I could watch and be with dogs all day and never get fed up. It's often said that dogs are sensitive to their owners' emotions. What would it be like if, with basic technology, we could understand our pets better? This Boston Globe article brought back memories of myself reading Planet of the Apes novels - where the apes begin to realize that humans are as advanced as themselves.

Would knowing more about the inner life of our pets bring about joy or pain?

It looks like the jury might still be out on this one - however, just as in the Ape novels, the truth might be too painful and destabilizing to fully acknowledge.