Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Hearing01:31

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
Auditory Perception01:17

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cluster of Enterobacter cloacae pseudobacteremias associated with use of an agar slant blood culturing system.

Journal of clinical microbiology·1993
Same author

Solution acceptance by common ravens (Corvus corax) given two-bottle preference tests.

Psychological reports·1990
Same author

Dietary pyridoxine loadings affect incidence of "spontaneous" seizures among magnesium-deprived Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).

Perceptual and motor skills·1988
Same author

Competency to stand trial: a conceptual model for its proper assessment.

The Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law·1987
Same author

Harderian gland exudates in the male Meriones unguiculatus regulate female proceptive behavior, aggression, and investigation.

Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)·1986
Same author

Harderian letdown in male mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) contributes to proceptive behavior.

Hormones and behavior·1985

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Identification of Olfactory Volatiles using Gas Chromatography-Multi-unit Recordings (GCMR) in the Insect Antennal Lobe
09:49

Identification of Olfactory Volatiles using Gas Chromatography-Multi-unit Recordings (GCMR) in the Insect Antennal Lobe

Published on: February 24, 2013

Olfactory acuity in the common raven (Corvus corax).

A E Harriman, R H Berger

    Physiology & Behavior
    |January 1, 1986
    PubMed
    Summary

    Ravens demonstrate a remarkable ability to locate hidden food, challenging the notion of a weak sense of smell in corvids. These findings suggest ravens may utilize olfactory cues for foraging.

    Area of Science:

    • Ornithology
    • Animal Behavior
    • Sensory Ecology

    Background:

    • Ravens have long been anecdotally known for locating concealed food, with folklore attributing this to an acute sense of smell.
    • Current ornithological consensus suggests passerines, especially corvids, possess a weak sense of smell due to underdeveloped olfactory apparatus.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate whether ravens can detect hidden food using olfactory cues.
    • To test the hypothesis that scent plays a role in raven foraging behavior.

    Main Methods:

    • Four controlled studies were conducted with captive juvenile ravens (5 males, 3 females).
    • Subjects were presented with pairs of containers, one containing hidden food (fresh ground fish) under varying depths and amounts of gravel.
    • Scent was presumed to be the primary or sole cue for locating the food.

    More Related Videos

    Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
    09:32

    Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

    Published on: April 1, 2022

    Enhancing an Avian Sound Recognition Model's Detection Precision via Logistic Regression of Large Acoustic Datasets: A Case Study of the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
    10:55

    Enhancing an Avian Sound Recognition Model's Detection Precision via Logistic Regression of Large Acoustic Datasets: A Case Study of the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

    Published on: April 11, 2026

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jul 23, 2026

    Identification of Olfactory Volatiles using Gas Chromatography-Multi-unit Recordings (GCMR) in the Insect Antennal Lobe
    09:49

    Identification of Olfactory Volatiles using Gas Chromatography-Multi-unit Recordings (GCMR) in the Insect Antennal Lobe

    Published on: February 24, 2013

    Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
    09:32

    Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

    Published on: April 1, 2022

    Enhancing an Avian Sound Recognition Model's Detection Precision via Logistic Regression of Large Acoustic Datasets: A Case Study of the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
    10:55

    Enhancing an Avian Sound Recognition Model's Detection Precision via Logistic Regression of Large Acoustic Datasets: A Case Study of the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

    Published on: April 11, 2026

    Main Results:

    • Ravens successfully identified containers with buried food under 2.0 cm of gravel.
    • They located food concealed under depths of up to 2.5 cm of gravel.
    • Ravens detected even small quantities (1.0 g) of food covered by 1.5 cm of gravel.

    Conclusions:

    • The study's findings support the hypothesis that ravens can employ olfactory cues to find hidden food.
    • This challenges the prevailing view of limited olfactory capabilities in corvids.