Stay ConnectedThe Nature Podcast brings you the best stories from the world of science each week. We cover everything from astronomy to zoology, highlighting the most exciting research from each issue of the Nature journal. We meet the scientists behind the results and provide in-depth analysis from Nature‘s journalists and editors.
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During ageing, bone marrow in the skull becomes an increasingly important site of blood-cell production. This is in stark contrast to most bones where the ability of marrow to make blood and immune cells declines. Studies in mice and humans showed that ageing results in skull bone-marrow expanding, and in mice this marrow was more resistant to inflammation and other hallmarks of ageing. The team behind the work hope by understanding this process better it may be possible to help organs become more resistant to ageing.
Research Article: Koh et al.
Elderly big brown bats show remarkable resistance to age-related hearing loss, and why search-engine algorithms may not be the main driver steering people towards misinformation.
Research Highlight: No hearing aids needed: bats’ ears stay keen well into old age
Research Highlight: Don’t blame search engines for sending users to unreliable sites
Researchers have overcome a major hurdle preventing the radioactive isotope lead-205 from being used as a ‘clock’ to date the age of the Solar System. 205Pb is made in some stars and thanks to its half life of around 17 million years has been proposed as a potential way to date ancient astronomical processes. However, exactly how much 205Pb can escape a star were unclear, limiting its dating potential. Now, researchers have mimicked the conditions seen in stars to pin down how much 205Pb can escape into space, paving the way for its use as a clock.
Research Article: Leckenby et al.
How millions of Android smartphones were used to map the Earth’s ionosphere, and the ethical implications of a virologist who treated her own cancer.
Nature: Google uses millions of smartphones to map the ionosphere
Nature: This scientist treated her own cancer with viruses she grew in the lab
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Samantha Harvey's Booker Prize shortlisted novel Orbital is set inside an International Space Station-like vessel circling 250 miles above Earth. It looks at a day-in-the-life of the crew, investigating the contrasts they experience during the 16 orbits they make around the planet, crossing continents, oceans and the line separating night and day.
On the latest episode of Nature hits the books, Samantha joins us to discuss why the ISS is a rich setting for fiction, the challenges of putting yourself in the shoes of an astronaut, and how distance can give new perspectives on global issues like climate change.
OrbitalSamantha HarveyVintage (2024)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound
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Researchers have uncovered that mitochondria divide into two distinct forms when cells are starved, a finding that could help explain how some cancers thrive in hostile conditions. Mitochondria are cellular powerhouses, creating energy and vital metabolic molecules, but how they are able to do this when resources are limited has been a mystery. It turns out that in nutrient-poor situations, mitochondria split into two separate types, one which concentrates on energy production, the other on producing essential cellular building blocks. Together these allow cells to make everything they need. The team showed that this also happens in certain cancer cells, which may help them survive and grow under hostile conditions in the body.
Research Article: Ryu et al.
News and Views: Division of labour: mitochondria split to meet energy demands
Video: A new kind of mitochondrion
A tidy genome may explain naked mole rats’ long lifespans, and why the midlife crisis may not be as ubiquitous as previously thought.
Research Highlight: Naked mole rats vanquish genetic ghosts — and achieve long life
Research Highlight: The midlife crisis is not universal
Physicists have revealed a new technique to image the shape of atomic nuclei — by smashing them together. The nucleus of an atom doesn’t really resemble what is shown in textbooks — they actually come in a variety of shapes, which drive an element’s behaviour. Current methods essentially take a long-exposure photo of an atom’s nucleus, which doesn’t capture the subtle variations in how the protons and neutrons arrange themselves. The new method overcomes this by colliding nuclei together and then using information on the resulting debris to reconstruct the shape of the nucleus. The researchers hope that this technique can help physicists resolve many more mysteries about atomic nuclei.
Research Article: STAR Collaboration
News: Scientists worked out the shapes of atomic nuclei — by exploding them
Analysing the genome of an ancient clone forest has revealed it could be up to 80,000 years old, and how putting limits on the famous infinite monkey theorem means they probably wouldn’t churn out Shakespeare before the end of the Universe.
Nature: The world’s oldest tree? Genetic analysis traces evolution of iconic Pando forest
The Guardian: Universe would die before monkey with keyboard writes Shakespeare, study finds
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This series was originally broadcast in 2020.
Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In the third and final episode we try to get to the bottom of how journalists, communicators and policymakers influence how science is perceived. We discuss the danger of politicization and ask the question - can science be part of the political narrative without compromising its values?
This episode was produced by Nick Petrić Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. It featured: Deborah Blum, Bruce Lewenstein, Dan Sarewitz, Hannah Schmid-Petri, Shobita Parthasarathy, and Beth Simone Noveck.
Further Reading
Politicization of mask wearing
Comparing Norway and Sweden in their coronavirus combating actions
Beth Simone Noveck argues for more open and transparent governance
Solving Public Problems, by Beth Simone Noveck
The Received Wisdom Podcast, with Shobita Parthasarathy
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This series was originally broadcast in 2020.
Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In this episode we're asking how politics shapes the life of a working scientist. Be it through funding agendas, cultural lobbies or personal bias, there's a myriad of ways in which politics can shape the game; influencing the direction and quality of research, But what does this mean for the objective ideals of science?
This episode was produced by Nick Petrić Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. it featured contributions from many people, including: Mayana Zatz, Shobita Parthasarathy, Michael Erard, Peg AtKisson, Susannah Gal, Allen Rostron, Mark Rosenberg, and Alice Bell.
Further Reading
Brazil’s budget cuts threaten more than 80,000 science scholarships
Move to reallocate funds from scientific institutions in São Paulo
Backlash to “Shrimps on a treadmill”
Explanation of the Dickey Amendment
After over 20 years the CDC can now fund gun violence research
Spirometer use “race-correction” software
Black researchers less likely to get funding from the National Institutes of Health in the US
Black researchers may get less funding from the National Institutes of Health due to topic choice
Black researchers fill fewer academic roles in the UK
Clinical trials use mostly white participants
The Received Wisdom Podcast, with Shobita Parthasarathy
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This series was originally broadcast in 2020.
Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In this episode we delve into the past, and uncover the complicated relationship between science, politics and power. Along the way, we come up against some pretty big questions: what is science? Should science be apolitical? And where does Nature fit in?
This episode was produced by Nick Petrić Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. it featured contributions from many researchers, including: Shobita Parthasarathy, Alice Bell, Dan Sarewitz, Anna Jay, Melinda Baldwin, Magdelena Skipper, Steven Shapin, David Edgerton, Deborah Blum, Bruce Lewenstein and Chiara Ambrosio. Quotes from social media were read by: Shamini Bundell, Flora Graham, Dan Fox, Edie Edmundson and Bredan Maher. And excerpts from Nature were read by Jen Musgreave.
Further Reading
History of Education in the UK
Nature editorial on covering politics
Making “Nature”, by Melinda Baldwin
David Edgerton’s writing on the history of science and politics in the Guardian
The received wisdom podcast with Shobita Parthasarathy
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Researchers have been investigating the best ways to help people deal with trauma in the wake of a climate disaster. In April and May devastating floods surged across Rio Grande do Sul in the South of Brazil, affecting two million people and killing hundreds. As people try to put their lives back together scientists have been conducting surveys and investigating how to make sure that any mental health issues don’t become persistent. We hear from some of the affected people and researchers in the region.
This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.
News Feature: How to recover when a climate disaster destroys your city
A new way to make ultra-heavy elements, and how some plankton swim by blowing up like a balloon.
Research Highlight: Atomic smash-ups hold promise of record-breaking elements
Research Highlight: This plankton balloons in size to soar upwards through the water
Nature has conducted a poll of its readers to get a sense of what is on researchers’ minds in the run up to the US election. Overwhelmingly, the survey respondents identified as researchers and reported that they supported Vice President Harris (86%). Many also voiced concerns about a possible victory for former President Trump, saying that they would consider changing where they would live if he wins. Reporter Jeff Tollefson tells us more about the results and what the election means for US science.
News: The US election is monumental for science, say Nature readers — here’s why
The possible benefits of ‘poo milkshakes’ for newborns, and how Tardigrades can withstand incredibly high levels of radiation.
Nature: ‘Poo milkshake’ boosts the microbiome of c-section babies
Nature: New species of tardigrade reveals secrets of radiation-resisting powers
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By the end of 2024 up to two billion people will have gone to the polls, in a pivotal year of elections around the globe. This is giving political scientists the chance to dive into each election in detail but also to compare the differing voting systems involved.
They hope understanding the advantages and drawbacks of the systems will help highlight whether some are more likely to promote democratic resilience or to stave off corrosive partisanship.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Which is the fairest electoral system? Mega-election year sparks debate
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Researchers have uncovered the scale of two ancient cities buried high in the mountains of Uzbekistan. The cities were thought to be there, but their extent was unknown, so the team used drone-mounted LiDAR equipment to reveal what was hidden beneath the ground. The survey surprised researchers by showing one of the cities was six times bigger than expected. The two cities, called Tashbulak and Tugunbulak, were nestled in the heart of Central Asia’s medieval Silk Road, suggesting that highland areas played an important role in trade of the era.
Research Article: Frachetti et al.
Video: Uncovering a lost mountain metropolis
How children's’ movements resemble water vapour, and why coastal waters may be a lot dirtier than we thought.
Research Highlight: Kids in the classroom flow like water vapour
Research Highlight: Sewage lurks in coastal waters — often unnoticed by widely used test
A team at Google Deepmind has demonstrated a way to add a digital watermark to AI-generated text that can be detected by computers. As AI-generated content becomes more pervasive, there are fears that it will be impossible to tell it apart from content made by humans. To tackle this, the new method subtly biases the word choices made by a Large Language Model in a statistically detectable pattern. Despite the changes to word choice, a test of 20 million live chat interactions revealed that users did not notice a drop in quality compared to unwatermarked text.
Research Article: Dathathri et al.
News: DeepMind deploys invisible ‘watermark’ on AI-written text
What one researcher found after repeatedly scanning her own brain to see how it responded to birth-control pills, and how high-altitude tree planting could offer refuge to an imperilled butterfly species.
Nature: How does the brain react to birth control? A researcher scanned herself 75 times to find out
Nature: Mexican forest ‘relocated’ in attempt to save iconic monarch butterflies
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A type of binary-system known as a microquasar has been found to be firing out γ-rays at high energy-levels, which may make it a candidate to be a long-theorized natural particle-accelerator known as a PeVatron. These objects are thought to be a source of galactic cosmic rays, the origins of which are currently a mystery.
Understanding how this microquasar works could also help researchers learn more about full-sized quasars — monstrous objects centred around supermassive black holes, which are too distant to study easily.
Research Article: Alfaro et al.
News and Views: High-altitude particle detector spots a second Galactic microquasar
The comb jellies caught fusing their bodies, and an ancient burial site reveals that Classical accounts of Scythian culture appear to be true.
Research Highlight: Two comb jellies fuse their bodies and then act as one
Research Highlight: Evidence of dead people posed on dead horses found in ancient tomb
Researchers have developed a modified insulin-molecule that varies its level of activity depending on blood-glucose levels. It’s hoped that this ‘smart’ insulin could one day help those with diabetes regulate their blood sugar more easily.
Many people with diabetes rely on regular insulin injections, but because blood-sugar levels can be difficult to predict it can be hard to select the correct dose. This can lead to hypoglycaemia — a life-threateningly low level of glucose. To overcome this, a team created a modified form of insulin with a switch that activates the molecule when glucose levels are high, and deactivates it when levels are low. This insulin-molecule was effective at maintaining correct blood glucose in animal models, and may eventually help lessen diabetes-related complications in humans.
Research Article: Hoeg-Jensen et al.
News and Views: Smart insulin switches itself off in response to low blood sugar
Ancient DNA confirms that infamous lions hunted humans and a variety of game, and a new technique can sequence a cell’s DNA and pinpoint its proteins, without cracking it open.
Nature: Famed lions’ full diet revealed by DNA — and humans were among their prey
Nature: ‘Phenomenal’ tool sequences DNA and tracks proteins — without cracking cells open
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Researchers have developed a graphene ‘tongue’ that uses AI to tell the subtle differences between drinks. Graphene has long been sought after as a chemical sensor, but tiny variations between devices have meant that it couldn’t be used very reliably. The team behind the ‘tongue’ got around this problem by training an AI to tell the difference between similar liquids regardless of variations between graphene devices. They hope that their work shows that it’s possible to use ‘imperfect’ chemical sensors to get accurate readings and that the ‘tongue’ will be able to help detect problems with food.
Research Article: Pannone et al.
A 3D-printed optical microscope that can image biological samples with ultrahigh resolution, and how newly-hatched sea turtles dig their way up to the beach.
Research Highlight: A ‘Swiss army knife’ microscope that doesn’t break the bank
Research Highlight: Baby sea turtles ‘swim’ up from buried nests to the open air
Studies of migrating Pacific salmon have revealed that these animals transport thousands of tonnes of nutrients and kilograms of contaminants from the ocean to freshwater ecosystems. It’s been known that as the fish return to their freshwater spawning grounds from the sea they bring with them both nutrients and contaminants, but the impact of each has largely been studied separately. A new study combines datasets to estimate that over 40 years, the levels of nutrients these fish carry have increased at a proportionally higher rate than the contaminants, but the toxins could nevertheless be present at concerning levels to the animals that eat them.
Research Article: Brandt et al.
News and Views: Salmon’s moveable feast of nutrients with a side order of contaminants
Flora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year’s science Nobel Prizes.
News: Medicine Nobel awarded for gene-regulating ‘microRNAs’
News: Physics Nobel scooped by machine-learning pioneers
News: Chemistry Nobel goes to developers of AlphaFold AI that predicts protein structures
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Physicists have identified new forms of γ-ray radiation created inside thunderclouds, and shown that levels of γ-ray production are much higher on Earth than previously thought.
Scientists already knew about two types of γ-ray phenomena in thunderclouds — glows that last as long as a minute and high-intensity flashes that come and go in only a few millionths of a second. Now, researchers have identified that these both occur more frequently than expected, and that previously undetected γ-ray types exist, including flickering flashes that share characteristics of the other two types of radiation.
The researchers hope that understanding more about these mysterious phenomena could help explain what initiates lightning, which often follows these γ-ray events.
Research Article: Østgaard et al.
Research Article: Marisaldi et al.
Nature: Mysterious form of high-energy radiation spotted in thunderstorms
Ancient arrowheads reveal that Europe's oldest battle likely featured warriors from far afield, and why the dwarf planet Ceres’s frozen ocean has deep impurities.
Research Highlight: Bronze Age clash was Europe’s oldest known interregional battle
Research Highlight: A dwarf planet has dirty depths, model suggests
Researchers have published the most complete wiring diagram, or ‘connectome’ of the fruit fly’s brain, which includes nearly 140,000 neurons and 54.5 million connections between nerve cells.
The map, made from the brain of a single female fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), reveals over 8,400 neuron types in the brain, and has enabled scientists to learn more about the brain and how it controls aspects of fruit fly behaviour.
The FlyWire connectome: neuronal wiring diagram of a complete fly brain
Nature: Largest brain map ever reveals fruit fly's neurons in exquisite detail
How researchers created an elusive single-electron bond between carbon atoms, and why bigger chatbots get over-confident when answering questions.
Nature: Carbon bond that uses only one electron seen for first time: ‘It will be in the textbooks’
Nature: Bigger AI chatbots more inclined to spew nonsense — and people don't always realize
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The world's fastest supercomputer, known as Frontier, is located at the Leadership Computing Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. This machine churns through data at record speed, outpacing 100,000 laptops working simultaneously.
With nearly 50,000 processors, Frontier was designed to push the bounds of human knowledge. It's being used to create open-source large language models to compete with commercial AI systems, simulate proteins for drug development, help improve aeroplane engine design, and more.
This is an audio version of our Feature: A day in the life of the world’s fastest supercomputer
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Children with Down’s syndrome have a 150-fold increased risk of developing leukaemia than those without the condition. Now, an in-depth investigation has revealed that changes to genome structures in fetal liver stem-cells appear to be playing a key role in this increase.
Down’s syndrome is characterised by cells having an extra copy of chromosome 21. The team behind this work saw that in liver stem-cells — one of the main places blood is produced in a growing fetus — this extra copy results in changes in how DNA is packaged in a nucleus, opening up areas that are prone to mutation, including those known to be important in leukaemia development.
The researchers hope their work will be an important step in understanding and reducing this risk in children with Down’s syndrome.
Research Article: Marderstein et al.
News and Views: Childhood leukaemia in Down’s syndrome primed by blood-cell bias
How taking pints of beer off the table lowers alcohol consumption, and a small lizard’s ‘scuba gear’ helps it stay submerged.
Research Highlight: A small fix to cut beer intake: downsize the pint
Research Highlight: This ‘scuba diving’ lizard has a self-made air supply
How tiny crustaceans use ‘smell’ to find their home cave, and how atomic bomb X-rays could deflect an asteroid away from a deadly Earth impact.
