If you’ve ever gazed into your dog’s eyes and wondered what they’re thinking, keep looking a little longer.
New research suggests that the brain patterns of dogs and humans synchronize in key areas when they share a stare.
The study, conducted in China, was the first time “neutral coupling” — when two or more individuals’ brain activity aligns during an interaction — was witnessed between different species.
Neutral coupling had previously been observed during the interactions of bats, mice, humans and other primates with one another, reported The Conversation. For humans, this often happens during a story or conversation.
Brain synchronicity could be important for forming responses in social encounters with complex behaviors like learning from another person or boosting teamwork.
“When social species interact, their brains ‘connect’. But this case of it happening between different species raises interesting considerations about the subtleties of the human-dog relationship and might help us understand each …