Since we have such different faces and body structures compared to dogs, how can they instinctively tell that the two spots on the upper portion of our faces are in fact our eyes, and not, for example, our nostrils?

Dogs seem to understand the concept of 'names' more than other animals.  My dogs know the names of the cats and recognise their own names.  Does this mean that they have a similar system themselves or merely associate the sound with the image?

I can understand how sound + image works in the case of the cats names for example, not sure how it would be applied to their own name though.

Is it a myth that cats only purr when in the company of humans? Or do they purr when on their own as well?

Obviously they are nocturnal and diurnal, respectively, and have different roosting/nesting habits, but they do compete for many of the same food resources.

Has there ever been any observation of crepuscular turf wars or clashes? And if not, why not?

Whatever the answer it might still make for a fun (bad) made-for-TV sci-fi movie.

Why don't we do things that we know will have a benefit? Such as, saving up for a new pair of shoes, then going and spending your money on make-up instead, or choosing to have an extra packet of crisps, or choosing not to go on a run because we're 'too tired'. It's clear that all of these things are good for us in the long run, so why do we choose to do something that will only benefit for maybe a few minutes or so.

This video catches a little bird sitting on a car mirror and repeatedly jumping down to catch a look at himself. Is this a behavior that will persist in his bird brain so that he might seek out side view mirrors to preen in on future cars of assorted makes? Or is this a one-time occasion? 

When bored, I play a simple game on my computer matching balls of a similar colour in rows of five. Successful matches are removed from the 9x9 grid adding to the score - there are many variations of such games.

If I start at zero and continue uninterrupted with the game until I lose, my score is much greater than if I start, then take a break and then continue with the game.

What is happening here? Does my brain become 'trained' to the task thus knowing what is going to be expected of it in advance; perhaps 'honing' its assessment of the next task? Conversely, if I take a break, does the brain need to 'warm-up' again before an optimum level of judgement is reached and is this behaviour seen in other repetitive tasks? In driving for example, though we may feel tired on a long journey, the brain may well be functioning better before we take a rest than afterwards.

I know people who insist that certain types of alcoholic drinks put them in specific moods when drunk - such as emotional, violent or confident.

Is there any scientific reason why different beverages can have specific effects on mood?

Frederick Allen, Oxford, UK