Science: In the dark ocean, these tiny creatures can smell their way home
Nature: Scientists successfully ‘nuke asteroid’ — in a lab mock-up
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Astronomers have spotted a pair of enormous jets emanating from a supermassive black hole with a combined length of 23 million light years — the biggest ever discovered. Jets are formed when matter is ionized and flung out of a black hole, creating enormous and powerful structures in space. Thought to be unstable, physicists had theorized there was a limit to how large these jets could be, but the new discovery far exceeds this, suggesting there may be more of these monstrous jets yet to be discovered.
Research Article: Oei et al.
The knitted fabrics designed to protect wearers from mosquito bites, and the role that islands play in fostering language diversity.
Research Highlight: Plagued by mosquitoes? Try some bite-blocking fabrics
Research Highlight: Islands are rich with languages spoken nowhere else
Making metal alloys is typically a multi-step process that creates huge amounts of emissions. Now, a team demonstrates a way to create these materials in a single step, which they hope could significantly reduce the environmental burdens associated with their production. In a lab demonstration, they use their technique to create an alloy of nickel and iron called invar — a widely-used material that has a high carbon-footprint. The team show evidence that their method can produce invar to a quality that rivals that of conventional manufacturing, and suggest their technique is scalable to create alloys at an industrial scale.
Research article: Wei et al.
How AI-predicted protein structures have helped chart the evolution of a group of viruses, and the neurons that cause monkeys to ‘choke’ under pressure.
Nature News: Where did viruses come from? AlphaFold and other AIs are finding answers
Nature News: Why do we crumble under pressure? Science has the answer
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Ancient DNA analysis has further demonstrated that the people of Rapa Nui did not cause their own population collapse, further refuting a controversial but popular claim. Rapa Nui, also known as Easter island, is famous for its giant Moai statues and the contested idea that the people mismanaged their natural resources leading to ‘ecological suicide’. Genomes sequenced from the remains of 15 ancient islanders showed no evidence of a sudden population crash, substantiating other research challenging the collapse idea.
Research Article: Moreno-Mayar et al.
News and Views: Rapa Nui’s population history rewritten using ancient DNA
News article: Famed Pacific island’s population 'crash' debunked by ancient DNA
The extinct bat-eating fish that bit off more than they could chew, and how manatee dung shapes an Amazonian ecosystem.
Research Highlight: Ancient fish dined on bats — or died trying
Research Highlight: The Amazon’s gargantuan gardeners: manatees
Despite being a hugely-studied model organism, it seems that there’s still more to find out about the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, as researchers have discovered a new species of parasitoid wasp that infects the species. Unlike other parasitic wasps, this one lays its eggs in adult flies, with the developing larva devouring its host from the inside. The miniscule wasp was discovered by chance in an infected fruit fly collected in a Mississippi backyard and analysis suggests that despite having never been previously identified, it is widespread across parts of North America.
Research article: Moore et al.
How a dye that helps to give Doritos their orange hue can turn mouse tissues transparent, and an effective way to engage with climate-science sceptics.
Nature News: Transparent mice made with light-absorbing dye reveal organs at work
Nature News: How to change people’s minds about climate change: what the science says
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The often repeated claim that "80% of the world's biodiversity is found in the territories of Indigenous Peoples" appears widely in policy documents and reports, yet appears to have sprung out of nowhere. According to a group of researchers, including those from Indigenous groups, this baseless statistic could be undermining the conservation efforts of the Indigenous People it's meant to support and prevent further work to really understand how best to conserve biodiversity.
Two of the authors joined us to discuss how this statistic gained traction, the harm it could cause, and how better to support the work of Indigenous Peoples.
Read more in a Comment article from the authors: No basis for claim that 80% of biodiversity is found in Indigenous territories
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Researchers have made a big step towards the creation of the long theorized nuclear clock, by getting the most accurate measurement of the frequency of light required to push thorium nuclei into a higher energy state. Such a timekeeper would differ from the best current clocks as their ‘tick’ corresponds to the energy transitions of protons and neutrons, rather than electrons. Nuclear clocks have the potential to be more robust and accurate than current systems, and could offer researchers new insights into fundamental forces present within atomic nuclei.
Research Article: Zhang et al.
News and Views: Countdown to a nuclear clock
Nature News: ‘Nuclear clock’ breakthrough paves the way for super-precise timekeeping
Editorial: Progress on nuclear clocks shows the benefits of escaping from scientific silos
The star that got partially shredded by a supermassive black hole, not just once, but twice, and how heatwaves could mangle bumblebees’ sense of smell.
Research Highlight: This unlucky star got mangled by a black hole — twice
Research Highlight: Bumblebees’ sense of smell can’t take the heat
By harnessing T cells to fine-tune the inflammation response, researchers have limited the damage caused by spinal injury in mice, an approach they hope might one day translate into a human therapy. Following injury to the central nervous system, immune cells rush to the scene, resulting in a complex array of effects, both good and bad. In this work researchers have identified the specific kind of T cells that amass at the site, and used them to create an immunotherapy that helps the mice recover more quickly from injuries by slowing damage to neurons.
Research article: Gao et al.
How unprecedented floods in Brazil have helped and hindered paleontologists, and the ‘AI scientist’ that does everything from literature review through to manuscript writing, to an extent.
Nature News: The race to save fossils exposed by Brazil’s record-setting floods
Nature News: Researchers built an ‘AI Scientist’ — what can it do?
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The 'file-drawer problem', where findings with null or negative results gather dust and are left unpublished, is well known in science. There has been an overriding perception that studies with positive or significant findings are more important, but this bias can have real-world implications, skewing perceptions of drug efficacies, for example.
Multiple efforts to get negative results published have been put forward or attempted, with some researchers saying that the incentive structures in academia, and the ‘publish or perish’ culture, need to be overturned in order to end this bias.
This is an audio version of our Feature: So you got a null result. Will anyone publish it?
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Research has shown that large language models, including those that power chatbots such as ChatGPT, make racist judgements on the basis of users’ dialect. If asked to describe a person, many AI systems responded with racist stereotypes when presented with text written in African American English — a dialect spoken by millions of people in the United States that is associated with the descendants of enslaved African Americans — compared with text written in Standardized American English. The findings show that such models harbour covert racism, even when they do not display overt racism, and that conventional fixes to try and address biases in these models had no effect on this issue.
Research Article: Hoffman et al.
News and Views: LLMs produce racist output when prompted in African American English
Nature News: Chatbot AI makes racist judgements on the basis of dialect
The 6,000-year-old Dolmen of Menga is a marvel of ancient engineering. New research reveals new insights into the structure and the technical abilities of the Neolithic builders who constructed it. The work shows that a setup of counterweights and ramps may have been used to correctly position the massive sandstone blocks that make up walls of the structure, which were each tilted at precise, millimetre-scale angles. The researchers suggest that this construction shows that the Neolithic people who built the dolmen had a working understanding of physics, geometry, geology and architectural principles.
Nature News: Stone Age builders had engineering savvy, finds study of 6000-year-old monument
Orb-weaving spiders (Araneus ventricosus) use ensnared male Absocondita terminalis fireflies to trick more insects into their web. A bite from the spider causes the flashing pattern of the trapped firefly to shift to one resembling a female looking to mate, leading others into an ambush. Exactly how this system works is unclear, but researchers say it is a rare example of a predator altering the behaviour of its prey to catch others.
Science: Spiders force male fireflies to flash like females—luring more males to their death
By combining experiments and theoretical work, a team has unraveled the mystery of why only certain types of paper can cut into human skin. Their work shows that paper that is too thin will buckle without cutting, while paper that’s too thick will distribute force over a relatively large area without inflicting damage. The research suggests that the sweet spot for slicing is paper with around 65 micrometres in thickness, which includes the kind used to print certain high-profile journals…
Research Highlight: What Science and Nature are good for: causing paper cuts
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For millennia, humanity has obsessed about halting ageing and, ultimately, preventing death. Yet while advances in medicine and public-health have seen human life-expectancy more than double, our maximum lifespan stubbornly remains around 120 years.
On the latest episode of Nature hits the books, Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan joins us to discuss what scientists have learnt about the molecular processes underlying ageing, whether they can be prevented, and why the quest for longevity also needs to consider the health-related issues associated with old age.
Why We Die: The New Science of Ageing and the Quest for Immortality Venki Ramakrishnan Hodder (2024)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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An algorithm that reactivates dormant ‘neurons’ in deep learning based AIs could help them overcome their inability to learn new things and make future systems more flexible, research has shown. AIs based on deep learning struggle to learn how to tackle new tasks indefinitely, making them less adaptable to new situations. The reasons for this are unclear, but now a team has identified that ‘resetting’ parts of the neural networks underlying these systems can allow deep learning methods to keep learning continually.
Research Article: Dohare et al.
News and Views: Switching between tasks can cause AI to lose the ability to learn
To stop crocodiles eating poisonous toads researchers have been making them sick, and a sacrificed child in ancient Mexico was the progeny of closely related parents.
Research Highlight: How to train your crocodile
Research Highlight: DNA of child sacrificed in ancient city reveals surprising parentage
How video games gave people a mental health boost during the pandemic, and where the dinosaur-destroying Chicxulub asteroid formed.
Nature News: PlayStation is good for you: video games improved mental health during COVID
Nature News: Dinosaur-killing Chicxulub asteroid formed in Solar System’s outer reaches
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Stonehenge’s central stone came from Northern Scotland, more than 600 miles away from the monument, according to a new analysis of its geochemistry. It is commonly accepted that many of the rocks that make up the iconic neolithic monument came from Wales, 150 miles from the site. Previously, it had been thought that a central stone, called the Altar Stone, had also come from this area, known as the Preseli Hills. The new work suggests that the ancient Britons went much further, perhaps ferrying the Altar Stone hundreds of miles, to place the rock at the centre of Stonehenge.
Research Article: Clarke et al.
News: Stonehenge’s massive slabs came from as far as Scotland — 800 kilometres away
How a parasite could help scientists break through the blood-brain barrier, and the physics of skateboard moves.
Research Highlight: Engineered brain parasite ferries useful proteins into neurons
Research Highlight: How expert skateboarders use physics on the half-pipe
Chemists have demonstrated a way to break Selenium-Selenium bonds unevenly, something they have been trying for decades. Chemical bonds have to be broken and reformed to create new compounds, but they often don’t break in a way that allows chemists to form new bonds in the ways they would like. Breaks are often ‘even’, with electrons shared equally between atoms. To prevent such an even split, a team used a specific solvent and a combination of light and heat to force the selenium bonds to break unevenly. This could potentially open up ways to create compounds that have never been made before.
Research Article: Tiefel et al.
News and Views: Innovative way to break chemical bonds broadens horizons for making molecules
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AIs built on Large Language Models have wowed by producing particularly fluent text. However, their ability to do this is limited in many languages. As the data and resources used to train a model in a specific language drops, so does the performance of the model, meaning that for some languages the AIs are effectively useless.
Researchers are aware of this problem and are trying to find solutions, but the challenge extends far beyond just the technical, with moral and social questions to be answered. This podcast explores how Large Language Models could be improved in more languages and the issues that could be caused if they are not.
Watch our related video of people trying out ChatGPT in different languages.
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A study reveals that, unexpectedly, plants display a greater diversity of traits in drier environments. Trait diversity is a measure of an organism's performance in an environment and can include things like the size of a plant or its photosynthetic rate. Whilst there are good data on this kind of diversity in temperate regions, an assessment of drylands has been lacking. The new study fills this knowledge gap and finds that, counter to a prevailing expectation that fewer traits would be displayed, at a certain level of aridity trait diversity doubles. The team behind the new work hope that it can help us better protect biodiversity as the planet warms and areas become drier.
Research Article: Gross et al.
Butterflies and moths use static charge to pick up pollen, and quantum physics rules out black holes made of light.
Research Highlight: Charged-up butterflies draw pollen through the air
Research Highlight: Black holes made from light? Impossible, say physicists
An assessment of coral skeletons has shown that the past decade has been the warmest for the Great Barrier Reef for 400 years. By looking at the chemical composition of particularly old specimens of coral in the reef, researchers were able to create a record of temperatures going back to 1618. In addition to showing recent record breaking temperatures they also developed a model that suggests that such temperatures are very unlikely to occur without human-induced climate change. Altogether, the study suggests that the reef is in dire straits and much of the worlds’ coral could be lost.
Research Article: Henley et al.
News and Views: Coral giants sound the alarm for the Great Barrier Reef
Nature News: Great Barrier Reef's temperature soars to 400-year high
Most researchers are familiar with the refrain ‘Publish or Perish’ — the idea that publications are the core currency of a scientist’s career — but now that can be played out for laughs in a new board game. Created as a way to help researchers “bond over shared trauma”, the game features many mishaps familiar to academics, scrambles for funding and scathing comments, all while players must compete to get the most citations on their publications. Reporter Max Kozlov set out to avoid perishing and published his way to a story about the game for the Nature Podcast.
Nature News: ‘Publish or Perish’ is now a card game — not just an academic’s life
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Computer components based on specialised LEDs could reduce the energy consumption of power hungry AI systems, according to new research. AI chips with components that compute using light can run more efficiently than those using digital electronics, but these light-based systems typically use lasers that can be bulky and difficult to control. To overcome these obstacles, a team has developed a way to replace these lasers with LEDs, which are cheaper and more efficient to run. Although only a proof of concept, they demonstrate that their system can perform some tasks as well as laser-based computers.
Research Article: Dong et al.
News and Views: Cheap light sources could make AI more energy efficient
The genes that make roses smell so sweet, and how blocking inflammation could reduce heart injury after a stroke.
Research Highlight: How the rose got its iconic fragrance
Research Highlight: Strokes can damage the heart — but reining in the immune system might help
The highly-pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was first identified in US cattle in March 2024 and has been detected in multiple herds across the country. We round up what researchers currently know about this spread, what can be done to prevent it, and the risks this outbreak may pose to humans.
Nature News: Can H5N1 spread through cow sneezes? Experiment offers clues
Nature News: Huge amounts of bird-flu virus found in raw milk of infected cows
Nature News: Could bird flu in cows lead to a human outbreak? Slow response worries scientists
Research article: Eisfeld et al.
NASA’s Perseverance rover finds a Martian rock containing features associated with fossilized microbial life, and how metallic nodules on the ocean floor could be the source of mysterious ‘dark oxygen’
Space.com: NASA's Perseverance Mars rover finds possible signs of ancient Red Planet life
Nature News: Mystery oxygen source discovered on the sea floor — bewildering scientists
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In India, a group of researchers raced to develop a CRISPR-based genome editing therapy to save the life of a young woman with a rare neurodegenerative disease. Despite a valiant effort, the pace of research was ultimately too slow to save her life. While many are convinced that these therapies could offer hope to those with overlooked genetic conditions, it will likely take years to develop the techniques needed to quickly create bespoke treatments, something people in need don't have.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Hope, despair and CRISPR — the race to save one woman’s life
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A newly-developed method that can rapidly identify the type of bacteria causing a blood-infection, and the correct antibiotics to treat it, could save clinicians time, and patient lives. Blood infections are serious, and can lead to the life-threatening condition sepsis, but conventional diagnostic methods can take days to identify the causes. This new method does away with some of the time-consuming steps, and the researchers behind it say that if it can be fully automated, it could provide results in less than a day.
Research Article: Kim et al.
The discovery of a connection between three star-forming interstellar clouds could help explain how these giant structures form, and evidence of the largest accidental methane leak ever recorded.
Research Highlight: Found: the hidden link between star-forming molecular clouds
Research Highlight: Blowout! Satellites reveal one of the largest methane leaks on record
When artificial intelligences are fed data that has itself been AI-generated, these systems quickly begin to spout nonsense responses, according to new research. Typically, large language model (LLM) AI’s are trained on human-produced text found online. However, as an increasing amount of online content is AI-generated, a team wanted to know how these systems would cope. They trained an AI to produce Wikipedia-like entries, then trained new iterations on the model on the text produced by its predecessor. Quickly the outputs descended into gibberish, which highlights the dangers of the Internet becoming increasingly full of AI-generated text.
Research Article: Shumailov et al.
How psilocybin — the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms — resets communication between brain regions, and the surprise cancellation of a NASA Moon mission.
Nature News: Your brain on shrooms — how psilocybin resets neural networks
Nature News: NASA cancels $450-million mission to drill for ice on the Moon — surprising researchers
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A gel that encases proteins could be a new way to safely transport medicines without requiring them to be kept cold, according to new research. To test it, the team behind the work posted themselves a protein suspended in this gel, showing that it was perfectly preserved and retained its activity, despite being dropped in transit and exposed to varying temperatures. The researchers hope this gel will help overcome the need to freeze protein-based medicines, which can be expensive to do and difficult to maintain during transportation.
Research Article: Bianco et al.
News and Views: Gel protects therapeutic proteins from deactivation — even in the post
How an abundance of cicadas led to a host of raccoon activity, and how wine-grape harvest records can be used to estimate historical summertime temperatures
Research Highlight: Massive cicada emergence prompted raccoons to run wild
Research Highlight: Wine grapes’ sweetness reveals Europe’s climate history
By embedding a plastic with an engineered enzyme, researchers have developed a fully biodegradable material that can be broken down in a home compost heap. Plastic production often requires high temperatures, so the team adapted an enzyme to make it more able to withstand heat, while still able to break down a common plastic called PLA. They hope this enzyme-embedded plastic could replace current single-use items, helping to reduce the huge amount of waste produced each year.
Research Article: Guicherd et al.
This time, how to make lab-grown meat taste more meaty, and a subterranean Moon cave that could be a place for humans to shelter.
Nature News: This lab-grown meat probably tastes like real beef
The Guardian: Underground cave found on moon could be ideal base for explorers
Nature hits the books: Living on Mars would probably suck — here's why
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Researchers have developed a method to directly edit the genes of specific bacteria in the guts of live mice, something that has previously been difficult to accomplish due to the complexity of this environment. The tool was able to edit over 90% of an E. coli strain colonising mice guts, with other work showing the tool could be used to edit genes in pathogenic bacterial species and strains. It is hoped that with further research this technique could be adapted to work in humans, potentially altering bacteria associated with disease.
Nature News: This gene-editing tool alters bacteria in the gut of living mice
Research Article: Brödel et al.
The ants that perform life-saving surgery on their nest-mates, and why amber’s scarcity led ancient artisans to make imitation jewellery.
Research Highlight: Ants amputate their nest-mates’ legs to save lives
Research Highlight: Fake jewellery from the Stone Age looks like the real deal
During breastfeeding bones are stripped of calcium, while levels of oestrogen — which normally helps keep them healthy — drop off precipitously. This puts bones under tremendous stress, but why they don’t break down at this time has proved a mystery. Now, a team has identified a hormone produced in lactating mice that promotes the build up of bones, keeping them strong during milk production. Injecting this hormone into injured mice helped their bones heal faster, and the team hopes that their finding could ultimately help treat bone-weakening conditions like osteoporosis in humans.
Research Article: Babey et al.
This time, new clues about the neurological events that spark migraines, and a quick chemical method to recycle old clothes.
Nature News: What causes migraines? Study of ‘brain blackout’ offers clues
Nature News: Chemical recycling’: 15-minute reaction turns old clothes into useful molecules
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Researchers have been scanning the skies looking for black holes that formed at the very beginning of the Universe — one place where elusive and mysterious dark matter is thought to be located. If these black holes did contain dark matter, they would be especially massive and so researchers would be able to see the bending of light as they pass in front of stars. Such events would be rare, so to find them researchers trawled through a decades-long dataset. However, despite the large number of observations, the researchers didn't find many examples of these events and none that were long enough to show signs of much dark matter. So, the hunt for enigmatic material goes on.
Research Article: Mróz et al.
How some comb jellies survive the crushing ocean depths, and how giving cash to mothers in low-income households can boost time and money spent on children.
Research Highlight: Deep-sea creatures survive crushing pressures with just the right fats
Research Highlight: Families given cash with no strings spend more money on kids
A simple ‘sauna’ built of bricks and a supermarket-bought greenhouse, can help frogs rid themselves of a devastating fungal disease, new research has shown. While options to prevent or treat infection are limited, the fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis has an achilles heel: it can’t survive at warm temperatures. A team in Australia used this knowledge to their advantage to develop saunas where frogs can warm themselves to clear an infection. Frogs who spent time in these hot environments were able to shake the fungus, and gained some immunity to subsequent infections. While this research only involved one type of frog, it offers some hope in tackling a deadly disease that has driven multiple species to extinction.
Research Article: Waddle et al.
News and Views: Mini saunas save endangered frogs from fungal disease
This time, we discuss what the upcoming UK election could mean for science, and the return of rock samples from the Moon’s far side.
Nature News: UK general election: five reasons it matters for science
Nature News: First ever rocks from the Moon’s far side have landed on Earth
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In 2026, NASA aims to send humans back to the Moon's surface, as part of the Artemis III mission. In preparation, astronauts have been performing moonwalking simulations to ensure that they are able to make the most of their precious time on the lunar surface. In one dress rehearsal, a pair of astronauts took part in a training exercise in an Arizona volcanic field, working with a science team to practice doing geology work in difficult conditions designed to mimic some that will be experienced at the lunar south pole.
This is an audio version of our Feature: How NASA astronauts are training to walk on the Moon in 2026
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Many of the large language models powering AI systems are described as ‘open source’ but critics say this is a misnomer, with restricted access to code and training data preventing researchers from probing how these systems work. While the definition of open source in AI models is yet to be agreed, advocates say that ‘full’ openness is crucial in efforts to make AI accountable. New research has ranked the openness of different systems, showing that despite claims of ‘openness’ many companies still don’t disclose a lot of key information.
Nature News: Not all ‘open source’ AI models are actually open: here’s a ranking
In the US, there are no federal limits on the length of a freight train, but as companies look to run longer locomotives, questions arise about whether they are at greater risk of derailment. To find out, a team analysed data on accidents to predict the chances of longer trains coming off the tracks. They showed that replacing two 50-car freight trains with one 100-car train raises the odds of derailment by 11%, with the chances increasing the longer a train gets. While derailments are uncommon, this could change as economic pressures lead the freight industry to experiment with ever-longer trains.
Scientific American: Longer and Longer Freight Trains Drive Up the Odds of Derailment
Genes from century-old wheat varieties could be used to breed useful traits into modern crops, helping them become more disease tolerant and reducing their need for fertiliser. Researchers sequenced the genomes of hundreds of historic varieties of wheat held in a seed collection from the 1920s and 30s, revealing a huge amount of genetic diversity unseen in modern crops. Plant breeding enabled the team to identify some of the areas of the plants’ genomes responsible for traits such as nutritional content and stress tolerance. It’s hoped that in the long term this knowledge could be used to improve modern varieties of wheat.
Science: ‘Gold mine’ of century-old wheat varieties could help breeders restore long lost traits
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150 years after they were discovered, researchers have identified how specific nerve-cell structures on the penis and clitoris are activated. While these structures, called Krause corpuscles, are similar to touch-activated corpuscles found on people’s fingers and hands, there was little known about how they work, or their role in sex. Working in mice, a team found that Krause corpuscles in both male and females were activated when exposed to low-frequency vibrations and caused sexual behaviours like erections. The researchers hope that this work could help uncover the neurological basis underlying certain sexual dysfunctions.
News: Sensory secrets of penis and clitoris unlocked after more than 150 years
Research article: Qi et al.
News and Views: Sex organs sense vibrations through specialized touch neurons
Astronomers struggle to figure out the identity of a mysterious object called a MUBLO, and how CRISPR gene editing could make rice plants more water-efficient.
Research Highlight: An object in space is emitting microwaves — and baffling scientists
Research Highlight: CRISPR improves a crop that feeds billions
It’s long been understood that fish can identify the direction a sound came from, but working out how they do it is a question that’s had scientists stumped for years. Now using a specialist setup, a team of researchers have demonstrated that some fish can independently detect two components of a soundwave — pressure and particle motion — and combine this information to identify where a sound comes from.
Research article: Veith et al.
News and Views: Pressure and particle motion enable fish to sense the direction of sound
D. cerebrum sounds: Schulze et al.
Ancient DNA sequencing reveals secrets of ritual sacrifice at Chichén Itzá, and how AI helped identify the names that elephants use for each other.
Nature News: Ancient DNA from Maya ruins tells story of ritual human sacrifices
Nature News: Do elephants have names for each other?
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A comprehensive suite of biomedical data, collected during the first all-civilian spaceflight, is helping researchers unpick the effects that being in orbit has on the human body. Analysis of data collected from the crew of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission reveals that short duration spaceflight can result in physiological changes similar to those seen on longer spaceflights. These changes included things like alterations in immune-cell function and a lengthening of DNA telomeres, although the majority of these changes reverted soon after the crew landed.
Collection: Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) across orbits
Researchers have discovered why 2019 was so awash with Painted Lady butterflies, and the meaning behind gigantic rock engravings along the Orinoco river.
Research Highlight: A huge outbreak of butterflies hit three continents — here’s why
Research Highlight: Mystery of huge ancient engravings of snakes solved at last
A huge trial of hybrid working has shown that this approach can help companies retain employees without hurting productivity. While a mix of home and in-person working became the norm for many post-pandemic, the impacts of this approach on workers’ outputs remains hotly debated and difficult to test scientifically. To investigate the effects of hybrid working, researchers randomly selected 1,612 people at a company in China to work in the office either five days a week or three. In addition to the unchanged productivity, employees said that they value the days at home as much as a 10% pay rise. This led to an increase in staff retention and potential savings of millions of dollars for the company involved in the trial.
Research article: Bloom et al.
Editorial: The case for hybrid working is growing — employers should take note
Germany balks at the $17 billion bill for CERN’s new supercollider, and working out when large language models might run out of data to train on.
Nature News: CERN’s $17-billion supercollider in question as top funder criticizes cost
Associated Press: AI ‘gold rush’ for chatbot training data could run out of human-written text
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For the first time, researchers have coaxed molecules into a bizarre form of matter called a Bose-Einstein condensate, in which they all act in a single gigantic quantum state. While condensates have been made using atoms for decades, the complex interactions of molecules have prevented them from being cooled into this state. Now, a team has successfully made a Bose-Einstein condensate using molecules made of caesium and sodium atoms, which they hope will allow them to answer more questions about the quantum world, and could potentially form the basis of a new kind of quantum computer.
Research article: Bigagli et al.
News: Physicists coax molecules into exotic quantum state — ending decades-long quest
The storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 resulted in the social media platform Twitter (now X) rapidly deplatforming 70,000 users deemed to be sharers of misinformation. To evaluate the effect of this intervention, researchers analysed the activity of over 500,000 Twitter users, showing that it reduced the sharing of misinformation, both from the deplatformed users and from those who followed them. Results also suggest that other misinformation traffickers who were not deplatformed left Twitter following the intervention. Together these results show that social media platforms can curb misinformation sharing, although a greater understanding of the efficacy of these actions in different contexts is required.
Research article: McCabe et al.
Editorial: What we do — and don’t — know about how misinformation spreads online
Comment: Misinformation poses a bigger threat to democracy than you might think
A new antibiotic that can kill harmful bacteria without damaging the gut microbiome, and the tiny plant with the world’s biggest genome.
News: ‘Smart’ antibiotic can kill deadly bacteria while sparing the microbiome
News: Biggest genome ever found belongs to this odd little plant
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Companies are melding artificial intelligence with robotics, in an effort to catapult both to new heights. They hope that by incorporating the algorithms that power chatbots it will give robots more common-sense knowledge and let them tackle a wide range of tasks. However, while impressive demonstrations of AI-powered robots exist, many researchers say there is a long road to actual deployment, and that safety and reliability need to be considered.
News Feature: The AI revolution is coming to robots: how will it change them?
Genetic research suggests that although the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) spread around the world from a population in Europe, its origins were actually in South Asia. By comparing genomes from cockroaches collected around the globe, a team could identify when and where different populations might have been established. They show that the insect pest likely began to spread east from South Asia around 390 years ago with the rise of European colonialism and the emergence of international trading companies, before hitching a ride into Europe and then spreading across the globe.
Nature News: The origin of the cockroach: how a notorious pest conquered the world
Promethium is one of the rarest and most mysterious elements in the periodic table. Now, some eight decades after its discovery, researchers have managed to bind this radioactive element to other molecules to make a chemical ‘complex’. This feat will allow chemists to learn more about the properties of promethium filling a long-standing gap in the textbooks.
Nature News: Element from the periodic table’s far reaches coaxed into elusive compound
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Growing up in Alabama in the 1960s, mathematician Freeman Hrabowski was moved to join the civil rights moment after hearing Martin Luther King Jr speak. Even as a child, he saw the desperate need to make change. He would go on to do just that — at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where he co-founded the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, one of the leading pathways to success for Black students in STEM subjects in the United States.
Freeman is the subject of the first in a new series of Q&As in Nature celebrating ‘Changemakers’ in science — individuals who fight racism and champion inclusion. He spoke to us about his about his life, work and legacy.
Career Q&A: I had my white colleagues walk in a Black student’s shoes for a day
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AIs are often described as 'black boxes' with researchers unable to to figure out how they 'think'. To better understand these often inscrutable systems, some scientists are borrowing from psychology and neuroscience to design tools to reverse-engineer them, which they hope will lead to the design of safer, more efficient AIs.
This is an audio version of our Feature: How does ChatGPT ‘think’? Psychology and neuroscience crack open AI large language models
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Research in mice has shown that fentanyl addiction is the result of two brain circuits working in tandem, rather than a single neural pathway as had been previously thought. One circuit underlies the positive feelings this powerful drug elicits, which the other was responsible for the intense withdrawal when it is taken away. Opioid addiction leads to tens of thousands of deaths each year, and the team hopes that this work will help in the development of drugs that are less addictive.
Research Article: Chaudun et al.
How an ‘assembloid’ could transform how scientists study drug delivery to the brain, and an edible gel that prevents and treats alcohol intoxication in mice.
Research Highlight: Organoids merge to model the blood–brain barrier
Research Highlight: How cheesemaking could cook up an antidote for alcohol excess
Why babies are taking the South Korean government to court, and Europe’s efforts to send a nuclear-powered heater to Mars.
Nature News: Why babies in South Korea are suing the government
Nature News: Mars rover mission will use pioneering nuclear power source
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Many 3D printers create objects using liquid resins that turn into robust solids when exposed to light. But many of these are derived from petrochemicals that are difficult to recycle. To overcome this a team has developed a new type of resin, which they’ve made using a bodybuilding supplement called lipoic acid. Their resin can be printed, recycled and reused multiple times, which they hope could in future contribute to reducing waste associated with 3D printing.
Research Article: Machado et al
How housing shortages can drive a tiny parrot resort to kill, and the genes that gave cauliflower its curls.
Research Highlight: These parrots go on killing sprees over real-estate shortages
Research Highlight: How the cauliflower got its curlicues
Many buildings are designed to prevent collapse by redistributing weight following an initial failure. However this relies on extensive structural connectedness that can result in an entire building being pulled down. To prevent this, researchers took a new approach inspired by the ability of some lizards to shed their tails. They used this to develop a modular system, which they tested by building — and destroying — a two storey structure. Their method stopped an initial failure from spreading, preventing a total collapse. The team hope this finding will help prevent catastrophic collapses, reducing loss of life in aid rescue efforts.
Research Article: Makoond et al.
Nature video: Controlled failure: The building designed to limit catastrophe
An AI algorithm discovers 27,500 new asteroids, and an exquisitely-accurate map of a human brain section reveals cells with previously undiscovered features.
New York Times: Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks
Nature News: Cubic millimetre of brain mapped in spectacular detail
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Nuclear clocks — based on tiny shifts in energy in an atomic nucleus — could be even more accurate and stable than other advanced timekeeping systems, but have been difficult to make. Now, a team of researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of these clocks, identifying the correct frequency of laser light required to make this energy transition happen. Ultimately it’s hoped that physicists could use nuclear clocks to probe the fundamental forces that hold atoms together.
News: Laser breakthrough paves the way for ultra precise ‘nuclear clock’
Why life on other planets may come in purple, brown or orange, and a magnetic fluid that could change shape inside the body.
Research Highlight: Never mind little green men: life on other planets might be purple
Research Highlight: A magnetic liquid makes for an injectable sensor in living tissue
Deepmind’s AlphaFold has revolutionised research by making it simple to predict the 3D structures of proteins, but it has lacked the ability to predict situations where a protein is bound to another molecule. Now, the AI has been upgraded to AlphaFold 3 and can accurately predict protein-molecule complexes containing DNA, RNA and more. Whilst the new version is restricted to non-commercial use, researchers are excited by its greater range of predictive abilities and the prospect of speedier drug discovery.
News: Major AlphaFold upgrade offers huge boost for drug discovery
Research Article: Abramson et al.
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Ever since scientific enquiry began, people have focused mainly on men, or if studies involve animals, on male mice, male rats or whatever it may be. And this has led to gaps in scientists’ understanding of how diseases, and responses to treatment, and many other things might vary between people of different sexes and genders.
These days, mainly thanks to big funders like the NIH introducing new guidelines and mandates, a lot more scientists are thinking about sex and, where appropriate, gender. And this has led to a whole host of discoveries.
But all this research is going on within a sociopolitical climate that’s becoming increasingly hostile and polarized, particularly in relation to gender identity. And in some cases, science is being weaponized to push agendas, creating confusion and fear.
It is clear that sex and gender exist beyond a simple binary. This is widely accepted by scientists and it is not something we will be debating in this podcast. But this whole area is full of complexity, and there are many discussions which need to be had around funding, inclusivity or research practices.
To try to lessen fear, and encourage clearer, less divisive thinking, we have asked three contributors to a special series of opinion pieces on sex and gender to come together and thrash out how exactly scientists can fill in years of neglected research – and move forward with exploring the differences between individuals in a way that is responsible, inclusive and beneficial to as many people as possible.
