Scent, an Investigation | Mackenzie Donovan | TEDxKeene

when I was nine years old I watched NASA

when I was nine years old I watched NASA shoot a rocket off in search of Pluto

shoot a rocket off in search of Pluto

shoot a rocket off in search of Pluto and when I was 18 I got to see the

and when I was 18 I got to see the

and when I was 18 I got to see the amazing photos of that dwarf planet that

amazing photos of that dwarf planet that

amazing photos of that dwarf planet that resides on the edges of our solar system

resides on the edges of our solar system

resides on the edges of our solar system in between those years I watched as the

in between those years I watched as the

in between those years I watched as the technology around me rose up to

technology around me rose up to

technology around me rose up to astounding levels it was incredible what

astounding levels it was incredible what

astounding levels it was incredible what we could make to improve our lives and

we could make to improve our lives and

we could make to improve our lives and there came a point when I believed but

there came a point when I believed but

there came a point when I believed but there was nothing that technology could

there was nothing that technology could

there was nothing that technology could not do and then I discovered this this

not do and then I discovered this this

not do and then I discovered this this is the emerald ash borer beetle it’s

is the emerald ash borer beetle it’s

is the emerald ash borer beetle it’s believed to have come from eastern

believed to have come from eastern

believed to have come from eastern Russia on wooden packing pallets and it

Russia on wooden packing pallets and it

Russia on wooden packing pallets and it was first discovered in America

was first discovered in America

was first discovered in America near Detroit in 2002 this beetle attacks

near Detroit in 2002 this beetle attacks

near Detroit in 2002 this beetle attacks only ash trees or trees within the

only ash trees or trees within the

only ash trees or trees within the fraxinus genus it does is damaged by the

fraxinus genus it does is damaged by the

fraxinus genus it does is damaged by the adults boring into the bark of the tree

adults boring into the bark of the tree

adults boring into the bark of the tree leaving these d-shaped exit holes and

leaving these d-shaped exit holes and

leaving these d-shaped exit holes and what they do once the adults are under

what they do once the adults are under

what they do once the adults are under they lay their eggs and then the adults

they lay their eggs and then the adults

they lay their eggs and then the adults go on to nibble along the foliage of the

go on to nibble along the foliage of the

go on to nibble along the foliage of the tree but that’s not the part that does

tree but that’s not the part that does

tree but that’s not the part that does the damage the part that does the damage

the damage the part that does the damage

the damage the part that does the damage is the larvae they leaves behind when

is the larvae they leaves behind when

is the larvae they leaves behind when the eggs hatch the larvae starts eating

the eggs hatch the larvae starts eating

the eggs hatch the larvae starts eating its way up through the cambium layer of

its way up through the cambium layer of

its way up through the cambium layer of the tree and this is the part of the

the tree and this is the part of the

the tree and this is the part of the tree that delivers nutrients so once

tree that delivers nutrients so once

tree that delivers nutrients so once this is compromised the tree dies

this is compromised the tree dies

this is compromised the tree dies there’s nothing you can do to stop it

there’s nothing you can do to stop it

there’s nothing you can do to stop it and then the larvae grows into adults

and then the larvae grows into adults

and then the larvae grows into adults and they fly to the next tree and the

and they fly to the next tree and the

and they fly to the next tree and the recycle repeats itself now this sounds

recycle repeats itself now this sounds

recycle repeats itself now this sounds like a very specific problem because

like a very specific problem because

like a very specific problem because they only go after ash trees but ash

they only go after ash trees but ash

they only go after ash trees but ash white ash trees make up our forests our

white ash trees make up our forests our

white ash trees make up our forests our black and our green ash trees are

black and our green ash trees are

black and our green ash trees are crucial to our wetland ecosystems losing

crucial to our wetland ecosystems losing

crucial to our wetland ecosystems losing these trees means losing

these trees means losing

these trees means losing entire communities within our forests

entire communities within our forests

entire communities within our forests according to the United States

according to the United States

according to the United States Department of Agriculture this beetle is

Department of Agriculture this beetle is

Department of Agriculture this beetle is now in 27 different states and has cost

now in 27 different states and has cost

now in 27 different states and has cost the United States almost 11 billion

the United States almost 11 billion

the United States almost 11 billion dollars in both economic and

dollars in both economic and

dollars in both economic and environmental damage many attempts have

environmental damage many attempts have

environmental damage many attempts have been made to stop the beetle the spread

been made to stop the beetle the spread

been made to stop the beetle the spread of the beetle at the tree

of the beetle at the tree

of the beetle at the tree scientists have hung purple boxes that

scientists have hung purple boxes that

scientists have hung purple boxes that hang in the canopies you might have seen

hang in the canopies you might have seen

hang in the canopies you might have seen them around before they’re laced with

them around before they’re laced with

them around before they’re laced with something called manuka oil which is an

something called manuka oil which is an

something called manuka oil which is an enticing oil to the beetle and it acts

enticing oil to the beetle and it acts

enticing oil to the beetle and it acts as a flytrap trapping the bug inside the

as a flytrap trapping the bug inside the

as a flytrap trapping the bug inside the purple trap another thing they’ve tried

purple trap another thing they’ve tried

purple trap another thing they’ve tried to do is release parasitoid wasps at the

to do is release parasitoid wasps at the

to do is release parasitoid wasps at the site of an infestation treat these wasps

