Orangutan in the wild applied medicinal plant to heal its own injury, biologists say It is "the first known case of active wound treatment in a wild animal with a medical plant," biologist Isabelle Laumer told NPR. She says the orangutan, called Rakus, is now thriving. Bill Chappell
This week in science: biodegradable plastic, crops on Mars and deer vs. caribou NPR's Juana Summers talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about biodegradable plastic, simulating growing crops on Mars, and how deer are disrupting caribou populations. Regina G. Barber
Hormones for menopause are safe, study finds. Here's what changed Women under 60 can benefit from hormone therapy to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. That's according to a new study, and is a departure from what women were told in the past. Allison Aubrey
Why is a 6-week abortion ban nearly a total ban? It's about how we date a pregnancy The time a person has to decide whether to have an abortion in Florida and other states with six-week abortion bans is at most two weeks. Why? It's has to do with how we date early pregnancy. Selena Simmons-Duffin
Mammograms should start at age 40, new guidelines recommend A rise in breast cancer among younger women prompted the U.S. Preventive Task Force to issue new screening guidelines. They recommend mammograms every other year, starting at age 40. Allison Aubrey
How do you counter misinformation? Critical thinking is step one An economic perspective on misinformation Greg Rosalsky
Scientists restore brain cells impaired by a rare genetic disorder A therapy that restores brain cells impaired by a rare genetic disorder may offer a strategy for treating conditions like autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. Jon Hamilton
Got brothers or sisters? Warm sibling bonds help boost happiness as you age Researchers have found that a warm, close bond with a sibling in early adult life is predictive of good emotional health later in life, with less loneliness, anxiety and depression. Allison Aubrey
Biden administration abandons plan to ban menthol cigarettes, citing 'feedback' An anti-smoking advocate says the decision to leave menthol cigarettes on the market "prioritizes politics over lives, especially Black lives." Yuki Noguchi
As bird flu spreads in cows, here are 4 big questions scientists are trying to answer Health officials say there's very little risk to humans from the bird flu outbreak among dairy cattle, but there's still much they don't know. Here are four questions scientists are trying to answer. Will Stone