Read the full collection: Sex and gender in science
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The risk of developing cancer can vary hugely depending on geographic region, but it’s not exactly clear why. To get a better idea, a team has compared the genomes of kidney cancers taken from people around the globe. They reveal a link between geographical locations and specific genetic mutations, suggesting that there are as-yet unknown environmental or chemical exposures in different locations. They hope this work will inform public health efforts to identify and reduce potential causes of cancer.
Research Article: Senkin et al.
News and Views: Genomics reveal unknown mutation-promoting agents at global sites
Research reveals that the extinct ‘sabre-toothed salmon’ actually had tusks, and a common fungus that can clean up both heavy-metal and organic pollutants.
Research Highlight: This giant extinct salmon had tusks like a warthog
Research Highlight: Garden-variety fungus is an expert at environmental clean-ups
Disruption of the gut microbiota has been linked to issues with multiple organs. Now a team show disruption can even affect offspring. Male mice given antibiotics targeting gut microbes showed changes to their testes and sperm, which lead to their offspring having a higher probability of severe growth issues and premature death. Although it’s unknown whether a similar effect would be seen in humans, it suggests that factors other than genetics play a role in intergenerational disease susceptibility.
Research article: Argaw-Denboba et al.
News and Views: Dad’s gut microbes matter for pregnancy health and baby’s growth
An updated atlas of the Moon that was a decade in the making, and using AI to design new gene-editing systems.
Nature News: China's Moon atlas is the most detailed ever made
Nature News: ‘ChatGPT for CRISPR’ creates new gene-editing tools
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Many people around the world feel lonely. Chronic loneliness is known to have far-reaching health effects and has been linked to multiple conditions and even early death. But the mechanisms through which feeling alone can lead to poor health is a puzzle. Now, researchers are looking at neurons in the hopes that they may help explain why health issues arise when social needs go unmet.
This is an audio version of our Feature Why loneliness is bad for your health
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Optical atomic clocks are the most precise timekeeping devices on the planet, but these devices are huge and difficult to work with, limiting their use outside of the lab. Now, researchers have developed a portable optical clock and demonstrated its robustness by sending it on a perilous sea journey. The team hope that this work will pave the way to more practical uses of optical clocks, such as on satellites where they could help improve the accuracy of GPS technologies.
Research Article: Roslund et al.
News and Views: Robust optical clocks promise stable timing in a portable package
Evidence of ritual burning of the remains of a Maya royal family, and the first solid detection of an astrophysical tau-neutrino.
Research Highlight: Burnt remains of Maya royalty mark a dramatic power shift
Research Highlight: Detectors deep in South Pole ice pin down elusive tau neutrino
Several marsupial species have evolved a membrane called a patagium that allows them to glide gracefully from tree to tree. Experiments show that mutations in areas of DNA around the gene Emx2 were key to the evolution of this ability, which has appeared independently in multiple marsupial species.
Research article: Moreno et al.
News and Views: Marsupial genomes reveal how a skin membrane for gliding evolved
How overtraining AIs can help them discover novel solutions, and researchers manage to make one-atom thick sheets of ‘goldene’.
Quanta Magazine: How Do Machines ‘Grok’ Data?
Nature news: Meet ‘goldene’: this gilded cousin of graphene is also one atom thick
Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics
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Humans setting up home in outer space has long been the preserve of science fiction. Now, thanks to advances in technology and the backing of billionaires, this dream could actually be realised. But is it more likely to be a nightmare?
Kelly and Zach Weinersmith join us to discuss their new book A City on Mars and some of the medical, environmental and legal roadblocks that may prevent humanity from ultimately settling in space.
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? Kelly and Zach Weinersmith Particular Books (2023)
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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is revealing the makeup of brown dwarfs — strange space objects that blur the line between a planet and a star. And it appears that methane in the atmosphere of one of these objects, named W1935, is emitting infrared radiation. Where the energy comes from is a mystery however, researchers hypothesise that the glow could be caused by an aurora in the object’s atmosphere, perhaps driven by an as-yet unseen moon.
Research Article: Faherty et al.
The discovery that bitter taste receptors may date back 450 million years, and the first planet outside the Solar System to boast a rainbow-like phenomenon called a ‘glory’.
Research Highlight: Bitter taste receptors are even older than scientists thought
Research Highlight: An exoplanet is wrapped in glory
Working memory is a fundamental process that allows us to temporarily store important information, such as the name of a person we’ve just met. However distractions can easily interrupt this process, leading to these memories vanishing. By looking at the brain activity of people doing working-memory tasks, a team have now confirmed that working memory requires two brain regions: one to hold a memory as long as you focus on it; and another to control its maintenance by helping you to not get distracted.
Research article: Daume et al.
News and Views: Coupled neural activity controls working memory in humans
The bleaching event hitting coral around the world, and the first evidence of a nitrogen-fixing eukaryote.
New York Times: The Widest-Ever Global Coral Crisis Will Hit Within Weeks, Scientists Say
Nature News: Scientists discover first algae that can fix nitrogen — thanks to a tiny cell structure
Nature video: AI and robotics demystify the workings of a fly's wing
Vote for us in the Webbys: https://go.nature.com/3TVYHmP
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Across the world, huge numbers of illegal roads have been cut into forests. However, due to their illicit nature, the exact numbers of these roads and their impacts on ecosystems is poorly understood. To address this, researchers have undertaken a huge mapping exercise across the tropical Asia-Pacific region. Their findings reveal over a million kilometers of roads that don’t appear on official maps, and that their construction is a key driver for deforestation.
Research Article: Engert et al.
How climate change fuelled a record-breaking hailstorm in Spain, and an unusual technique helps researchers detect a tiny starquake.
Research Highlight: Baseball-sized hail in Spain began with a heatwave at sea
Research Highlight: Smallest known starquakes are detected with a subtle shift of colour
A clinical trial to test whether ‘mini livers’ can grow in a person’s lymph node, and the proteins that may determine left-handedness.
Nature News: ‘Mini liver’ will grow in person’s own lymph node in bold new trial
Nature News: Right- or left-handed? Protein in embryo cells might help decide
Nature video: How would a starfish wear trousers? Science has an answer
Vote for us in the Webbys: https://go.nature.com/3TVYHmP
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Around the world, rates of cancers that typically affect older adults are increasing in those under 50 years old. Models based on global data predict that the number of early-onset cancer cases like these will increase by around 30% between 2019 and 2030.
The most likely contributors — such as rising rates of obesity and early-cancer screening — do not fully account for the increase. To try and understand the reasons behind this trend, many researchers are searching for answers buried in studies that tracked the lives and health of children born half a century ago.
This is an audio version of our Feature Why are so many young people getting cancer? What the data say
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Growing a baby leads to changes in the distribution of certain chemical markers on a pregnant person’s DNA, but new research suggests that after giving birth, these changes can revert to an earlier state.
Nature News: Pregnancy advances your ‘biological’ age — but giving birth turns it back
A Japanese tit (Parus minor) will flutter its wings to invite their mate to enter the nest first. Use of these sorts of gestures, more complex than simply pointing at an object of interest, were thought to be limited to great apes, suggesting that there are more non-vocal forms of communication to be found in the animal kingdom.
Scientific American: Wild Birds Gesture ‘After You’ to Insist Their Mate Go First
Research have estimated that the carbon footprint of home-grown food and community gardens is six-times greater than conventional, commercial farms. This finding surprised the authors — keen home-growers themselves — who emphasize that their findings can be used to help make urban efforts (which have worthwhile social benefits) more carbon-efficient.
BBC Future: The complex climate truth about home-grown tomatoes
On 8th April, a total eclipse of the Sun is due to trace a path across North America. We look at the experiments taking place and what scientists are hoping to learn.
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How memories are stored is an ongoing question in neuroscience. Now researchers have found an inflammatory pathway that responds to DNA damage in neurons has a key role in the persistence of memories. How this pathway helps memories persist is unclear, but the researchers suggest that how the DNA damage is repaired may play a role. As inflammation in the brain is often associated with disease, the team were surprised by this finding, which they hope will help uncover ways to better preserve our memories, especially in the face of neurodegenerative disorders.
Research Article: Jovasevic et al.
News and Views: Innate immunity in neurons makes memories persist
The effect of wind turbines on property values, and how waste wood can be used to 3D print new wooden objects.
Research Highlight: A view of wind turbines drives down home values — but only briefly
Research Highlight: Squeeze, freeze, bake: how to make 3D-printed wood that mimics the real thing
Due to variations in the speed of Earth’s rotation, the length of a day is rarely exactly 24 hours. By calculating the strength of the different factors affecting this, a researcher has shown that while Earth’s rotation is overall speeding up, this effect is being tempered by the melting of the polar ice caps. As global time kept by atomic clocks occasionally has to be altered to match Earth’s rotation, human-induced climate change may delay plans to add a negative leap-second to ensure the two align.
Research article: Agnew
News and Views: Melting ice solves leap-second problem — for now
An AI for antibody development, and the plans for the upcoming Simons observatory.
Nature News: ‘A landmark moment’: scientists use AI to design antibodies from scratch
Nature News: ‘Best view ever’: observatory will map Big Bang’s afterglow in new detail
Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics
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This podcast has been corrected: in a previous version at 5:55 we stated that that the team's 200mm devices currently contain only a couple of magnetic tunnelling junctions, in fact they studied 500-1000 devices in this work.
Skyrmions are tiny whirlpools of magnetic spin that some researchers believe have useful properties that could unlock new kinds of computing. However getting skyrmions to perform useful computational tasks has been tricky. Now researchers have developed a method to create and manipulate skyrmions in a way that is compatible with existing computing technology, allowing them to read and write data at a fraction of the energy cost of conventional systems. The team think this shows that skyrmions could be a viable part of the next generation of computers.
Research Article: Chen et al.
News and Views: Magnetic whirlpools offer improved data storage
How robotically-enhanced, live jellyfish could make ocean monitoring cheap and easy, and how collective saliva tests could be a cost-effective way of testing for a serious infant infection.
Research Highlight: These cyborg jellyfish could monitor the changing seas
Research Highlight: Pooling babies’ saliva helps catch grave infection in newborns
Male songbirds often develop elaborate songs to demonstrate their fitness, but many birds only learn a single song and stick with it their entire lives. How female birds judge the fitness between these males has been a long-standing puzzle. Now, using an AI-based system a team has analysed the songs of male zebra finches and shown that some songs have a hidden factor that is imperceptible to humans. Although it’s not clear exactly what this factor is, songs containing it were shown to be harder to learn and more attractive to females. The researchers hope that this AI-based method will allow them to better understand what makes some birdsong more attractive than others.
Research article: Alam et al.
News and Views: Birds convey complex signals in simple songs
How H5N1 avian influenza is threatening penguins on Antarctica, and why farmed snake-meat could be a more environmentally-friendly way to produce protein for food.
Nature News: Bird-flu threat disrupts Antarctic penguin studies
Scientific American: Snake Steak Could Be a Climate-Friendly Source of Protein
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The human heart consists of multiple, specialised structures that all work together to enable the organ to beat for a lifetime. But exactly which cells are present in each part of the heart has been difficult to ascertain. Now, a team has combined molecular techniques to create an atlas of the developing human heart at an individual cell level. Their atlas provides insights into how cell communities communicate and form different structures. They hope that this knowledge will ultimately help in the treatment of congenital heart conditions, often caused by irregular development of the heart.
Research article: Farah et al.
Nature video: Building a heart atlas
Residue in ceramic vases suggests that ancient Mesoamerican peoples consumed tobacco as a liquid, and a wireless way to charge quantum batteries.
Research Highlight: Buried vases hint that ancient Americans might have drunk tobacco
Research Highlight: A better way to charge a quantum battery
Menopause is a rare phenomenon, only known to occur in a few mammalian species. Several of these species are toothed whales, such as killer whales, beluga whales and narwhals. But why menopause evolved multiple times in toothed whales has been a long-standing research question. To answer it, a team examined the life history of whales with and without menopause and how this affected the number of offspring and ‘grandoffpsring’. Their results suggest that menopause allows older females to help younger generations in their families and improve their chances of survival.
Research Article: Ellis et al.
News and Views: Whales make waves in the quest to discover why menopause evolved
How the new generation of anti-obesity drugs could help people with HIV, and the study linking microplastics lodged in a key blood vessel with serious health issues.
Nature News: Blockbuster obesity drug leads to better health in people with HIV
Nature News: Landmark study links microplastics to serious health problems
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One behaviour thought unique to humans is the ability to learn something from your predecessors that you couldn’t figure out on your own. However, researchers believe they have shown bumblebees are also capable of this ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ approach to learning. Bees that were taught how to complete a puzzle too difficult to solve on their own, were able to share this knowledge with other bees, raising the possibility that this thought-to-be human trait could be widespread amongst animals.
Research article: Bridges et al.
News and Views: Bees and chimpanzees learn from others what they cannot learn alone
Why the Krakatau eruption made the skies green, and the dining habits of white dwarf stars.
Research Highlight: Why sunsets were a weird colour after Krakatau blew its top
Research Highlight: This dying star bears a jagged metal scar
Many ocean-dwelling animals sense their environment using electric pulses, which can help them hunt and avoid predators. Now research shows that the tiny elephantnose fish can increase the range of this sense by combining its pulses with those of other elephantnose fish. This allows them to discriminate and determine the location of different objects at a much greater distance than a single fish is able to. This is the first time a collective electric sense has been seen in animals, which could provide an ‘early-warning system', allowing a group to avoid predators from a greater distance.
Research Article: Pedraja and Sawtell
The organoids made from cells derived from amniotic fluid, and the debate over the heaviest animal.
Nature News: Organoids grown from amniotic fluid could shed light on rare diseases
The New York Times: Researchers Dispute Claim That Ancient Whale Was Heaviest Animal Ever
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Around 13 billion years ago, the Universe was filled with a dense ‘fog’ of neutral hydrogen that blocked certain wavelengths of light. This fog was lifted when the hydrogen was hit by radiation in a process known as reionisation, but the source of this radiation has been debated. Now, researchers have used the JWST to peer deep into the Universe’s past and found that charged particles pouring out from dwarf galaxies appear to be the the main driver for reionization. This finding could help researchers understand how some of the structures we now see in the Universe were formed.
Research article: Atek et al.
Ancient inscriptions could be the earliest example of the language that became Basque, and how researchers etched a groove… onto soap film.
Research Highlight: Ancient bronze hand’s inscription points to origins of Basque language
Research Highlight: Laser pulses engrave an unlikely surface: soap films
To combat high cholesterol, many people take statins, but because these drugs have to be taken every day researchers have been searching for alternatives. Controlling cholesterol by editing the epigenome has shown promise in lab-grown cells, but its efficacy in animals was unclear. Now, researchers have shown the approach can work in mice, and have used it to silence a gene linked to high cholesterol for a year. The mice show markedly lowered cholesterol, a result the team hope could pave the way for epigenetic therapeutics for humans.
Research Article: Cappelluti et al.
Why don’t humans and other apes have a tail? It was assumed that a change must have happened in our genomes around 25 million years ago that resulted in the loss of this flexible appendage. Now researchers believe they have pinned down a good candidate for what caused this: an insertion into a particular gene known as TBXT. The team showed the key role this gene plays by engineering mice genomes to contain a similar change, leading to animals that were tail-less. This finding could help paint a picture of the important genetic mutations that led to the evolution of humans and other apes.
Nature News: How humans lost their tails — and why the discovery took 2.5 years to publish
Research Article: Xia et al.
News and Views: A mobile DNA sequence could explain tail loss in humans and apes
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The phenomenon of animals catching diseases from humans, called reverse zoonoses, has had a severe impact on great ape populations, often representing a bigger threat than habitat loss or poaching.
However, while many scientists and conservationists agree that human diseases pose one of the greatest risks to great apes today there are a few efforts under way to use a research-based approach to mitigate this problem.
This is an audio version of our Feature Chimpanzees are dying from our colds — these scientists are trying to save them
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The deep haunting tones of the world's largest animals, baleen whales, are iconic - but how the songs are produced has long been a mystery. Whales evolved from land dwelling mammals which vocalize by passing air through a structure called the larynx - a structure which also helps keep food from entering the respiratory system. However toothed whales like dolphins do not use their larynx to make sound, instead they have evolved a specialized organ in their nose. Now a team of researchers have discovered the structure used by baleen whales - a modified version of the larynx. Whales like Humpbacks and Blue whales are able to create powerful vocalizations but their anatomy also limits the frequency of the sounds they can make and depth at which they can sing. This leaves them unable to escape anthropogenic noise pollution which occur in the same range.
Article: Evolutionary novelties underlie sound production in baleen whales
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Humans are notable for their cooperation and display far more altruistic behaviour than other animals, but exactly why this behaviour evolved has been a puzzle. But in a new paper, the two leading theories have been put the test with a model and a real-life experiment. They find that actually neither theory on its own leads to cooperation but a combination is required for humans to help one another.
Research article: Efferson et al.
News and Views: Why reciprocity is common in humans but rare in other animals
The discovery of an ancient stone wall hidden underwater, and the fun that apes have teasing one another.