site of an infestation treat these wasps

site of an infestation treat these wasps are trained to eat only the emerald ash

are trained to eat only the emerald ash

are trained to eat only the emerald ash borer and these sound like incredible

borer and these sound like incredible

borer and these sound like incredible ways to go after the beetle at the tree

ways to go after the beetle at the tree

ways to go after the beetle at the tree but the problem is is the beetle only

but the problem is is the beetle only

but the problem is is the beetle only moved half a mile a year on its own and

moved half a mile a year on its own and

moved half a mile a year on its own and we though the lifecycle of a tree is so

we though the lifecycle of a tree is so

we though the lifecycle of a tree is so long that we don’t yet know if the boxes

long that we don’t yet know if the boxes

long that we don’t yet know if the boxes or the wasps are actually causing a

or the wasps are actually causing a

or the wasps are actually causing a negative impact on their population the

negative impact on their population the

negative impact on their population the problem is we don’t have that much time

problem is we don’t have that much time

problem is we don’t have that much time the beetle is already spreading to

the beetle is already spreading to

the beetle is already spreading to different countries it’s in Europe it’s

different countries it’s in Europe it’s

different countries it’s in Europe it’s in Canada it’s in Rockingham

in Canada it’s in Rockingham

in Canada it’s in Rockingham Hillsborough Belknap and Merrimack

Hillsborough Belknap and Merrimack

Hillsborough Belknap and Merrimack counties in New Hampshire so how are

counties in New Hampshire so how are

counties in New Hampshire so how are they getting so far if the beat only

they getting so far if the beat only

they getting so far if the beat only spreads a year half a mile a year on its

spreads a year half a mile a year on its

spreads a year half a mile a year on its own the problem is us we chop down our

own the problem is us we chop down our

own the problem is us we chop down our firewood we buy little bundles of

firewood we buy little bundles of

firewood we buy little bundles of chopped firewood and we bring them

chopped firewood and we bring them

chopped firewood and we bring them camping we bring them to places like

camping we bring them to places like

camping we bring them to places like Franconia Notch specifically in new

Franconia Notch specifically in new

Franconia Notch specifically in new hampshire we bring them to the Loudoun

hampshire we bring them to the Loudoun

hampshire we bring them to the Loudoun Motor Speedway people come to camp and

Motor Speedway people come to camp and

Motor Speedway people come to camp and they bring firewood from all over the

they bring firewood from all over the

they bring firewood from all over the place and it can’t there’s no way for

place and it can’t there’s no way for

place and it can’t there’s no way for anyone to know if it’s been treated or

anyone to know if it’s been treated or

anyone to know if it’s been treated or not there’s no way to know if that if

not there’s no way to know if that if

not there’s no way to know if that if the firewood is infested

the firewood is infested

the firewood is infested and people are unknowingly giving free

and people are unknowingly giving free

and people are unknowingly giving free rides to invasive species allowing it to

rides to invasive species allowing it to

rides to invasive species allowing it to spread so quickly so while scientists

spread so quickly so while scientists

spread so quickly so while scientists are working on a way to attack the

are working on a way to attack the

are working on a way to attack the beetle at the tree how can we stop the

beetle at the tree how can we stop the

beetle at the tree how can we stop the man assisted spread what can we do now

man assisted spread what can we do now

man assisted spread what can we do now to slow that down what about dogs we

to slow that down what about dogs we

to slow that down what about dogs we already know that the nose of a dog is

already know that the nose of a dog is

already know that the nose of a dog is exponentially more powerful than

exponentially more powerful than

exponentially more powerful than anything we know about and that’s partly

anything we know about and that’s partly

anything we know about and that’s partly because of how our noses are built this

because of how our noses are built this

because of how our noses are built this is the human nose it’s comprised of our

is the human nose it’s comprised of our

is the human nose it’s comprised of our nostrils and when we inhale we inhale

nostrils and when we inhale we inhale

nostrils and when we inhale we inhale all these different molecules of odors

all these different molecules of odors

all these different molecules of odors and they run back over our scent

and they run back over our scent

and they run back over our scent receptor cells back into the yellow bulb

receptor cells back into the yellow bulb

receptor cells back into the yellow bulb on the slide here and that olfactory

on the slide here and that olfactory

on the slide here and that olfactory bulb is the epithelial area that

bulb is the epithelial area that

bulb is the epithelial area that delivers the odors to the part of the

delivers the odors to the part of the

delivers the odors to the part of the brain that processes scent and basically

brain that processes scent and basically

brain that processes scent and basically the more scent receptor cells you have

the more scent receptor cells you have

the more scent receptor cells you have the better you are at smelling humans

the better you are at smelling humans

the better you are at smelling humans have around 5 million scent receptors

have around 5 million scent receptors

have around 5 million scent receptors cells but the German Shepherd has 225

cells but the German Shepherd has 225

cells but the German Shepherd has 225 million

million

million as you can see here the dogs nose the

as you can see here the dogs nose the

as you can see here the dogs nose the muzzle is so much longer allowing for so

muzzle is so much longer allowing for so

muzzle is so much longer allowing for so much more space for olfactory receptor

much more space for olfactory receptor

much more space for olfactory receptor cells you can see here this cutout of

cells you can see here this cutout of

cells you can see here this cutout of the yellow that is their olfactory bulb

the yellow that is their olfactory bulb

the yellow that is their olfactory bulb it’s a labyrinth it’s a maze of a

it’s a labyrinth it’s a maze of a

it’s a labyrinth it’s a maze of a surface era that’s dedicated to sending

surface era that’s dedicated to sending

surface era that’s dedicated to sending this these odors to the part of their

this these odors to the part of their

this these odors to the part of their brain that processes scent and dogs have

brain that processes scent and dogs have

brain that processes scent and dogs have a brain where it’s 40% of it is

a brain where it’s 40% of it is

a brain where it’s 40% of it is dedicated to processing scent alone

dedicated to processing scent alone

dedicated to processing scent alone which is magnitudes larger than what

which is magnitudes larger than what

which is magnitudes larger than what ours is on other really important things

ours is on other really important things

ours is on other really important things that dog can do is when they smell they

that dog can do is when they smell they

that dog can do is when they smell they can inhale and they can separate bare

can inhale and they can separate bare

can inhale and they can separate bare air into two different pathways one one

air into two different pathways one one

air into two different pathways one one goes down into their lungs allowing them

goes down into their lungs allowing them

goes down into their lungs allowing them to continue to breathe as they work and

to continue to breathe as they work and

to continue to breathe as they work and the other sends all of those odors all

the other sends all of those odors all

the other sends all of those odors all those concentrated chemical compounds

those concentrated chemical compounds

those concentrated chemical compounds straight back over their olfactory cells

straight back over their olfactory cells

straight back over their olfactory cells into their epithelial area in the back

into their epithelial area in the back

into their epithelial area in the back of the olfactory region so why aren’t we

of the olfactory region so why aren’t we

of the olfactory region so why aren’t we using dogs for conservation we already

using dogs for conservation we already

using dogs for conservation we already know that they can scent out drugs they

know that they can scent out drugs they

know that they can scent out drugs they can find explosives they can find other

can find explosives they can find other

can find explosives they can find other illegal contraband they can smell things

illegal contraband they can smell things

illegal contraband they can smell things up to 40 feet underground we do not have

