60-second Science

Orangutans were observed to use plant extracts to treat their own pain.

Racing pigeons is big business—and doping is common. Now scientists have devised a way to detect doping in the avian athletes. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scientists have added radar info to seismic data, isotope measurements and optical imagery to study covert nuclear tests. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Hunting regulations in Sweden prohibit killing brown bear mothers in company of cubs—causing mama bears to care for their young longer. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sediment records have confirmed that Jupiter and Venus change Earth's orbit from virtually circular to noticeably elliptical and back every 405,000 years. Christopher Intagliata reports.

The InSight Mission will look at Mars's seismic activity and latent heat to find out more about how planets get made--and how humans might live there.

Tomato plants detected snail slime in soil near them and mounted preemptive defenses, even though they were not directly touched.

Ancient tools on Mediterranean islands could predate the appearance of modern humans—suggesting Neandertals took to the seas. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thierry Zomahoun, president of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, talks about the potential and needs of science on the continent.

Advice from an N.Y.U. food policy symposium: eating healthfully means you can't ever let down your guard when shopping.

In a study of children interacting with toy animals Native American kids and non-Native kids imagined the animals very differently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners gave more credence to a scientist’s radio interview when the audio was good quality than they did to the same material when the audio was poor. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Today in Boston, Gates announced a $12-million initiative to foster the development of a vaccine effective against all flu strains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bora people in the northwestern Amazon use drums to send languagelike messages across long distances. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawns mowed every two weeks hosted more bees than lawns mowed every three weeks. Jason G. Goldman reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study claims it's easier to accurately whistle a melody than to sing it. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A look at a database of fatal traffic accidents found a 12 percent increase on the informal marijuana holiday 4/20 after 4:20 P.M. compared with nearby dates.  

Mice trapped in New York City apartment buildings harbored disease-causing bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Researchers used Twitter searches for nonflu words associated with behavior to predict flu outbreaks two weeks in advance.

Non-native milkweed species planted in the southern U.S. could harm monarch butterflies as temperatures rise. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices