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Online engagement through social media like instagram lives 

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Online engagement through social media like instagram lives 

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Similar idea to online seminars but online sessions for interview preparation etc

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Similar idea to online seminars but online sessions for interview preparation etc

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online quiz

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Anyone who has lived with a dog will know their capacity for learning the meaning of words, even ones you don't want them to know. How many times have you had to spell the words "walk" or "dinner" in the hope of avoiding an explosion of excitement?

Previous studies have investigated how non-human animals, including chimpanzees, sea lions and rhesus monkeys, learn words. But now a paper published in Nature shows some dogs learn the name of a new object after hearing it only four times, an ability previously thought to be confined to humans.

The researchers found this ability was not common among all the dogs studied, instead it may be limited to a few "talented" or highly trained individuals. So how can you tell whether your own dog is a genius or not?

The study was simple, and easy to replicate at home. Just follow the steps the researchers took to see whether your dog can learn the names of objects as quickly. But don't worry if your dog doesn't have this ability, it might just be down to their breed or previous experience.

Whisky and Vicky Nina

Claudia Fugazza

The new study involved a collie called Whisky, who knew 59 objects by name, and a Yorkshire terrier called Vicky Nina, who knew 42 toys.

The researchers tested each dogs' knowledge of their toys by asking them to bring each toy in turn. Neither the owners nor the experimenters could see the toys, to avoid influencing the dogs' choice.

Once it was established the dogs knew the names of all their toys, the researchers introduced two new objects, placing each in turn in a group of known toys. In this test Whisky chose the new toy every single time. Vicky Nina fetched the right one in 52.5% of trials, which is slightly above chance.

Learning new names

For the next part of the study the dog was shown a toy, told its name and was then allowed to play with it. After four repetitions of the name of two different new toys, the dog was asked to choose one of the two new toys.

No familiar toys were included in this part of the trial, to prevent the dog choosing the right toy by exclusion. If it knows the name of all other toys, the dog might pick the correct toy because it guesses the unfamiliar word must indicate the unfamiliar toy.

Both dogs chose the new toy more often than chance would predict, suggesting they were indeed learning the name of a new object very quickly. However, their memory decayed considerably after 10 minutes and almost completely after one hour. This shows the new learning needs more reinforcement if it is to be retained.

Read more: Six tips for looking after your new puppy, according to science

The test involving the new toy was also carried out by 20 volunteers with their own dogs, but these dogs didn't show the ability to learn new names after few hearings.

The authors suggested the difference between the performance of the two dogs in their test and the volunteer dogs means, in order to learn new names quickly, the dog might need to be unusually intelligent or to have a lot of experience in learning names.

Marco Ojeda

Clever dogs

It seems likely there are a combination of factors at work in these experiments. It's significant that the breed most commonly used in studies of this type is a border collie, which is purposefully bred to attend to audible commands and is very highly motivated to carry out tasks and to please the handler. Yorkshire terriers also enjoy mental and physical stimulation.

Similar tests have been carried out by other research groups, usually using border collies. In 2004, a dog called Rico was found to know the names of 200 different objects, and in 2011 Chaser learnt 1,022 unique objects.

Other breeds may simply be less interested in playing with or fetching toys. For example sight hounds, such as salukis and greyhounds, are primarily bred for hunting or racing, so are generally more difficult to train. They may show no interest in toys at all, as well as being considerably less motivated to please the handler.

Both the experimental dogs in this study were intensively trained, through play and social interaction, to pay attention to the names and characteristics of the toys. This might make them more likely to notice the differences between new and familiar toys, and to attend to the verbal cue associated with them.

Although their training was not formal, it was nevertheless positive reinforcement training, a powerful method for teaching animals and humans. The dogs have undoubtedly learned their skills to a high degree.

It's quite possible to teach all dogs to perform tasks, including learning the names of objects. But the degree to which they're willing and able to learn, and to carry out the task, is very much regulated by breed of dog and the level of motivation the individual dog possesses.

If your pet is an Afghan hound or a St Bernard, you should not expect it to be interested in spending hours fetching toys for you. If, on the other hand, you have a border collie or a poodle, their abilities may only be limited by your imagination and your dedication to playing with them.

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Anyone who has lived with a dog will know their capacity for learning the meaning of words, even ones you don't want them to know. How many times have you had to spell the words "walk" or "dinner" in the hope of avoiding an explosion of excitement?

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The Global Science Show (@GlobalSciShow) / Twitter

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The best genetics podcast full of stories from the world of genes, genomes and DNA.

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No sunlight is able to reach this deep.

Many deep-sea creatures cope by creating light themselves - also known as bioluminescence.

Narwhals dive to this depth up to 15 times a day in search for food.

The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest known crab with a maximum leg span of 3.8m.

Coelacanths were thought to be extinct until found alive in 1938.

Leatherback Sea Turtles are the oldest sea turtle species.

Giant Oarfish can grow up to 11m long.

Sixgill Sharks spend the day in deep waters and the night in shallow waters. They can be found all over the world.

Telescope Octopus are almost completely transparent and have unique protruding eyes.

Barreleye Fish have a transparent head that allows their eyes to collect more light.

Black Swallowers can swallow entire fish whole - even those vastly larger than themselves!

Vampire Squids eat marine snow - organic material that falls from shallower waters.

Headless Chicken Fish are sea cucumbers with wing-like fins that allow them to swim.

Colossal Squid are the largest known squid species. They can reach a length of 10 meters and weigh up to 700 kg.

The Orange Roughy can live up to 200 years. Deep sea life often have elongated life spans.

Meals are rare in the deep sea. Deep sea creatures have adapted to this - one Giant Isopod in captivity went five years without eating.

Many deep sea species use the color red as camouflage since it's the first color to leave the spectrum as you dive deeper.

Goblin Sharks are known as "living fossils" because they're the only living species of a lineage that has existed for 125 million years.

Is it a squid, or a worm? It's a worm.

Sea Angels are majestic sea slugs that use wings to propel themselves.

The Scaly-Foot Snail gets its name from the iron plates on its foot and the iron shell it makes out of Iron Sulphide.

Anglerfish have a large bioluminescent lure used to attract prey in the darkness.

Giant Tube Worms get their nutrients from hydrothermal vents.

Hydrothermal vents are formed from seawater passing through extremely hot volcanic rocks. They release heavy metals that are toxic to most animals.

But even in those extreme conditions specialized life finds a way to survive.

Yeti Crabs live on hydrothermal vents.

This is the average depth of the ocean.

But in some places it goes deeper.

Cuvier's Beaked Whales are the deepest diving mammals.

On April 14th, 1912 the Titanic sank to its final resting place at a depth of 3,800 meters.

This is the deepest point of the Manila Trench in the South China Sea.

Patagonian Toothfish have antifreeze proteins in its tissues to prevent freezing in sub zero temperatures.

Megamouth sharks are one of the largest growing shark species with some reaching 7 meters long.

The temperature here is near freezing and very few animals can survive the extreme pressure.

This shark takes cookie-shaped chunks out of its prey.

You have scrolled the height of Mount Everest.

Comb Jellies have been around for 500 million years. Despite looking like jellyfish, they are not closely related.

This is the lowest point of the Puerto Rico Trench.

This is the deepest point of the Java Trench in the Indian Ocean.

The USS Johnston sank in WWII and is the deepest shipwreck ever found.

More people have been to the Moon than the Hadal Zone.

Most of the Hadal Zone takes place in deep sea trenches.

Deep sea trenches form by a process called "subduction" where the Earth's tectonic plates meet and push together.

The deep sea can be a lonely place.

Life here is sparse - the extreme conditions make survival difficult.

But still not impossible.

So little is known about life in these deep environments. Almost every expedition uncovers something new.

Many probes and submarines have been lost trying to reach the deepest parts of the ocean.

On January 23rd, 1960, about 9 years before the moon landing, humans went where they never had before.

Two men, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh, onboard the submarine Trieste slowly descended into the Mariana Trench.

Their goal was to reach The Challenger Deep - the deepest point in the ocean.

The submarine used a re-breather system that would later be used in spacecraft. There was barely enough space inside the pressure sphere for both of them.

The immense pressure of the deep sea means any mistake would mean certain death.

During the descent, one of the window panes cracked and shook the entire vessel.

Nevertheless, they continued.

Even at these unfathomable depths, Jacques and Don could still see life out the window. Life can survive unimaginable environments.

After 4 hours and 47 minutes of anxiety and claustrophobia...

They succeeded and became the first humans to reach the deepest point in the ocean.

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An interactive page that lets you scroll down the ocean. Visit the great depths of the Mariana Trench and discover all the sea creatures hidden beneath.