eye on their owner while he sat across from a stranger. The two people would alternate between speaking normally, humming in an unusual manner, and pretending to cry. When their owners sobbed, the psychologists reasoned, the pets would lay on them, nuzzle, lick, or otherwise try to console them. However, the dogs ended up comforting the crying strangers despite the fact that they had no emotional connection with them, simply because they noticed that they were concerned. Isn't it true that the world would be a better place if we all empathized like dogs?

6/ Canine diagnosis

Dogs and humans know how to look after one another. Dogs can tell when you're not feeling well, sometimes even before you do. Dogs can detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human bodies, which include diseases such as cancer, thanks to their keen sense of smell. By smelling breath samples from patients, canines trained at the In Situ Foundation were able to identify lung cancer with 97 percent accuracy and breast cancer with 88 percent accuracy in 2006. These are superior results to needle biopsies. You should also be on the lookout for indicators that your dog is ill.

7/ GPS built-in

You've probably heard about pets who made it home despite horrible odds and enormous distances. For example, this cat escaped from a shelter in order to return to his rescuer. But, once again, dogs' noses play an important role in their amazing sense of direction. They can retrace their steps for kilometers by following their own smell trails, and if the wind is favorable, they can even use their owners' scent, according to TIME.

8/ Seeing in the dark

The longer we are exposed to darkness, the more adapted our eyes become to it. Dogs, on the other hand, have eyes that are designed to see well in the dark. Their big pupils allow more light in, and their rods perform better in low light. The tapetum, which reflects light at the rear of the eye, is the most important element. This allows them to see in light that is five times as faint as what humans require to see clearly.

9/ Super fast

Take our word for it: you don't want to race your dog. Canines average about 19 miles per hour, but several can exceed 35 mph when running in brief bursts. The greyhound is the fastest dog breed, reaching 45 mph. Humans, on the other hand, can only run at 28 mph.

10/ Sonic hearing

Dogs can hear sounds up to 60,000 Hz (vibrations per second), whereas humans can only hear up to 20,000 Hz. The enormous ears on the top of dogs' heads are great real estate for picking up noises that people overlook. Furthermore, they have approximately 18 ear muscles that allow them to twist, tilt, and lift their ears to receive enhanced sound. In fact, scientists believe that dogs tilt their heads due to their exceptional hearing.

11/ The most effective prescription ever

Simply being in the presence of a dog can improve your health. Petting dogs can help you relax, release a relaxation hormone, and drop your blood pressure. According to studies, pet owners are often happier and more trusting. Furthermore, they visit the doctor less frequently for minor issues.