up to 40 feet underground we do not have

up to 40 feet underground we do not have a piece of technology as powerful as a

a piece of technology as powerful as a

a piece of technology as powerful as a dog’s nose we are incapable of creating

dog’s nose we are incapable of creating

dog’s nose we are incapable of creating a piece that matches the power of the

a piece that matches the power of the

a piece that matches the power of the nose right next to me so why aren’t we

nose right next to me so why aren’t we

nose right next to me so why aren’t we using them this is Roo

using them this is Roo

using them this is Roo she’s a five year old working German

she’s a five year old working German

she’s a five year old working German Shepherd and I’ve had her since she was

Shepherd and I’ve had her since she was

Shepherd and I’ve had her since she was eight weeks old I was still in middle

eight weeks old I was still in middle

eight weeks old I was still in middle school I’ve been working with her every

school I’ve been working with her every

school I’ve been working with her every day for five years and the first thing I

day for five years and the first thing I

day for five years and the first thing I noted noticed about her when I got her

noted noticed about her when I got her

noted noticed about her when I got her was that she had a nose she went after

was that she had a nose she went after

was that she had a nose she went after every scent and she had the drive to

every scent and she had the drive to

every scent and she had the drive to follow it many years ago I asked my

follow it many years ago I asked my

follow it many years ago I asked my little brother if he could hide behind

little brother if he could hide behind

little brother if he could hide behind the shed so that Roo could find him and

the shed so that Roo could find him and

the shed so that Roo could find him and I watched it was a beautiful summer day

I watched it was a beautiful summer day

I watched it was a beautiful summer day there was no way for him to leave any

there was no way for him to leave any

there was no way for him to leave any visible footprints and anyone not

visible footprints and anyone not

visible footprints and anyone not watching would have had no idea where he

watching would have had no idea where he

watching would have had no idea where he was

was

was and I watched as he took a step and a

and I watched as he took a step and a

and I watched as he took a step and a step and then he turned leaving a

step and then he turned leaving a

step and then he turned leaving a footprint that no one could see and then

footprint that no one could see and then

footprint that no one could see and then when I let rue go and I asked her to

when I let rue go and I asked her to

when I let rue go and I asked her to find him

find him

find him I watched she searched frantically with

I watched she searched frantically with

I watched she searched frantically with her nose in the air and she was inhaling

her nose in the air and she was inhaling

her nose in the air and she was inhaling all these molecules and chemical

all these molecules and chemical

all these molecules and chemical compounds that we can’t even fathom and

compounds that we can’t even fathom and

compounds that we can’t even fathom and then suddenly her nose dropped to the

then suddenly her nose dropped to the

then suddenly her nose dropped to the ground right on his footprint and I

ground right on his footprint and I

ground right on his footprint and I watched her nose go from footprint to

watched her nose go from footprint to

watched her nose go from footprint to footprint and then turn exactly where he

footprint and then turn exactly where he

footprint and then turn exactly where he had been and within 30 seconds she had

had been and within 30 seconds she had

had been and within 30 seconds she had found them so when the time came for me

found them so when the time came for me

found them so when the time came for me to graduate high school I had to do a

to graduate high school I had to do a

to graduate high school I had to do a senior project and I knew that I

senior project and I knew that I

senior project and I knew that I couldn’t do it without real an amazing

couldn’t do it without real an amazing

couldn’t do it without real an amazing dog trainer degan Lee introduced me to

dog trainer degan Lee introduced me to

dog trainer degan Lee introduced me to the idea of dogs working for

