Science Quickly

One hypothesis says the ability to vocalize arose in nocturnal animals—and a new evolutionary analysis suggests there may be some truth to it. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well more than 100 distinct sign languages exist worldwide, with each having features that made it possible for researchers to create an evolutionary tree of their lineages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Researchers dialed down the default number of opioids in two hospitals’ prescription systems—and doctors ended up prescribing fewer pills. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some wolf pups will play fetch with a stranger, suggesting that an ability to playfully interact with people could have come before, and played a role in, dog domestication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By listening to the sounds of the forest, biologists were able to identify an invasion of barred owls in spotted owl habitat. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii boosts curiosity in mice—which makes them more likely to be caught by cats, thus continuing the parasite’s life cycle. Karen Hopkin reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The remora clings to other fish—and appears to use an unusual sense of touch to do so. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mussels and crabs are two of the creatures most likely to invade Antarctica in the next 10 years, a panel of scientists say. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algal species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. Annie Sneed reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Murchison meteorite, which screamed to Earth 50 years ago, carried with it stardust that's seven billion years old. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hunted areas of Gabon have fewer large mammals and a thicker forest understory—but they also have fewer termites. Jason G. Goldman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The starfish relatives can recognize patterns using photoreceptors on their arms—and their color-changing abilities could have something to do with it. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scientists observed two Atlantic puffins using sticks to scratch themselves—the first known instance of seabirds using tools. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2019 New York Yankees’ record number of injuries led to a change in training staff that will almost certainly correlate with, but not necessarily cause, a lower injury rate this coming season.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few brief reports about international science and technology from Indonesia to Spain, including one from Brazil about the highest-voltage electric eel ever discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In South Africa archaeologists found the charred remains of a roasted root vegetable. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting around the sun last year was some trip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By comparing how DNA gets altered over the lifetimes of people and dogs, researchers came up with a new way to compare canine years with human years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Research suggests people value gifts more when they have to unwrap them. But how do we avoid all the wasted paper? Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human hair tested stronger than thicker fibers from elephants, boars and giraffes, providing clues to materials scientists hoping to make superstrong synthetic fibers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Certain species of bacteria and fungi seem to proliferate on dandruff-ridden scalps. The reason is a little more mysterious. Christopher Intagliata reports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tiger moth species that contain bad-tasting and toxic compounds are nonchalant in the presence of bats, while edible moth species evade their predators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In shallow waters off the coast of Israel, archaeologists have found entire villages—including one with a sunken seawall. Christopher Intagliata reports.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s an argument that citizen scientists deserve co-authorship on scientific journal papers to which they contributed research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While some hydropower facilities release almost no greenhouse gases, others can actually be worse than burning fossil fuels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices