EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Sept. 30 -- The U.S. Air Force Edwards Air Force Base issued the following press release:
The military deploys ground-penetrating radar, sophisticated X-ray scanners and electronic chemical sniffers to identify explosive hazards at security checkpoints and controlled facilities. Yet when it comes to dynamic, real-world operational environments, the premier detection system still runs on four legs.
Equipped with up to 300 million olfactory receptors - dwarfing the roughly 6 million found in humans - military working dogs can detect microscopic vapor trails in parts-per-trillion concentrations. With specialized training, canines sweep shifting crowds, weave through tight vehicle interiors and navigate rugged ...