Research Highlight: Great ‘Stone Age’ wall discovered in Baltic Sea
Research Highlight: What a tease! Great apes pull hair and poke each other for fun
Optical discs, like CDs and DVDs, are an attractive option for long-term data storage, but these discs are limited by their small capacity. Now though, a team has overcome a limitation of conventional disc writing to produce optical discs capable of storing petabits of data, significantly more than the largest available hard disk. The researchers behind the work think their new discs could one day replace the energy-hungry hard disks used in giant data centres, making long-term storage more sustainable.
Research Article: Zhao et al.
The famous fossil that turned out to be a fraud, and why researchers are making hybrid ‘meat-rice’.
Ars Technica: It’s a fake: Mysterious 280 million-year-old fossil is mostly just black paint
Nature News: Introducing meat–rice: grain with added muscles beefs up protein
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It's well-known that smoking is bad for health and it has been linked to several autoimmune disorders, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Now, researchers have investigated the immune responses of 1,000 people. Whilst some effects disappear after quitting, impacts on the T cell response lingers long after. The team hopes that this evidence could help better understand smoking's association with autoimmune diseases.
Research article: Saint-André et al.
News and Views: Smoking’s lasting effect on the immune system
Why explosive fulminating gold produces purple smoke, and a curious act of altruism in a male northern elephant seal.
Research Highlight: Why an ancient gold-based explosive makes purple smoke
Research Highlight: ‘Altruistic’ bull elephant seal lends a helping flipper
An author-based method to track down fake papers, and the new ocean lurking under the surface of one of Saturn's moons.
Nature News: Fake research papers flagged by analysing authorship trends
Nature News: The Solar System has a new ocean — it’s buried in a small Saturn moon
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For over a century, cancer has been classified by areas of the body - lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer etc. And yet modern medical research is telling us that the molecular and genetic mechanisms behind cancers are not necessarily tied to parts of the body. Many drugs developed to treat metastatic cancers have the capacity to work across many different cancers, and that presents an opportunity for more tailored and efficient treatments. Oncologists are calling for a change in the way patients, clinicians and regulators think about naming cancers.
In this podcast, senior comment editor Lucy Odling-Smee speaks with Fabrice André from Institute Gustave Roussy, to ask what he thinks needs to change.
Comment: Forget lung, breast or prostate cancer: why tumour naming needs to change
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T cell based immunotherapies have revolutionised the treatment of certain types of cancer. However these therapies — which involved taking someone’s own T cells and reprogramming them to kill cancer cells — have struggled to treat solid tumours, which put up multiple defences. To overcome these, a team has taken mutations found in cancer cells that help them thrive and put them into therapeutic T cells. Their results show these powered-up cells are more efficient at targeting solid tumours, but don’t turn cancerous themselves.
Research article: Garcia et al.
How researchers solved a submerged-sprinkler problem named after Richard Feynman, and what climate change is doing to high-altitude environmental records in Switzerland.
Research Highlight: The mystery of Feynman’s sprinkler is solved at last
Research Highlight: A glacier’s ‘memory’ is fading because of climate change
As electric cars become ever more popular around the world, manufacturers are looking to improve the batteries that power them. While conventional lithium-ion batteries have dominated the electric vehicle market for decades, researchers are developing alternatives that have better performance and safety — we run though some of these options and discuss their pros and cons.
News Feature: The new car batteries that could power the electric vehicle revolution
How a baby’s-eye view of the world helps an AI learn language, and how the recovery of sea otter populations in California slowed rates of coastal erosion.
Nature News:This AI learnt language by seeing the world through a baby’s eyes
News: How do otters protect salt marshes from erosion? Shellfishly
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Cervical cancer is both treatable and preventable, and the WHO has called for countries to come together to to eliminate the disease in the next century.
However the disease still kills over 300,000 people each year, and levels of screening, treatment and vaccination need to be stepped up in order to achieve this goal.
These challenges are particularly stark in low- and middle-income countries, where a lack of funding, staffing and infrastructure are obstacles. Vaccine hesitancy, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is also a key problem.
In this Podcast Extra, two experts share their thoughts on how best to overcome these obstacles, and make elimination of cervical cancer a reality.
Comment: Cervical cancer kills 300,000 people a year — here’s how to speed up its elimination
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Ancient stone tools are often uncovered in Europe, but it can be difficult to identify who crafted them, as Neanderthals and Homo sapiens coexisted in the region for several thousand years. The makers of one type of tool found in northern Europe has long puzzled researchers, but now through genetic analysis of nearby skeletal fragments, it has been revealed that they were made by Homo sapiens. The age of these tools suggests that modern humans were more widespread and adaptable to living in colder climates than previously thought.
Research article: Mylopotamitaki et al.
News and Views: Stone tools in northern Europe made by Homo sapiens 45,000 years ago
How a Colombian mountain range lost its root, and what Roman wine may have looked, smelled and tasted like.
Research Highlight: A mysterious mountain range lacks roots but still stands tall
Research Highlight: The clever system that gave Roman wines an amber colour and nutty aroma
Analysis of lab-grown neurons reveals why brain cells grow so slowly in humans, and a genetic therapy for a certain type of deafness shows promise.
Video: Why human brain cells grow so slowly
Science: Gene therapies that let deaf children hear bring hope—and many questions
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Evidence so far suggests that the prevalence of long COVID in low- and middle-income countries could be similar to that of wealthier countries. For example, by some estimates, more than four million people in Brazil have long COVID.
However, an absence of research on the condition in less-wealthy countries has left advocates hamstrung: few physicians acknowledge that long COVID exists. A lack of data is also hampering efforts to search for the mechanisms of the condition and tailor treatments.
This is an audio version of our Feature Long COVID is a double curse in low-income nations — here’s why
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Red mud is a toxic by-product of aluminium manufacture, and millions of tonnes of it is produced each year. The majority ends up in landfills, pumped into vast lakes or stored in dried mounds, posing a serious environmental risk. This week, researchers demonstrate how red mud can be reused to make iron, a vital component in the production of steel. As their method uses hydrogen plasma rather than fossil fuels, they suggest it could be a way to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the steelmaking industry.
Research article: Jovičević-Klug et al.
News and Views: Iron extracted from hazardous waste of aluminium production
The economics of next-generation geothermal power plants, and the folded-fabric robot that crawls like a snake.
Research Highlight: Flexible geothermal power makes it easier to harness Earth’s inner heat
Research Highlight: Origami fabric robot slithers like a snake
A computational model that predicts a person's likelihood of developing long COVID, NASA finally crack open the lid of OSIRIS-REx’s sample container, and how the ‘Moon Sniper’ craft pulled off the most precise lunar landing ever.
Nature News: Long-COVID signatures identified in huge analysis of blood protein
Johnson Space Centre: NASA’S OSIRIS-REx Curation Team Reveals Remaining Asteroid Sample
Nature News: Japan’s successful Moon landing was the most precise ever
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Researchers at Google Deepmind have developed an AI that can solve International Mathematical Olympiad-level geometry problems, something previous AIs have struggled with. They provided the system with a huge number of random mathematical theorems and proofs, which it used to approximate general rules of geometry. The AI then applied these rules to solve the Olympiad problems and show its workings for humans to check. The researchers hope their system shows that it is possible for AIs to ‘learn’ basic principles from large amounts of data and use them to tackle complex logical challenges, which could prove useful in fields outside mathematics.
Research article: Trinh et al.
A stiff and squishy ‘hydrospongel’ — part sponge, part hydrogel — that could find use in soft robotics, and how the spread of rice paddies in sub-Saharan Africa helps to drive up atmospheric methane levels.
Research Highlight: Stiff gel as squishable as a sponge takes its cue from cartilage
Research Highlight: A bounty of rice comes at a price: soaring methane emissions
Mass Mortality Events, sometimes called mass die-offs, can result in huge numbers of a single species perishing in a short period of time. But there’s not a huge amount known about the effects that events like these might be having on wider ecosystems. Now, a team of researchers have built a model ecosystem to observe the impact of mass die-offs on the delicate balance of populations within it.
Research article: Tye et al.
An update on efforts to remove the stuck screws on OSIRIS-REx’s sample container, the ancient, fossilized skin that was preserved in petroleum, and a radical suggestion to save the Caribbean’s coral reefs.
OSIRIS-REx Mission Blog: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Team Clears Hurdle to Access Remaining Bennu Sample
Nature News: This is the oldest fossilized reptile skin ever found — it pre-dates the dinosaurs
Nature News: Can foreign coral save a dying reef? Radical idea sparks debate
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In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on some science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing.
We chat about: an extra-warm sweater inspired by polar bear fur; the fossil find revealing what a juvenile tyrannosaur liked to snack on; why scientists are struggling to open OSIRIS-REx’s sample container; how 2023 was a record for retractions; and how cats like to play fetch, sometimes.
Nature News: Polar bear fur-inspired sweater is thinner than a down jacket — and just as warm
Scientific American: Tyrannosaur’s Stomach Contents Have Been Found for the First Time
Nature News: ‘Head-scratcher’: first look at asteroid dust brought to Earth offers surprises
Nature News: More than 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023 — a new record
Scientific American: Cats Play Fetch, Too—But Only on Their Own Terms
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In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2024. We'll hear about the mass of the neutrino, the neural basis of consciousness and the climate lawsuits at the Hague, to name but a few.
News: the science events to look our for in 2024
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Perovskites are cheap, abundant photovoltaic materials that some have hailed as the future of green energy.
Around the world, companies are layering perovskites on top of traditional silicon to develop so-called tandem solar cells that some think could deliver at least 20% more power than a silicon cell alone.
However, there remain multiple issues to overcome before these products are ready for widespread uptake in the notoriously competitive solar-power market.
This is an audio version of our Feature A new kind of solar cell is coming: is it the future of green energy?
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When it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discovery. The story goes that her crucial data was taken by James Watson without her knowledge, helping him and Francis Crick solve the structure. However, new evidence has revealed that this wasn’t really the case. Rosalind Franklin was not a ‘wronged heroine’, she was an equal contributor to the discovery.
Nature Podcast: 25 April 2023
Comment: What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
To prevent the loss of wildlife, forest restoration is key, but monitoring how well biodiversity actually recovers is incredibly difficult. Now though, a team has collected recordings of animal sounds to determine the extent of the recovery. However, while using these sounds to identify species is an effective way to monitor, it’s also labour intensive. To overcome this, they trained an AI to listen to the sounds, and found that although it was less able to identify species, its findings still correlated well with wildlife recovery, suggesting that it could be a cost-effective and automated way to monitor biodiversity.
Nature Podcast: 25 October 2023
Research article: Müller et al.
The first brain recording from a freely swimming octopus, and how a Seinfeld episode helped scientists to distinguish the brain regions involved in understanding and appreciating humour.
Research Highlight: How to measure the brain of an octopus
Research Highlight: One brain area helps you to enjoy a joke — but another helps you to get it
It’s recognized that multisensory experiences can create strong memories and that later-on, a single sensory experience can trigger memories of the whole event, like a specific smell conjuring a visual memory. But the neural mechanisms behind this are not well understood. Now, a team has shown that rich sensory experiences can create direct neural circuit between the memory regions involved with different senses. This circuit increases memory strength in the flies, and helps explain how sense and memories are interlinked.
Nature Podcast: 25 April 2023
Research article: Okray et al.
How elephant seals catch some shut-eye while diving.
New York Times: Elephant Seals Take Power Naps During Deep Ocean Dives
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Many AIs are 'black box' in nature, meaning that part of all of the underlying structure is obfuscated, either intentionally to protect proprietary information, due to the sheer complexity of the model, or both. This can be problematic in situations where people are harmed by decisions made by AI but left without recourse to challenge them.
Many researchers in search of solutions have coalesced around a concept called Explainable AI, but this too has its issues. Notably, that there is no real consensus on what it is or how it should be achieved. So how do we deal with these black boxes? In this podcast, we try to find out.
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01:55 “Oh GPT”
In the first of our festive songs, we pay homage to LLMs, the generative AI chat bots which have taken 2023 by storm.
05:32 Twenty questions
In this year’s festive game, our competitors try to guess some of the biggest science stories of the year, solely by asking yes/no questions.
24:40 “Warming night”
In our final song this year, we take stock as 2023 is named the hottest year since records began. As worsening climate change continues to threaten lives, can science provide hope for the future?
28:24 Nature’s 10
Every year, Nature’s 10 highlights some of the people who have shaped science. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2023 list.
News feature: Nature’s 10
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In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, astronomer Aomawa Shields discusses her memoir Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe.
The book tracks her career path as a scientist and a classically-trained actor, explores her experiences as an African American woman in STEM, and interrogates science’s place in culture — some of the things we discussed in this podcast.
Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe Aomawa Shields Constable (2023)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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Current COVID-19 vaccines offer great protection from serious illness, but they don't prevent people from becoming infected in the first place. Because of this, researchers have been searching for ways to boost mucosal immunity — the immune response on mucosal surfaces — as this is where the virus is first encountered by the body. Now a team have shown that mucosal immunity can be improved enough to block infection in rhesus macaques by administering booster vaccines directly into their lungs, through inhalation. They hope this could offer a way to stop humans getting COVID-19 in the future.
Research Article: McMahan et al.
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Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes the zoonotic disease toxoplasmosis, has a complex, multi-stage life cycle. Some of these stages will only grow in the intestines of cats, making it difficult to study. Now, a team has found a way to grow one of these stages in vitro for the first time, which they hope will help researchers learn more about this parasite, estimated to have infected around 30% of the world’s population.
Research Article: Antunes et al.
The tiny VR goggles designed for mice, and how a squirt of water could give coffee a bigger kick.
Research Highlight: Wee VR googles give mice a true immersive experience
Research Highlight: Why coffee particles clump and make a mess during grinding
Genetic searches reveal a potential super-sized protein, and the rise of ‘non-stop’ authors who publish a science paper every five days
Nature News: The world’s largest proteins? These mega-molecules turn bacteria into predators
Nature News: Surge in number of ‘extremely productive’ authors concerns scientists
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Confining photons within materials opens up potential applications in quantum computing and telecommunications. But capturing light requires nanoscale cavities, which are difficult to make. This week, a team has created the smallest silicon gap yet for this purpose, just two nano-metres wide, by exploiting the intermolecular forces that are usually an obstacle when creating such small structures. They show this gap can trap light effectively, but they also believe that their method could be used to create tiny cavities for use in a range of different fields.
Research Article: Babar et al.
News and Views: Self-assembling structures close the gap to trap light
Researchers head into the wilderness to search for dark matter, and the discovery that bottlenose dolphins can sense weak magnetic fields.
Research Highlight: The hunt for dark-matter particles ventures into the wild
Research Highlight: Dolphins have a feel for electric fields
Extreme poverty, defined as living on less than US$2.15 a day, affects around 10% of the world’s population. In the past, economic growth has generally been seen as key to reducing poverty; however, such growth has also led to an increase in climate-warming emissions. To find out whether poverty can be tackled without costing the planet, a team of researchers modelled how different levels of economic growth would affect global emissions. They found that ending poverty has only a negligible impact on emissions, which could be lowered even further by decarbonising energy production.
Research Article: Wollburg et al.
News and Views: Tackling extreme poverty around the world need not impede climate action
News: Catastrophic change looms as Earth nears climate ‘tipping points’, report says
News: Scientists skip COP28 to demand climate action at home
Scientists create a robotic octopus arm that you can control with a finger, and how disruptive science seems to elude farflung teams.
Nature News: How does it feel to have an octopus arm? This robo-tentacle lets people find out
Nature News: ‘Disruptive’ science: in-person teams make more breakthroughs than remote groups
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Around 500 million people are estimated to be in period poverty, lacking adequate access to sanitary products. Many of these people rely on donations, but this is far from a long-term solution. To tackle this researchers have developed a method to extract absorbent materials for menstrual pads from a common plant, Agave sisalana. The researchers say that their method can be performed using local techniques and has a lower environmental impact than the manufacture of other period products. They're aiming to scale-up this approach to help those in period poverty.
Research Article: Molina et al.
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The UN’s annual climate change conference is starting soon in Dubai. This time will be the first time that humanity formally assesses its progress under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, so we ask if this challenge of keeping warming below 1.5 ˚C can be met and what needs to happen at COP28 to make it a reality.
News Feature: Is it too late to keep global warming below 1.5 °C? The challenge in 7 charts
Falcons show off their smarts, and how smoke from California wildfires made Europe cloudy.
Research Highlight: These falcons excel at problem-solving — and outdo some of the world’s smartest birds
Research Highlight: Huge California wildfires seeded cirrus clouds half a world away
The mystery surrounding a powerful cosmic ray, and how to make super hot plasma easily.
Nature News: The most powerful cosmic ray since the Oh-My-God particle puzzles scientists
Research Article: Xie et al.
Video: Super hot plasma made easy with stabilising fibres
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Researchers have been resurrecting apple trees to revive forgotten varieties of the fruit. They hope that sequencing these apples' genomes could uncover mutations that influence flavour, colour, crispness and other characteristics. This knowledge could help unlock the next blockbuster fruit, and develop trees that are more resistant to disease, climate change and other environmental pressures.
This is an audio version of our Feature Apple revival: how science is bringing historic varieties back to life
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Since 1988, cases of polio have fallen by more than 99%, and many observers predict that the disease could be eradicated within the next three years. However, eradication isn’t the same as extinction, so the next challenge is for researchers to make sure the disease won’t return. We discuss what a post-polio future may look like, and how to ensure that the disease is gone for good.
News Feature: Polio is on the brink of eradication. Here's how to keep it from coming back
Botulinum toxin shows promise in treating a common disorder in older people, and how safeguarding seabirds may require significantly larger conservation-areas than previously thought.
Research Highlight: Botox’s paralysing effects can relieve an uncontrolled head tremor
Research Highlight: Seabirds’ lonely travels pose a conservation challenge
How demand for research monkeys is fuelling an illegal trade in smuggled animals, and the surprising observation that may help explain mysterious space explosions.
Nature: How wild monkeys ‘laundered’ for science could undermine research
Nature News: Mysterious ‘Tasmanian devil’ space explosion baffles astronomers
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In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, writer and researcher Jay Owens joins us to discuss her book Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles.
Much like dust itself, Jay’s book travels the globe, looking at the impacts that these microscopic particles are having on the world, our health and environment, as well as exploring the role that humanity has played in creating them.
Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles Jay Owens Hodder & Stoughton (2023)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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3D printers are capable of producing complex shapes, but making functioning objects from multiple materials in a single print-run has proved challenging. To overcome this, a team has combined inkjet printing with an error-correction system guided by machine vision, to allow them to print sophisticated multi-material objects. They used this method to make a bio-inspired robotic hand that combines soft and rigid plastics to make mechanical bones, ligaments, and tendons, as well as a pump based on a mammalian heart.
Research article: Buchner et al.
News & Views: Multi-material 3D printing guided by machine vision
Video: The 3D printer that crafts complex robotic organs in a single run
Citizen-scientists help identify an astronomical object that blurs the line between asteroid and comet, and how a Seinfeld episode helped scientists to distinguish the brain regions involved in understanding and appreciating humour.
Research Highlight: Citizen scientists find a rarity: an asteroid trying to be a comet
Research Highlight: One brain area helps you to enjoy a joke — but another helps you to get it
Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people around the world and represents a significant burden on healthcare systems. But behaviour change programmes — also known as lifestyle interventions — could potentially play a large role in preventing people from developing type 2 diabetes. This week in Nature a new paper assesses how effective this kind of intervention might be. Looking at a huge amount of data from the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, the paper concludes that these interventions represent a viable diabetes prevention strategy.
Research article: Lemp et al.
News & Views: Diabetes prevention programme put to the test
How marine heatwaves revved up crabs’ metabolisms until they starved, and the AI-powered, robot chemist that could extract oxygen from water on Mars.
Wired: The Surprising Reason Sea Creatures Are Getting Hungrier
Nature News: This AI robot chemist could make oxygen on Mars
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Amphotericin B is a drug used to treat life-threatening fungal infections. But while it is effective against many fungal species, it is also extremely toxic to kidneys, meaning it is mostly used as a drug of last-resort. This week, a team has unpicked the mechanism behind the drug’s toxicity, allowing them to modify it and reduce side effects in human kidney cells. The researchers hope this new version of the drug could become a useful tool in fighting fungal diseases.
Research article: Maji et al.
Reconstructing woolly rhino DNA using samples from fossilized hyena dung, and a soft robot that can perform surgery inside a beating heart.
Research Highlight: Woolly-rhino genome emerges from cave hyena’s fossilized poo
Research Highlight: A robot performs heart surgery with a strong but delicate touch
Phosphorus is a vital element for life and for planet formation, but although abundant in the inner part of the Milky Way, it has been undetected in the outer regions of our Galaxy. Now, researchers have identified phosphorus-containing molecules huge distances from Earth, although exactly how this phosphorus was created is unclear. The team suspect that lower-mass stars are behind the phosphorus generation, and believe that the detection of the element could broaden the range of planets that may be habitable in our Galaxy.
Research article: Koelemay et al.
What Osiris-REx’s hypersonic capsule return could teach researchers about asteroids hitting Earth’s atmosphere, and the genetic studies that could help restore the genomes of Scotland’s endangered ‘Highland tigers’.
Nature News: Asteroid sampler’s hypersonic return thrilled scientists: here’s what they learnt
Nature News: How to keep wildcats wild: ancient DNA offers fresh insights
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In the past year, generative AIs have been taking the world by storm. ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E and more, are changing the nature of how content is produced. In science, they could help transform and streamline publishing. However, they also come with plenty of risks.
In this episode of Nature's Take we discuss how these AIs are impacting science and what the future might hold.
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Severe muscle injury can be debilitating, with long recuperation periods. Now, researchers have developed a material that can be directly injected into injured muscle, helping to stimulate and heal damaged tissue. The team showed this approach could rapidly restore walking ability in severely injured rats and regenerate muscles within four weeks. They hope that this solution could one day help humans with similar injuries, and overcome some of the limitations of current recuperation strategies.
Research article: Jin et al.
News and Views: Hydrogel implant rehabilitates muscles through electrical stimulation
Ancient human genomes fill in a missing link between Europe’s first humans and later arrivals, and how ferns are inspiring pest-resistant crops.
Research Highlight: Ancient DNA reveals traces of elusive first humans in Europe
Research Highlight: Fierce ferns make insect-fighting proteins
Largest release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes shows promise at controlling dengue, and the genes that explain why starfish aren’t so symmetrical.
Nature News: Dengue rates drop after release of modified mosquitoes in Colombia
Video: How would a starfish wear trousers? Science has an answer
Research Article: Formery et al.
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For decades, BMI — calculated by dividing weight by height squared — has been as an international standard to determine healthy weights.
However, BMI does not measure body fat, and ignores many other factors that can affect how healthy someone it.
Now, a small but growing movement of reseachers and clinicians are calling for other metrics to be used in conjunction with BMI when diagnosing and treating obesity.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Why BMI is flawed — and how to redefine obesity
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For years, researchers have been listening to Mars and the quakes that ripple through it, to understand the planet's internal structure and uncover its history. But often these results have left more questions than answers. Now, though, new research published in Nature reveals the composition and size of Mars's core, finding that it is much smaller than previously thought.
Research Article: Khan et al.
Research Article: Samuel et al.
News and Views: Deep Mars is surprisingly soft
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To prevent the loss of wildlife, forest restoration is key, but monitoring how well biodiversity actually recovers is incredibly difficult. Now though, a team have collected recordings of animal sounds to determine the extent of the recovery. However, while using these sounds to identify species is an effective way to monitor, it’s also labour intensive. To overcome this, they trained an AI to listen to the sounds, and found that although it was less able to identify species, its findings still correlated well with wildlife recovery, suggesting that it could be a cost-effective and automated way to monitor biodiversity.
Research article: Müller et al.
Researchers develop algae-based living materials that glow when squeezed, and a 50-million-year-old bat skull that suggests echolocation was an ancient skill.
Research Highlight: Give these ‘living composite’ objects a squeeze and watch them glow
Research Highlight: Fossilized skull shows that early bats had modern sonar
A brain imaging study reveals how high-fat foods exert their powerful pull, and how being asleep doesn’t necessarily cut you off from the outside world.
Nature News: Deep asleep? You can still follow simple commands, study finds
Nature News: Milkshake neuroscience: how the brain nudges us toward fatty foods
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To protect themselves against viral infection, bacteria often use CRISPR-Cas systems to identify and destroy an invading virus’s genetic material. But viruses aren’t helpless and can deploy countermeasures, known as anti-CRISPRs, to neutralise host defences. This week, a team describe a new kind of anti-CRISPR system, based on RNA, which protects viruses by mimicking part of the CRISPR-Cas system. The researchers hope that this discovery could have future biotechnology applications, including making CRISPR-Cas genome editing more precise.
Research article: Camara-Wilpert et al.
Carved inscriptions suggest a queen named Thyra was the most powerful person in Viking-age Denmark, and the discovery of a puffed-up exoplanet that has just 1.5% the density of Earth.
Research Highlight: Runes on Viking stones speak to an ancient queen’s power
Research Highlight: ‘Super-puff’ planet is one of the fluffiest worlds ever found
Climate-change induced melting of Greenland’s vast ice sheet would contribute to 7m of sea level rise. But it has been difficult to calculate how the ice sheet will respond to future warming. This week, a team suggest that abrupt ice loss is likely if the global mean temperature is between 1.7 °C and 2.3 °C above pre-industrial levels. Keeping temperature rise below 1.5 °C could mitigate ice loss, if done within a few centuries, but even a short overshoot of the estimated threshold could lead to several metres of sea-level rise.
Research article: Bochow et al.
A massive reproducibility exercise reveals over 200 ecologists get wildly-diverging results from the same data, and how melting simulated lunar-dust with lasers could help pave the Moon.
Nature News: Reproducibility trial: 246 biologists get different results from same data sets
Nature News: How to build Moon roads using focused beams of sunlight
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Kidneys from genetically-engineered miniature pigs have been transplanted into non-human primates, in some cases keeping the animals alive for more than a year. Using CRISPR, a team made dozens of edits to the pig genome to prevent the monkeys’ immune system from attacking the organs. They also removed pig retrovirus genes that could represent an infection risk. These steps are necessary if pig organs are to be used in human transplants, something many clinicians and researchers think will be needed to overcome a critical shortage of organs for transplantation.
Research article: Anand et al.
News and Views: Pig-to-primate organ transplants require genetic modifications of donor
Nature News: The most-complex gene edits yet move pig organs closer to human transplant
How babies’ nasal immune systems could explain why they tend to have mild cases of COVID-19, and the molecular ‘glue’ that allows 3D printing with challenging materials.
Research Highlight: How the littlest children stop SARS-CoV-2 in its tracks
Research Highlight: 3D printing tackles tricky materials with help from tiny crystals
This time, the discovery that the human brain uses one system for estimating whether a group contains four or fewer items, and a different one for when there are five or more. Plus, we discuss how researchers fixed the Euclid telescope’s wobbles.
Nature News: Your brain finds it easy to size up four objects but not five — here’s why
Nature News: ‘Immense relief’: Universe-mapping Euclid telescope fixes problem that threatened mission
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In this Podcast Extra, two computer scientists, Shobhana Narasimhan and Sana Odeh, join Nature's Anne Pichon to discuss the barriers that women and gender-diverse people still face when working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
They share their experiences and perspectives on the challenges facing women in research, and reflect on potential ways to move forward.
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Satellites reflect sunlight down to Earth, and some do so with such intensity it risks obscuring astronomers' observations from ground-based telescopes. A paper in Nature suggests that the telecommunications satellite called BlueWalker 3 at times outshines most stars visible from Earth. Astronomers worry about the increasing number of such bright satellites making astronomy more difficult, and so the team suggest that future launches should undergo impact assessments.
Research article: Nandakumar et al.
Nature News: Huge new satellite outshines nearly every star in the sky
Analysis of carrot genomes reveals how the vegetable got its orange hue, and the self-healing diamond that can fix microscopic fractures.
Research article: Coe et al.
Research Highlight: Crack this kind of diamond, and it heals itself
Trilobites are a group of extinct marine arthropods distantly related to animals like crabs and spiders. Although found throughout the fossil record, little is known about the lives of this diverse group of animals. Now, a team has used powerful x-rays to peer inside a trilobite fossil and uncovered the contents of its last meal, over 400-million-years ago. This animal appears to have been an unfussy scavenger, gorging itself on a variety of small, shelled animals.
Research article: Kraft et al.
Flora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year’s science Nobel Prizes.
Nature News: Pioneers of mRNA COVID vaccines win medicine Nobel
Nature News: Physicists who built ultrafast ‘attosecond’ lasers win Nobel Prize
Nature News: Tiny ‘quantum dot’ particles win chemistry Nobel
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Australia's swamp tortoise is one of the most endangered species in the world. This species lives in wetlands that are under threat due to rising temperatures and a reduction in rainfall.
In an effort to save the tortoise, researchers are trialling a controversial strategy called assisted migration. This approach has seen captive-bred tortoises released in other wetlands some 330 kilometres south of where they are naturally found. The aim is to see whether the animals can tolerate cooler climates, and whether this new habitat might ensure the species’ future as the planet warms.
While many conservation biologists and land managers have long resisted the idea of assisted migration, attitudes are changing and other projects are beginning to test whether it can protect protect animals at risk from climate change.
This is an audio version of our Feature: These animals are racing towards extinction. A new home might be their last chance
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It has long been possible to create deceptive images, videos or audio to entertain or mislead audiences. Now, with the rise of AI technologies, such manipulations have become easier than ever. These deepfakes can spread misinformation, defraud people, and damage economies. To tackle this, researchers and companies are developing tools to find and label deepfakes, in an attempt to rob them of their potential to wreak havoc.
News Feature: How to stop AI deepfakes from sinking society — and science
Ultra-accurate measurement of Earth’s day-length using lasers, and the insect that amputates its own legs to survive the cold.
Research Highlight: How lasers detect day-length changes of a few milliseconds
Research Highlight: Snow-loving flies amputate their own legs for survival
Ancient stone tools are well preserved in the archeological record, and are used by researchers to understand the lives of ancient hominins. But other materials like wood are less common, since they will only preserve under specific conditions. Now researchers have found a trove of wooden artefacts in Zambia dated to be around 476,000 old. In particular, stacked timbers from the site could be the earliest known wooden structure, perhaps implying that ancient hominins had a greater capacity for woodworking than previously thought.
Research article: Barham et al.
News & Views: Hominins built with wood 476,000 years ago
Nature News: These ancient whittled logs could be the earliest known wooden structure
This week, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx successfully landed a capsule containing rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu. We talk with reporter Alex Witze, who was on the ground in Utah when the samples landed, to find out what these ancient rocks could reveal about the origins of the Solar System.
Nature News: Special delivery! Biggest-ever haul of asteroid dust and rock returns to Earth
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Cancer cells can spread to bones in the late stages of disease and in many cancers, cells actually preferentially metastasise to the spine. The reason for this has been a puzzle to researchers for years, but now a team has found a new kind of stem cell that may be involved in this process. The stem cell is found in mice and humans and could represent a clinical target in the treatment of cancer.
Research article: Sun et al.
News and Views: Stem cells provide clues to why vertebrae attract tumour cells
A preference for certain percussion instruments among palm cockatoos, and modelling where people wait on train platforms.
Research Highlight: This parrot taps out beats — and it custom-builds its instruments
Research Highlight: The maths of how we wait in crowded places
This time, a second trial shows the effectiveness of using MDMA to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder, and how an upgrade to an X-ray laser will let researchers make ultra-crisp ‘molecular movies’.
Nature News: Psychedelic drug MDMA moves closer to US approval following success in PTSD trial
Nature News: World’s most powerful X-ray laser will ‘film’ chemical reactions in unprecedented detail
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The modern world is held together by adhesives, but these fossil-fuel derived materials come at an environmental cost. To overcome this, a team have developed a soya-oil based adhesive, which also takes inspiration from the proteins that marine animals like mussels use to stick firmly to rocks. The researchers say their glue is strong, reversible, and less carbon intensive to produce than existing adhesives.
Research article: Westerman et al.
Why chemicals derived from wood could be sustainable alternatives to a common plastic building block, and how historical accounts helped researchers estimate the brightness of a 1859 solar flare.
Research Highlight: Wood component yields useful plastics — without the health risks
Research Highlight: A historic solar flare’s huge intensity is revealed by new tools
Around the world, millions of children are affected by malnutrition, which can result in stunting or wasting, both associated with serious health issues. Despite a widespread recognition of the seriousness of stunting and wasting, there are still questions about their extent, causes and consequences. To answer these, a team have pooled data from previous studies, and show that nutritional interventions targeting the earliest years of life could have the greatest impact.
Research article: Benjamin-Chung et al.
Research article: Mertens et al.
Research article: Mertens et al.
Nature Collection: Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals
This time, what rejoining the Horizon Europe research-funding programme means for UK research, and the 1.4-million-year-old stone balls that are mystifying scientists.
Nature News: Scientists celebrate as UK rejoins Horizon Europe research programme
Science: Were these stone balls made by ancient human relatives trying to perfect the sphere?
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Around 900,000 years ago the ancestors of modern humans were pushed to the brink of extinction, according to new research. Genetic studies suggest that the breeding population of our ancestors in Africa dropped to just 1,280 and didn’t expand again for another 117,000 years. This population crash would likely have had an impact on human genetic diversity, and may have driven the evolution of important features of modern humans, such as brain size.
Nature News: Human ancestors nearly went extinct 900,000 years ago
Poor historical waste practices have left high levels of pollution around Antartica’s research facilities. By surveying the seafloor near Australia’s Casey research station, researchers have revealed high concentrations of hydrocarbons and heavy metals.This pollution is likely to be widespread, but its impact on the continent is unknown.
Nature News: Antarctic research stations have polluted a pristine wilderness
Persistently low levels of sea-ice around Antarctica have caused emperor penguins to abandon their breeding colonies early, resulting in the death of large numbers of chicks. Although the affected populations only represent a small number of the total emperor penguins on the continent, it’s unclear how they’ll fare if trends in sea-ice melt continue.
