Ancient naturalists watched animals self-medicate with plants

+ how many surveillance cameras is too many? US Edition - Today's top story: Animals self-medicate with plants − behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 May 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [New law in Colorado will increase housing density near transit]( - [Everyday actions that keep kids safe from abuse]( - [Kick off the long weekend with our news quiz]( Lead story Did you see the story in the news a few weeks ago about the wild orangutan who carefully treated a wound on his own face with chewed-up leaves from a plant known to have medicinal qualities? Classics professor Adrienne Mayor did – and it reminded her of something from her own research as a historian of ancient science. Many naturalists from antiquity described animals chomping, rubbing on and otherwise utilizing plants for what looked like medical purposes. These premodern observations of species ranging from stags to bears to birds to elephants were folk knowledge, not formal science. But, writes Mayor, “the stories reveal long-term observation and imitation of [diverse animal species self-doctoring with bioactive plants](.” Plenty of mysteries remain, but these self-medicating animals have inspired human treatments over the millennia. [[How faith and religion drive the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, This Week in Religion.](] Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor A goat with an arrow wound nibbles the medicinal herb dittany. O. Dapper [Animals self-medicate with plants − behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia]( Adrienne Mayor, Stanford University Humans have watched and learned from animals who treat their ills with bioactive plants. This animal wisdom has a scientific name: zoopharmacognosy. Economy + Business - [Colorado takes a new – and likely more effective – approach to the housing crisis]( Brian J. Connolly, University of Michigan Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has signed two new zoning bills into law, which could help reduce the state’s homeless population. Health + Medicine - [I want to keep my child safe from abuse − but research tells me I’m doing it wrong]( Melissa Bright, University of New Hampshire It’s rarely the creep at the playground. About 90% of child sexual abusers know the family. Science + Technology - [What Philadelphians need to know about the city’s 7,000-camera surveillance system]( Albert Fox Cahn, New York University Police can reconstruct someone’s movements for days or weeks at a time, without any court oversight. Education - [6 ways to foster political discourse on college campuses]( Rachel Wahl, University of Virginia Political discussions on campus can be a lot more productive if the right expectations are set. Ethics + Religion - [Muslim women who are registered to vote are more likely to donate money and volunteer than nonvoters]( Shariq Siddiqui, Indiana University; Nausheena Hussain, Indiana University Civic engagement is more correlated with giving than religiosity, new research indicates. - [Why Poland’s new government is challenged by abortion]( Patrice McMahon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Many Poles were outraged by abortion restrictions put in place during the previous government. That doesn’t mean they agree on the path forward. Arts + Culture - [Why the US government is intervening in the live music business and could break up Live Nation Entertainment – a music industry scholar explains]( David Arditi, University of Texas at Arlington The government has been investigating Live Nation Entertainment for years. But a presale ticketing debacle for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour heightened scrutiny from politicians and the public. - [How the 18th-century ‘probability revolution’ fueled the casino gambling craze]( John Eglin, University of Montana Early writers on probability had explained how the ‘house advantage’ didn’t need to be large for a gambling enterprise to profit enormously. But gamblers and gambling operators were slow to catch on. - [How Detroit techno is preserving the city’s beating heart in the face of gentrification]( Carla Vecchiola, University of Michigan-Dearborn Detroit has a rich music tradition and is known for its role in the development of house. International - [Why Chile has a Palestinian football team – the bigger history]( Mary Katherine Newman, University of Oxford Chile has the largest population of Palestinians outside of the Middle East, they have set up a series of community institutions including a football team. Trending on site - [An ancient manuscript up for sale gives a glimpse into the history of early Christianity]( - [Rangers led the way in the D-Day landings 80 years ago]( - [Most Israelis dislike Netanyahu, but support the war in Gaza – an Israeli scholar explains what’s driving public opinion]( The Conversation News Quiz 🧠Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died on May 19, 2024, under the same circumstances as guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, actor Vic Morrow and NBA star Kobe Bryant. What was it? - A. Car crash - B. Helicopter accident - C. Israeli missile - D. Heart attack [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [Giving Today]( [New!] • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Threads]( • [Nostr]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to [help you make sense of our complex world](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](