Scientists say dolphins have a seventh sense

 

 It is common knowledge that we have five senses. Some people believe they have six senses. They say their sixth sense is the ability to know something without using the ordinary five senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Scientists have just discovered that some dolphins have seven senses. Researchers in Germany say bottlenose dolphins can sense electricity produced by their prey. The dolphins can detect the electric pulses produced by the heart beats of other sea creatures. This could help dolphins to find their next meal. Dolphins also use their excellent eyesight and sonar to sense what is around them. This seventh sense may also help them to navigate using Earth's magnetic field.

The researchers conducted a study on two dolphins named Dolly and Donna. Experiments tested what kinds of electricity the dolphins could detect. Dolly and Donna could sense both kinds of electricity – direct current and alternating current. They were a lot better at picking up direct current. All organisms produce direct current electricity in water. The researchers say being able to detect this means dolphins may be able to sense the location of most kinds of fish that are near them. The dolphins could use their seventh sense to hunt, even if they cannot see or hear well, or if they cannot use their other senses. The study has been published in the "Journal of Experimental Biology".

1. SIGHT: Students A strongly believe sight is the most important sense; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
2. SIX SENSES: Why are these senses important? How would life be different if the senses were much, much better? Complete this table.

	Importance	Life with a Stronger Sense
Sight
Hearing
Smell
Touch
Taste
ESP

3.Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	common knowledge	a.	Finding your way from one place to another.
2.	ordinary	b.	The ability or power of being able to see.
3.	sight	c.	An animal that is caught and killed by another for food.
4.	touch	d.	Something that everyone knows about.
5.	prey	e.	A quick, short movement of sound, electric current, light, or other wave.
6.	pulse	f.	What is usual or standard.
7.	navigate	g.	The ability of understanding things through physical contact, especially with the fingers.

    Paragraph 2

8.	conducted	h.	An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
9.	detect	i.	A particular place or position.
10.	current	j.	Of a book, journal, piece of music, etc. that is prepared and sold or given to people.
11.	organism	k.	Discover or find the presence or existence of.
12.	location	l.	Follow and kill (a wild animal) for sport or food.
13.	hunt	m.	A flow of electricity.
14.	published	n.	Carried out an activity like research or a survey, etc.

 

4. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. common
2. ordinary
3. discovered
4. pulses
5. navigate
6. conducted
7. organisms
8. location
9. near
10. published

1. did
2. living things
3. normal
4. issued
5. beats
6. close by
7. general
8. travel across
9. position
10. found

5.ROLE-PLAY:

Role  A – Pain You think pain is the most important sense. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sense isn't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):

Role  B – Hunger You think hunger is the most important sense. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sense isn't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):

Role  C – Temperature You think temperature is the most important sense. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sense isn't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):

Role  D – Fear You think fear is the most important sense. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sense isn't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):   OR Balance Ego Movement Love

6.Discussion - Dolphin Senses

1. What do you know about dolphins?
2. What do you think of a sixth sense in humans?
3. What do you think of having seven senses?
4. How intelligent are dolphins?
5. How useful would it be to be able to detect electricity?
6. What is your next meal going to be?
7. What can we learn from dolphins?
8. What new sense would you like?

11. Would you like to work with dolphins?
12. What do you know about electricity?
13. How good are you at sensing what is near you?
14. What sense would you like to be sharper?
15. Would you like to read this research paper?
16. What three adjectives best describe dolphins?
17. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?