Science: Emperor penguins abandon breeding grounds as ice melts around them
Researchers have developed an artificial-intelligence that can describe how compounds smell by analysing their molecular structures. The system’s description of scents are often similar to those of trained human sniffers, and may have applications in the food and perfume industries. Currently the AI works on individual molecules, and is unable to identify the smells associated with complex combinations of molecules, something humans noses do with ease.
Nature: AI predicts chemicals’ smells from their structures
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Oxygen 28 is an isotope of oxygen with 20 neutrons and eight protons. This strange isotope has long been sought after by physicists, as its proposed unusual properties would allow them to put their theories of how atomic nuclei work to the test. Now, after decades of experiments physicists believe they have observed oxygen 28. The observations are at odds with theory predictions, so they imply that there’s a lot more physicists don’t know about the forces that hold atomic nuclei together.
Research article: Kondo et al.
News and Views: Heaviest oxygen isotope is found to be unbound
How venus fly traps can protect themselves from wildfires, and a ball-point pen that can ‘write’ LEDs.
Research Highlight: Venus flytraps shut their traps when flames approach
Research Highlight: A rainbow of LEDs adorns objects at the stroke of a pen
AIs have been beating humans at games for years, but in these cases the AI has always trained in exactly the same conditions in which it competes. In chess for example, the board can be simulated exactly. Now though, researchers have demonstrated an AI that can beat humans in a place where simulation can only take you so far, the real world. The Swift AI system is able to race drones against champion-level humans, and beat them most of the time. The researchers hope this research can help improve the efficiency of drones in general.
Research article: Kaufmann et al.
News and Views: Drone-racing champions outpaced by AI
Video: AI finally beats humans at a real-life sport - drone racing
This time, the Indian Space Research Organization’s successful moon landing, and the low level of support offered to researchers whose first language isn’t English by journals.
Nature News: India lands on the Moon! Scientists celebrate as Chandrayaan-3 touches down
Nature News: Scientists who don’t speak fluent English get little help from journals, study finds
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Investigations suggest that, in some fields, at least one-quarter of clinical trials might be problematic or even entirely made up. Faked or unreliable trials are dangerous, as they could end up being included in the reviews that help inform clinical treatments. However, the extent of the problem in unclear, and many researchers urge stronger scrutiny.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Medicine is plagued by untrustworthy clinical trials. How many studies are faked or flawed?
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People with certain neurological conditions can lose the ability to speak as a result of facial paralysis. This week, two teams demonstrate the potential of devices called brain-computer interfaces to help people in these situations communicate. These interfaces work by identifying the brain activity associated with the intent to say words, and converting this activity into speech-related outputs, such as text or audio. Both devices show marked improvements compared with previous interfaces, and show that the technology could represent a way to help restore communication to people with severe paralysis.
Research article: Metzger et al.
Research article: Willett et al.
News and Views: Brain implants that enable speech pass performance milestones
How wind-tunnel experiments could help athletes run the fastest marathon ever, and an analysis that could help explain why birds are the colours they are.
Research Highlight: Physicists find a way to set a new marathon record
Research Highlight: Which birds are drab and which dazzle? Predators have a say
As the climate warms, tropical forests around the world are facing increasing temperatures. But it’s unknown how much the trees can endure before their leaves start to die. A team has combined multiple data sources to try and answer this question, and suggest that a warming of 3.9 °C would lead to many leaves reaching a tipping point at which photosynthesis breaks down. This scenario would likely cause significant damage to these ecosystems’ role in vital carbon storage and as homes to significant biodiversity.
Research article: Doughty et al.
This time, a reexamination of Ötzi the iceman’s DNA suggests he had a different appearance, and the failure of a Russian mission to the moon.
Nature News: Ötzi the Iceman has a new look: balding and dark-skinned
Nature News: Russian Moon lander crash — what happened, and what’s next?
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Exactly how animals sense Earth’s magnetic field has long eluded researchers. To understand it, many have turned to the fly model Drosophila melanogaster, long thought to be able to detect magnetic fields. However, a recent Nature paper has raised questions about this ability, a finding that could have repercussions for scientists’ efforts to understand the mechanism behind magnetic sensing, one of the biggest questions in sensory biology.
Research article: Bassetto et al.
News & Views: Replication study casts doubt on magnetic sensing in flies
The world’s first filter feeder, and human-caused climate change in the Bronze Age.
Research Highlight: This ancient reptile wanted to be a whale
Research Highlight: Bronze Age deforestation changed Europe’s climate
This week the famed Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico shut down. The facility’s main telescope collapsed in 2020 and the site has since been battered by storms and pandemic-related shutdowns. Now, with funding exhausted and no clear plan in place, scientists are wondering what will become of the site.
Nature News: Closing down an icon: will Arecibo Observatory ever do science again?
This time, the Standard Model of physics still isn't dead according to new measurements of muons' magnetic moment, and finding the most diverse habitat on Earth under your feet.
Nature News: Dreams of new physics fade with latest muon magnetism result
The Guardian: More than half of Earth’s species live in the soil, study finds
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A perfect storm of factors has led to huge racial disparities in maternal healthcare. In the USA, as abortion clinics continue to close, this inequity is projected to widen. In this podcast from Nature and ScientificAmerican, we hear from leading academics unpacking the racism at the heart of the system. From the historical links between slavery and gynaecology to the systematic erasure of America’s Black midwives. What is behind the Black maternal mortality crisis, and what needs to change?
Read more of Nature's coverage of racism in science.
Read full list of sources here
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With repeated humanitarian crises displacing millions of people, researchers have been considering how this might affect acceptance of refugees. Will some refugees be more welcome than others? Will continued movements erode support for refugees overall? To answer these questions, a huge study looks at the attitudes of 33,000 people from 15 European countries towards refugees. They find that overall support for refugees has slightly increased, although some characteristics, such as ability to speak the language of the country they’re settling in, are preferred. They hope this research will help policymakers to respond to stresses on the asylum system.
Research article: Bansak et al.
The unusual feeding grounds of the pygmy right whale, and the JWST spots a possible quasar from the early Universe.
Research Highlight: An enigmatic little whale’s habits, from its own mouth
Research Highlight: JWST spots what could be a quasar from the early Universe
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how designing shapes to roll down wiggly lines has implications for quantum physics, and a settlement for the family of Henrietta Lacks.
Research Article: Sobolev et al.
Video: These shapes roll in peculiar ways thanks to new mathematics
Nature News: How the ‘groundbreaking’ Henrietta Lacks settlement could change research
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In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, physicist Athene Donald joins us to discuss her book Not just for the boys, why we need more women in science.
We discuss how science has historically excluded women, the barriers to entry and retention that remain prevalent, and what could be done to improve the situation for female scientists today.
Not Just for the Boys: Why We Need More Women in Science, Athene Donald, Oxford University Press (2023)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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Neuroscientists are creating more naturalistic experiments that they hope will provide a more nuanced understanding of animal — and human — behaviour.
These set-ups differ from the classic laboratory experiments that have been used for decades, and may help in the understanding of behaviours such as escaping a predator or finding scarce food. By studying these natural actions, scientists are hoping to glean lessons about the brain and behaviour that are more holistic and more relevant to everyday activity than ever before.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Lab mice go wild: making experiments more natural in order to decode the brain
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Societies are becoming increasingly polarized, with people reportedly shunning those with differing political views. Social media is often thought to be exacerbating these divides, by creating echo chambers and filtering out dissimilar views. Many hoped that tweaking the algorithms that drive these platforms could reduce polarization. But, a group of studies show that such changes have little to no affect on polarization, implying that solutions to this issue are trickier than previously thought.
Research Article: Nyhan et al.
News and Views: Influence of Facebook algorithms on political polarization tested
News: Tweaking Facebook feeds is no easy fix for polarization
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There are many methods for better night-vision, but often these rely on enhancing light, which may not be present, or using devices which can interfere with one another. One alternative solution is to use heat, but such infrared sensors struggle to distinguish between different objects. To overcome this, researchers have now combined such sensors with machine learning algorithms to make a system that grants day-like night-vision. They hope it will be useful in technologies such as self-driving cars.
Research article: Bao et al.
News and Views: Heat-assisted imaging enables day-like visibility at night
Benjamin Franklin’s anti-counterfeiting money printing techniques, and how much snow is on top of Mount Everest really?
Research Highlight: Ben Franklin: founding father of anti-counterfeiting techniques
Research Highlight: How much snow is on Mount Everest? Scientists climbed it to find out
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the cost to scientists of English not being their native language, and the mysterious link between COVID-19 and type 1 diabetes.
Nature News: The true cost of science’s language barrier for non-native English speakers
Nature News: As COVID-19 cases rose, so did diabetes — no one knows why
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Schistosomiasis is a serious parasitic disease that affects millions of people, who become infected when they come into contact with contaminated water. To prevent the spread and reinfection of this disease, researchers trialled an environmental intervention that removed plants from lakes in Senegal. These plants act as food for freshwater snails – intermediate hosts for the disease. Results showed that this reduced disease levels, and that the plants could be composted to increase agricultural yields, suggesting this approach could be used to improve health and the economy.
Research article: Rohr et al.
News and Views: A sustainable way to control the parasitic disease schistosomiasis
How artificial intelligence can predict the art that people will find memorable, and the protein-based, shock-absorbing gel that can stop projectiles in their tracks.
Research Highlight: Memorable artworks are easy to predict
Research Highlight: Supersonic ‘bullets’ are softly captured by a protein gel
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, an update on Chandrayaan-3, India’s latest attempt to land a craft on the Moon - and birds that use anti-bird spikes to build nests.
Nature News: India's Moon lander successfully launches — but biggest challenge lies ahead
The Guardian: Crows and magpies using anti-bird spikes to build nests, researchers find
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A pair of scientists have produced a research paper in less than an hour with the help of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT. The aim of this exercise was to explore the technology’s ability to act as a research ‘co-pilot’ and spark debate about its use. While AI tools like ChatGPT have the potential to speed up research, it is still unclear what role they should play in research.
Nature News: Scientists used ChatGPT to generate an entire paper from scratch — but is it any good?
On Monday last week the average worldwide temperature reached 17.01 °C, beating a record set in 2016. Then, on Tuesday that record was broken again, as average temperatures hit 17.18 °C. Further record-breaking days may follow this year as a result of climate change, and the arrival of the El Niño weather phenomenon, which is expected to strengthen in the coming months.
Bloomberg: Earth Keeps Breaking Temperature Records Due to Global Warming
Nature News: El Niño is here — how bad will it be?
Injecting monkeys with the naturally occurring protein klotho can improve their cognition. Previous work had shown that elevated levels of the enzyme could improve cognitive functions in mice, now researchers have shown that injecting klotho into old rhesus macaques caused them to perform better in memory-related tasks. While the mechanism behind this effect is unclear, it’s hoped that the finding could ultimately lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases in humans.
Nature News: Anti-ageing protein injection boosts monkeys’ memories
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In 2016, researchers created a ‘minimal cell’ bacterium with a genome that only contains genes essential for the organism's survival. Any mutation in these genes could be fatal, so it was unclear whether there could be scope for evolution. But now, a team has grown this bacterium through 2,000 generations and shown that it does have the ability to evolve and can recover from some of the fitness costs associated with its streamlined genome.
Research article: Moger-Reischer et al.
Dolphins use ‘baby talk’ when talking to their offspring, and how microwaving plastic containers can release microplastic particles.
Research Highlight: Dolphin mums whistle ‘baby talk’ with their calves
Research Highlight: What happens when you microwave that plastic bowl?
Gravitational waves were first detected in 2015, when two black holes collided — sending ripples in space-time across the Universe. Last week, four separate research collaborations found signatures of a wholly different kind of gravitational wave, with unknown origins. Nature’s Davide Castelvecchi explains how these waves were detected, and what this could mean for researchers’ understanding of black holes and the history of the cosmos.
Nature News: Monster gravitational waves spotted for first time
Nature News: Giant gravitational waves: why scientists are so excited
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, new vaccine to protect Tasmanian devils against a deadly contagious cancer, and the ‘paradoxical’ palm that flowers and fruits underground.
Nature News: Tasmanian devil cancer vaccine approved for testing
The Guardian: ‘Mind-boggling’ palm that flowers and fruits underground thrills scientists
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In the past two years, there has been an explosion in the number of papers published relating to 'skeletal editing', a technique that allows chemists to precisely edit a molecule by deleting, adding or swapping single atoms in its core.
Although many of these methods are early in development, researchers hope skeletal editing could revolutionize how organic chemists design molecules, dramatically speeding up the drug-discovery process.
This is an audio version of our Feature: ‘Almost magical’: chemists can now move single atoms in and out of a molecule’s core
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Researchers have probed the brains of octopuses and confirmed previous reports suggesting that these invertebrates have a two-stage sleep cycle similar to that seen in many vertebrates. The team suggests this system may have evolved independently in the two groups, as there are millions of years of evolutionary history between them. However, despite its presumed importance, it is a mystery why this system exists at all.
Research article: Pophale et al.
Nature Video: Do octopuses dream? Brain recordings provide the first clues
A huge volcano eruption that caused the most extreme lightning ever recorded, and a paper-inspired fabric that can keep you warm and cool.
Research Highlight: Underwater volcano triggered the most intense lightning ever recorded
Research Highlight: Fabric warms or cools the body at the flick of a switch
Calorie-restricted diets often lead to rapid weight loss at first, but over time this can slow, or even reverse. This is due to the body adapting; slowing its metabolism to use energy more efficiently. Now though, researchers have identified a key hormone in mice that seems to prevent this slowdown, which could prove useful for people who wish to lose weight.
Research article: Wang et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the robot raspberry that teaches fruit-picking machines how to harvest, and an exoplanet without an atmosphere.
Nature Communications: Junge et al.
Nature Video: A robotic raspberry teaches machines how to pick fruit
Nature News: Life in the cosmos: JWST hints at lower number of habitable planets
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Loss of the Y chromosome in bladder cancer cells is associated with increased severity of disease, but the reasons behind this have been unclear. Now researchers show that the loss of this chromosome helps tumour cells evade the immune system. However, this mechanism also makes the cells more vulnerable to certain chemotherapy treatments, and the researchers hope their findings could help improve outcomes for patients in the future.
Research article: Abdel-Hafiz et al.
How pollution particles ferry influenza virus deep into the lungs, and why artificial lights could dazzle glow worms into extinction.
Research Highlight: Flu virus hitches a ride with haze particles deep into the lung
Research Highlight: Glow-worms’ ‘come-hither’ signals are lost in the glare of human lights
The cartilage in our joints is able to withstand and dissipate a lifetime of impacts, protecting our bones and muscles from damage. But the mechanical properties of cartilage have made it difficult to mimic, and developing synthetic cartilage to replace damaged tissue has proved challenging. Now a team has developed a protein-based material that shares some of cartilage’s characteristics, and shown its potential in helping heal damaged tissue.
Research article: Fu et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how early magnetic minerals might help explain why nature shows a preference for the ‘left handed’ or ‘right handed’ versions of certain molecules, and how human’s thirst for groundwater has made the North Pole drift.
Science: ‘Breakthrough’ could explain why life molecules are left- or right-handed
Nature News: Rampant groundwater pumping has changed the tilt of Earth’s axis
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Quantum computers have long held the promise of being able to perform tasks that classical computers can’t. However, despite this promise, there have been few applications that can only be accomplished by a quantum computer. Now though, researchers show that a quantum computer can resolve a physics problem concerning the orientation of quantum particles in a 2D material, which is difficult to accomplish with a ‘regular’ machine. They hope that this shows how quantum computers could be applied in real world research applications in the near future.
Nature News: IBM quantum computer passes calculation milestone
Research article: Kim et al.
News and Views: Quantum computer scales up by mitigating errors
How some bacteria turned their defences into weapons, and a forecast of how quickly arctic sea ice will disappear.
Research Highlight: Cholera bacteria turn slime into an offensive weapon
Research Highlight: The Arctic could go ice-free in less than a decade
Psychedelics are a group of drugs that affect perceptions of consciousness, and are of increasing interest in the treatment of conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction. However, a lot is unknown about how they affect the brain. Now, researchers have shown that these varied drugs may have a shared mechanism: making the brain more able to forge new connections between synapses. They hope that this will inform how best to use psychedelics in treatments.
Research article: Nardou et al.
News and Views: Timing is key for behavioural benefits of psychedelics
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time a study showing that the energy drink additive taurine increases the lifespans of several animals, and how much reformatting research papers is costing science.
Nature News: Taurine supplement makes animals live longer — what it means for people is unclear
Nature News: Revealed: the millions of dollars in time wasted making papers fit journal guidelines
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In mammals, infanticide is a relatively common behaviour, but not a default one. For example, virgin female mice will often kill young produced by other females, but this behaviour disappears when they become mothers themselves. To understand this switch, researchers have identified a brain circuit associated with infanticidal behaviour that gets switched off after mice give birth. They hope that by better understanding this circuit it could inform why animals engage in such behaviours.
Research article: Mei et al.
