Goats Don’t Like Grumpy People!

The next time you’re face to face with a goat, make sure you smile! Because new research shows: Goats don’t like grumpy people! That’s according to Queen Mary University of London. They discovered that goats can distinguish human facial expressions, and prefer a pleasant smile. Previous research has shown that goats have some pretty impressive cognitive abilities.

They can recognize other goats by sight and sound – and they communicate with each other through their eyes. That’s something only dogs, horses, and primates are known to do.

For this new study, the researchers offered the goats treats – and they happen to love dry pasta. But the pasta was placed in front of two pictures… One of a happy, smiling human face, and one of a frowning, angry face. The researchers selected faces that were unfamiliar to the goats, and used both female and male faces.

The result? No matter the gender of the goat, or the gender of the person’s face, the goats gravitated toward the smiling face significantly more than the frowning one. Something to remember the next time you do Goat Yoga!