the idea of dogs working for

the idea of dogs working for conservation maybe scenting out the ash

conservation maybe scenting out the ash

conservation maybe scenting out the ash borer and infested firewood piles so

what I’ve done today what I will show

what I’ve done today what I will show you today is how Rou can scent that out

you today is how Rou can scent that out

you today is how Rou can scent that out in front of me are three boxes one of

in front of me are three boxes one of

in front of me are three boxes one of them is infested to our color green on

them is infested to our color green on

them is infested to our color green on the bottom and those are the clear ones

the bottom and those are the clear ones

the bottom and those are the clear ones the other is red and what I’m going to

the other is red and what I’m going to

the other is red and what I’m going to show you is how she is trained to alert

show you is how she is trained to alert

show you is how she is trained to alert to that and she what she will do is she

to that and she what she will do is she

to that and she what she will do is she will either sit or lay down when she

will either sit or lay down when she

will either sit or lay down when she finds it and that is called a passive

finds it and that is called a passive

finds it and that is called a passive alert she’s got a stretch first

alert she’s got a stretch first

alert she’s got a stretch first should I get ready yeah all right

should I get ready yeah all right

should I get ready yeah all right roo-roo are you ready to work your are

roo-roo are you ready to work your are

roo-roo are you ready to work your are you ready to find bugs yeah you’re right

you ready to find bugs yeah you’re right

you ready to find bugs yeah you’re right you’re fine blocks all right

you’re fine blocks all right

you’re fine blocks all right all right now I’m going to cover the

all right now I’m going to cover the

all right now I’m going to cover the Mike up a little bit because it throws

Mike up a little bit because it throws

Mike up a little bit because it throws my voice out and it can distract her

and this is the red one as you can see

and this is the red one as you can see that took grew all of 30 seconds to tell

that took grew all of 30 seconds to tell

that took grew all of 30 seconds to tell me that that was the infested piece of

me that that was the infested piece of

me that that was the infested piece of firewood so why aren’t we using dogs at

firewood so why aren’t we using dogs at

firewood so why aren’t we using dogs at places like the Loudoun Motor Speedway

places like the Loudoun Motor Speedway

places like the Loudoun Motor Speedway why aren’t we using them to intercept

why aren’t we using them to intercept

why aren’t we using them to intercept moving firewood

moving firewood

moving firewood this would allow scientists more time to

this would allow scientists more time to

this would allow scientists more time to attack the beetle at the tree and

attack the beetle at the tree and

attack the beetle at the tree and decrease their population if we had

decrease their population if we had

decrease their population if we had well-trained working conservation dog

well-trained working conservation dog

well-trained working conservation dog teams at checkpoints we would be able to

teams at checkpoints we would be able to

teams at checkpoints we would be able to slow the man assisted spread of the

slow the man assisted spread of the

slow the man assisted spread of the beetle incredibly easily and we would be

beetle incredibly easily and we would be

beetle incredibly easily and we would be able to save her forests and the thing

able to save her forests and the thing

able to save her forests and the thing is technology is incredible it really is

is technology is incredible it really is

is technology is incredible it really is but this is the tipping point sometimes

but this is the tipping point sometimes

but this is the tipping point sometimes it’s okay to step back and think what

it’s okay to step back and think what

it’s okay to step back and think what you’re already looking for might already

you’re already looking for might already

you’re already looking for might already be here and they might just be in the

be here and they might just be in the

be here and they might just be in the forms of our best friends thank you

forms of our best friends thank you

forms of our best friends thank you [Applause]