Science On Tap 7/23 In PDX: Doctors By Nature: How Ants, Apes, & Other Animals Heal Themselves (Photo) -07/02/25

Date: Wed, July 23, 2025

Time: 7 pm

Location: Alberta Rose Theatre

Tickets: $15-$45

Event Website: scienceontaporwa.org/events/alberta_july_23_doctors_by_nature/

The astonishing story of how animals use medicine and what it can teach us about healing ourselves.

 

Ages before the dawn of modern medicine, wild animals were harnessing the power of nature’s pharmacy to heal themselves. Animals of all kinds—from ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars—use various forms of medicine to treat their own ailments and those of their relatives.

 

Meet apes that swallow leaves to dislodge worms, sparrows that use cigarette butts to repel parasites, and bees that incorporate sticky resin into their hives to combat pathogens. De Roode asks whether these astonishing behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals—it can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits.

 

Doctors by Nature explores how scientists are turning to the medical knowledge of the animal kingdom to improve agriculture, create better lives for our pets, and develop new pharmaceutical drugs.

 

Get 15% OFF the ticket AND book by selecting the Book/Ticket Combo option at checkout.

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Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, drink a pint, and enjoy learning. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don't have to be a science geek to have fun--all you need is a thirst for knowledge! For more information on this event or about Science on Tap, visit Science on Tap OR WA.