Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What if animals know how to treat their own illnesses?
In the first episode of Puzzling Science, biologist Jaap de Roode sits down with a jigsaw puzzle and explores one of the most surprising questions in animal behaviour: can animals use plants as medicine?
From monarch butterflies choosing medicinal milkweed to chimpanzees swallowing leaves to get rid of parasites, animals have evolved remarkable ways of responding to illness. Jaap reveals how some animals seem to know what to eat when they're sick.
And the story doesn't stop in the wild. Could animals actually help humans discover new medicines? Jaap explores how observations of animals have inspired human medicine, from willow bark and aspirin to a surprising discovery involving cats, catnip and mosquito repellent.
All while piecing together a butterfly jigsaw.
You can buy Jaap de Roode's book here: geni.us/NEij7l
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Puzzling Science is a new Royal Institution original series where, each month, a scientist from a different field tackles a jigsaw puzzle while exploring the questions, ideas and discoveries that make their research so fascinating.
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𧊠Subscribe to the Royal Institution and follow Puzzling Science for the next episode: bit.ly/RiSubscRibe
𧊠Become a channel member and support more Ri science content whilst getting exclusive scientist Q&As: youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join
What would you like to ask a scientist while they solve a puzzle? Tell us in the comments.
__________________________
Chapters:
00:00 Can animals use medicine?
00:48 Monarch butterflies and medicinal plants
03:59 Can butterflies choose medicine for their offspring?
06:05 Why scientists doubted animals could use medicine
09:28 Three ways animals use medicine
11:36 How animals learn what medicine works
14:20 Why do dogs and cats eat grass?
17:35 Can animals help humans discover new medicines?
19:06 How cats could inspire mosquito repellent
20:54 What animals can teach us about medicine
__________________________
#PuzzlingScience #AnimalBehaviour #science
Listen to the Ri podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast
Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri
Our editorial policy: rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments
Subscribe for the latest science videos: bit.ly/RiNewsletter
Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.
What if animals know how to treat their own illnesses?
In the first episode of Puzzling Science, biologist Jaap de Roode sits down with a jigsaw puzzle and explores one of the most surprising questions in animal behaviour: can animals use plants as medicine?
From monarch butterflies choosing medicinal milkweed to chimpanzees swallowing leaves to get rid of parasites, animals have evolved remarkable ways of responding to illness. Jaap reveals how some animals seem to know what to eat when they're sick.
And the story doesn't stop in the wild. Could animals actually help humans discover new medicines? Jaap explores how observations of animals have inspired human medicine, from willow bark and aspirin to a surprising discovery involving cats, catnip and mosquito repellent.
All while piecing together a butterfly jigsaw.
You can buy Jaap de Roode's book here: geni.us/NEij7l
__________________________
Puzzling Science is a new Royal Institution original series where, each month, a scientist from a different field tackles a jigsaw puzzle while exploring the questions, ideas and discoveries that make their research so fascinating.
__________________________
𧊠Subscribe to the Royal Institution and follow Puzzling Science for the next episode: bit.ly/RiSubscRibe
𧊠Become a channel member and support more Ri science content whilst getting exclusive scientist Q&As: youtube.com/channel/UCYeF244yNGuFefuFKqxIAXw/join
What would you like to ask a scientist while they solve a puzzle? Tell us in the comments.
__________________________
Chapters:
00:00 Can animals use medicine?
00:48 Monarch butterflies and medicinal plants
03:59 Can butterflies choose medicine for their offspring?
06:05 Why scientists doubted animals could use medicine
09:28 Three ways animals use medicine
11:36 How animals learn what medicine works
14:20 Why do dogs and cats eat grass?
17:35 Can animals help humans discover new medicines?
19:06 How cats could inspire mosquito repellent
20:54 What animals can teach us about medicine
__________________________
#PuzzlingScience #AnimalBehaviour #science
Listen to the Ri podcast: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ri-science-podcast
Donate to the RI and help us bring you more lectures: rigb.org/support-us/donate-ri
Our editorial policy: rigb.org/editing-ri-talks-and-moderating-comments
Subscribe for the latest science videos: bit.ly/RiNewsletter
Product links on this page may be affiliate links which means it won't cost you any extra but we may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link.
