Bomb-sniffing dogs perform worse in extreme heat and humidity

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Bomb-sniffing dogs perform worse in extreme heat and humidity, according to US scientists, taking longer to identify explosives and with reduced sensitivity. The dogs were exposed to the scents of four different explosives, double base smokeless powder, Composition C4, ammonium nitrate and Trinitrotoluene (TNT), in differing levels of heat and humidity. In standard conditions, the dogs detected all the explosives, but in extreme heat and humidity, their abilities were hampered. Smokeless powder detection was reduced under all environmental conditions other than the standard conditions and was least detectable under high temperature and humidity conditions. Ammonium nitrate detection was poorest when the temperature was high and humidity either high or low. C4 was least detectable at low temperatures with high humidity. The dogs struggled to detect TNT under all conditions including standard, so it wasn't clear whether heat and humidity were having a noticeable effect, the experts say. The dogs whose abilities were affected the most were those whose bodies heated up the most when the temperature was high, the experts say, and these dogs were the slowest to start the task when presented with the odour samples.