Research Briefing: A battle between neural circuits for infanticide and maternal-care behaviours
The cyclone raging at the north pole of Uranus, and the ants that build landmarks to help them find their way home.
Research Highlight: A storm is whirling atop Uranus
Research Highlight: These hardy ants build their own landmarks in the desert
The sun produces streams of plasma called solar wind that stretch out and provide a protective bubble around the solar system. However, despite decades of study, there’s much that isn’t known about how the Sun makes it. Now, a team has used data from the Parker Solar Probe and shown that the source of one sort of wind, known as ‘fast solar wind’, appears to be due to colliding magnetic fields that produce the huge amount of energy needed to fire plasma away from the Sun.
Research article: Bale et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time the origins of patriarchal societies, and the tiling pattern that never repeats itself.
BBC Futures: How did patriarchy actually begin?
Nature News: This infinite tiling pattern could end a 60-year mathematical quest
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Mapping the network of genes that control cellular processes can be difficult to do when gene-expression data is sparse, such as in rare diseases or those affecting tissues that are hard to clinically sample. To overcome this, a team has developed an artificial intelligence system trained on a large, general dataset, and used it to make predictions about gene interactions in data-limited situations. As a test-case they look at the heart condition cardiomyopathy, and show that the system can identify potential interactions that could represent new therapeutic targets.
Research article: Theodoris et al.
Microbes that can break down persistent ‘forever chemicals’, and why intermolecular distances are the key to keeping gummy sweets chewy.
Research Highlight: Microbes take the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’
Research Highlight: Better gummy sweets are within reach, thanks to physics
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how chronic stress can inflame the gut, and understanding how rocket launches might impact wildlife.
Nature News: Chronic stress can inflame the gut — now scientists know why
Nature News: Does the roar of rocket launches harm wildlife? These scientists seek answers
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Shocked by the impact of online misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, several researchers are launching efforts to survey scientists’ thinking on issues from vaccine safety to climate change. They hope that their projects will make scientific debate, and degrees of consensus, more visible and transparent, benefiting public conversation and policymaking. However, others suggest that these attempts might merely further politicize public debate.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Can giant surveys of scientists fight misinformation on COVID, climate change and more?
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Global demand for palm oil has resulted in huge expansion of the palm plantations needed to produce it, causing widespread tropical deforestation and species loss. To address this, researchers planted islands of native trees among the palms in a large plantation, and showed that this approach increases ecosystem health, without affecting crop yields. The team say that while protecting existing tropical rainforests should remain a priority, tree islands represent a promising way to restore ecosystems.
Research article: Zemp et al.
The oldest identified ‘blueprints’ depict vast hunting traps with extraordinary precision, and fossil evidence that pliosaurs swimming the Jurassic seas may have been as big as whales.
Research Highlight: Oldest known ‘blueprints’ aided human hunters 9,000 years ago
Research Highlight: This gigantic toothy reptile terrorized the Jurassic oceans
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how shredded nappies could partially replace sand in construction, and how CRISPR helped crack the mystery of the death cap mushrooms’s deadly toxin.
Nature News: World’s first house made with nappy-blended concrete
Nature News: Deadly mushroom poison might now have an antidote — with help from CRISPR
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Researchers have pointed the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at JD1, one of the universe's most distant known galaxies. The power of JWST has filled in some of the gaps in what was known about the galaxy, giving greater insight into its age, structure and composition. The team behind the work hope that learning more about how early galaxies like JD1 formed will help explain how the universe evolved into its present state.
Research article: Roberts-Borsani et al.
Why your choice of soap might make you irresistible to mosquitoes, and how tardigrade-inspired claws help tiny robots cling to blood-vessels.
Research Highlight: Your favourite soap might turn you into a mosquito magnet
Research Highlight: Claws like a tardigrade’s give swimming microrobots a grip
Fish that live in coral reefs are some of the fastest growing in the world, despite the environment they live in being relatively nutrient poor. This contradiction has long puzzled researchers, but now, a team has looked deep into the evolutionary history of the fish and discovered a critical point in time when they shifted towards faster growth, much earlier than was previously thought.
Research article: Siqueira et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the first frog thought to pollinate flowers, and a field-trial to vaccinate wild koalas against chlamydia.
Scientific American: This Frog May Be the First Amphibian Known to Pollinate Flowers
Associated Press: Koalas are dying from chlamydia. A new vaccine effort is trying to save them
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Many researchers have been critical of the biases that the publication process can introduce into science. For example, they argue that a focus on publishing interesting or significant results can give a false impression of what broader research is finding about a particular field.
To tackle this, some scientists have championed the publication of Registered Reports. These articles split the peer review process in two, first critically assessing the methodology of a research study before data is collected, and again when the results are found. The idea being to encourage robust research regardless of the outcome.
In this episode of Nature's Take we discuss Nature's recent adoption of the format, the pros and cons of Registered Reports, and what more needs to be done to tackle publication bias.
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The first draft of the human genome ushered in a new era of genetics research. Since its publication, researchers have constructed ever more accurate ‘reference genomes’ – baselines against which others are compared. But these are based on the DNA of a small number of people, and don’t represent the genetic variation known to exist across human populations. To address this, a consortium of researchers have published the first draft of a ‘pangenome’, which combines the genomes of 47 genetically diverse individuals. This draft provides a more complete picture of the human genome, and is the starting point for a project that aims to include sequences from 350 individuals.
Research article: Liao et al.
Research article: Vollger et al.
Research article: Guarracino et al.
News and Views Forum: Human pangenome supports analysis of complex genomic regions
A wearable sensor that lets users see infrared light, and how a vulture’s culture can influence its dining habits.
Research Highlight: Wearable sensor gives a glimpse of ‘invisible’ light
Research Highlight: What drives a scavenger’s diet? Vulture culture
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a new phosphate-storing organelle found in fruit fly cells, and how extracted DNA revealed who held a deer-tooth pendant 20,000 years ago.
Nature News: New cellular ‘organelle’ discovered inside fruit-fly intestines
Nature News: Prehistoric pendant’s DNA reveals the person who held it
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Nature’s Kerri Smith and Heidi Ledford join us to discuss two Features published in Nature looking at topics surrounding women’s health. The first looks at efforts to understand how menopause affects brain health, while the second takes a deep-dive into research funding and shows how conditions affecting women more than men receive less money.
Feature: How menopause reshapes the brain
Feature: Women’s health research lacks funding – these charts show how
The herb that could be a new source of cannabinoid compounds, and the vibrating crystal that confirms Schrödinger’s cat.
Research Highlight: Old and new cannabis compounds are found in an African herb
Research Highlight: Schrödinger’s cat is verified by a vibrating crystal
Stars have a finite lifespan, and for many their fate is to expand as they reach the end of their lives. It’s long been speculated that these growing stars will consume any planets in their way, but this process has never been seen directly. Now though, a chance observation led to a team catching a dying star in the act of eating a Jupiter-like planet in the distant Milky Way.
Research article: De et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a clearer image of the supermassive black hole M87*, and how elephant seals catch some shut-eye while diving.
Nature News: Black-hole image reveals details of turmoil around the abyss
New York Times: Elephant Seals Take Power Naps During Deep Ocean Dives
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Last year, researchers announced that the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab lowered the amount of amyloid protein plaques associated with the disease in the brains of participants in a clinical trial, and slowed their cognitive decline.
Now, researchers are looking to drug combinations, vaccines and gene therapy to tackle different stages of the disease, as they forge the next generation of treatments for the condition.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Conquering Alzheimer’s: a look at the therapies of the future
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When it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discovery. The story goes that her crucial data was taken by James Watson without her knowledge, helping him and Francis Crick solve the structure. However, new evidence has revealed that this wasn’t really the case. Rosalind Franklin was not a ‘wronged heroine’, she was an equal contributor to the discovery.
Comment: What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
How the growth of tiny iodine-engined satellites could damage the ozone layer, and how a pill-like detector that could measure radiotherapy dosages.
Research Highlight: How CubeSats could harm the ozone layer
Research Highlight: An easy-to-swallow pill monitors X-ray dosage
It’s recognized that multisensory experiences can create strong memories and that later-on, a single sensory experience can trigger memories of the whole event, like a specific smell conjuring a visual memory. But the neural mechanisms behind this are not well understood. Now, a team has shown that rich sensory experiences can create a direct neural circuit between the memory regions of fruit fly brains. This circuit increases memory strength in the flies, and helps explain how sense and memories are interlinked.
Research article: Okray et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how video calls could help parrots feel less isolated, and a new method for recycling wind turbine blades.
The Guardian: Parrots taught to video call each other become less lonely, finds research
Nature Video: How to recycle a wind turbine in a test tube
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Plastic waste is an enormous problem, with much of it being incinerated or ending up in landfill. One way to give plastics another life is to break them down into their individual components using heat, but this method yields low amounts of usable product. Now, a team demonstrates a proof-of-concept method of heating that wicks the plastic like a candle through a layer of carbon material. They show that this method is more efficient and could be an additional way of breaking down waste plastics.
Research article: Dong et al.
Physicists model the best way to soar on a playground swing, and how wearing ‘perfume’ helps male orchid bees find a mate.
Research Highlight: Physicists’ advice on how to swing high at the playground
Research Highlight: Better than Chanel: perfumed male bees draw more mates
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the runaway supermassive black hole that’s racing through the cosmos, and the bizarre genomes of yellow crazy ants.
Scientific American: Astronomers Spy a Giant Runaway Black Hole’s Starry Wake
Nature News: Crazy ants’ strange genomes are a biological first
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In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, psychologist Sander van der Linden joins us to discuss his new book Foolproof, which focuses on misinformation and what can be done to prevent people being duped, particularly by the falsehoods found online.
We discuss how misinformation messages are crafted, why they can be hard to shake once someone is exposed, and how Star Wars: Episode 3 helped in the fight against them…
Foolproof, Sander van der Linden, Fourth Estate (2023)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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Researchers have shown that the suckers of octopuses are covered with specialised receptors that allow them to taste by touching things. Similar receptors are also found in squid, but there are differences that mirror differences in the animals’ hunting behaviours; while octopuses feel for their prey, squid pull things towards themselves before deciding whether or not to eat it.
Research article: Kang et al.
Research article: Allard et al.
Nature video: How octopuses taste with their arms
How climate change has been linked to a devastating avalanche in the Italian Alps, and evidence of hallucinogenic drug use in prehistoric Europe.
Research Highlight: A glacier’s catastrophic collapse is linked to global warming
Research Highlight: Hair buried in a cave shows hallucinogen use in ancient Europe
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what climate scientists can learn from medieval descriptions of lunar eclipses; how to retrieve rock samples from the surface of Mars; and the ongoing debate about whether T. rex had lips.
Nature News: Medieval accounts of eclipses shine light on massive volcanic eruptions
Nature News: Mars rocks await a ride to Earth — can NASA deliver?
Nature News: Facelift for T. rex: analysis suggests teeth were covered by thin lips
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Supermassive black holes are found at the centre of galaxies across the universe. But observations of galaxies with more than one – caused by the merging of two galaxies – have been rare. Now, researchers have combined data from a number of telescopes and satellites, to reveal a pair of supermassive blackholes farther from Earth than any pair detected previously. They hope this will offer insights into how galaxies form.
Research article: Chen et al.
News and Views: Distant supermassive black holes spotted in galaxy merger
Why appetite can increase after dieting, and gliding mammals’ flight-associated genes.
Research Highlight: Can’t keep off lost weight? Blame your ‘hunger cells’
Research Highlight: How gliding mammals developed the flaps for ‘flight’
A team of researchers and clinicians report results of a clinical trial designed to test the ability of an AI to accurately interpret echocardiogram images – a technique frequently used to assess heart health. The results showed that the AI was as good at measuring a metric of cardiac function as a trained human, but was able to speed up the diagnosing process, suggesting this method could play a role in improving healthcare in future.
Research article: He et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we hear the ultrasonic sounds that stressed plants make, and discuss a 3D printed glass made from amino acids.
Nature News: Stressed plants ‘cry’ — and some animals can probably hear them
Nature News: 3D-printable glass is made from proteins and biodegrades
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Last month, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing an estimated 50,000 people. Two decades ago, researchers suggested that an earthquake in this area was likely, but exactly where and when it would strike were unknown.
This shows both the promise — and limitations — of the science of earthquake forecasting. Years of research suggest that it may be impossible to predict exactly when an earthquake will occur. As a result, many in the field have now shifted to identifying high risk fault segments to help policymakers take steps to avoid death and destruction.
This is an audio version of our Feature: What Turkey’s earthquake tells us about the science of seismic forecasting
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A team of researchers have repurposed tiny syringe-like structures produced by some bacteria to deliver molecules directly into human cells. They hope that this method could be used to overcome a big challenge in modern medicine, namely ensuring that therapeutics are delivered into the precise cells that need to be treated.
Research article: Kreitz et al.
News and Views: Mix-and-match tools for protein injection into cells
A diamond-like material could protect spacecraft from intense radiation, and how gene editing could help in the treatment of a rare genetic condition.
Research Highlight: A gem of a material could provide a shield for spacecraft
Research Highlight: Gene editing holds promise for babies with deadly immune disease
Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and it can be debilitating. Research into the condition has come a long way in the past few years, but this knowledge hasn’t necessarily resulted in better outcomes for those with chronic pain. Nature’s Lucy Odling-Smee has written a Feature article on the topic, and she joined us to discuss why this disparity exists, and about her own experiences of chronic pain.
News Feature: Chronic pain: the long road to discovery
Resources for chronic pain: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/chronic-pain;https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/pain/ways-to-manage-chronic-pain/
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out. You can find help through a suicide-prevention line: see https://findahelpline.com for information.
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Truly autonomous vehicles, ones that don't require a driver to be present and are driven by AI, aren't yet safe for public use. Part of the reason for this is it has been difficult to train them to deal with rare dangerous situations. Now researchers are unveiling a new approach to present lots of these infrequent events to the AI very rapidly, speeding up the training and testing process.
Research Article: Feng et al.
News and Views: Hazards help autonomous cars to drive safely
Video: The driving test for driverless cars
How bird-flu is adapting to mammals, and the effect of negative headlines.
Research Highlight: Bird-flu virus makes itself at home in Canada’s foxes and skunks
Research Highlight: It’s bad! Awful! Negative headlines draw more readers
Bats are known to tolerate a lot of viruses that are deadly to humans without much issue. With the ongoing pandemic, this has driven researchers to dive more into the world of bats in the hopes of applying bats' tolerance to humans. Reporter Smriti Mallapaty has been writing about this renewed interest and she joined us to tell us more.
News Feature: Bats live with dozens of nasty viruses — can studying them help stop pandemics?
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Researchers have engineered bacteria with synthetic genomes to be immune to viral infection. The team streamlined the bacteria’s genetic code, and re-engineered the protein-producing machinery to insert the wrong amino acid if used by a virus, effectively making the bacteria ‘speak’ a different language to any invaders. It’s hoped that this technique could be used to reduce unwanted sharing of genes from modified organisms.
Research article: Nyerges et al.
News & Views: Synthetic bacterial genome upgraded for viral defence and biocontainment
Estimating the methane output of an enormous wetland ecosystem, and how honeybees improve their dance moves with a little help from their elders.
Research Highlight: Methane from one of Earth’s largest wetland complexes is set to soar
Research Highlight: Watch them waggle: bees dance better after lessons from elders
Magnetic resonance imaging is a standard technique in clinical care. However many people, particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries have limited access to this technology. To address this, new types of smaller MRI scanners are being designed that are more affordable and practical for use in rural settings or small clinics. We hear from a researcher working on one of these systems about ways improve them and ensure they are available to all.
Comment: Five steps to make MRI scanners more affordable to the world
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how researchers have developed embryos from two male mice and new claims of room-temperature superconductivity.
News: The mice with two dads: scientists create eggs from male cells
Quanta Magazine: Room-Temperature Superconductor Discovery Meets With Resistance
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Smoke from the devastating Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 led to a reduction in ozone levels in the upper atmosphere, but it’s been unclear how. Now, a team proposes that smoke’s particulate matter can enhance the production of ozone depleting chemicals, matching satellite observations during the Australian fires. The results spark concerns that future wildfires, which are set to grow more frequent with ongoing climate change, will undo much of the progress towards restoration of the ozone layer.
Research article: Solomon et al.
News & Views: How wildfires deplete ozone in the stratosphere
A global analysis of bats reveals the species most likely to be hunted by humans, and the stem cells that allow deer antlers to regrow.
Research Highlight: Big bats fly towards extinction with hunters in pursuit
Research Highlight: Mice grow ‘mini-antlers’ thanks to deers’ speedy stem cells
Recent global crises have highlighted the fragility of the interconnected systems involved in getting food from farm to fork. However, siloed datasets have made it hard to predict what the exact impacts of these events will be. In a World View for Nature, researcher Zia Mehrabi argues that precise virtual models like those used in the aerospace industry should be developed for food systems. These so-called ‘digital twins’ could inform global food policy before emergencies unfold.
World View: Sims-style ‘digital twin’ models can tell us if food systems will weather crises
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what the stray dogs of Chernobyl could reveal about the effects of chronic radiation exposure, and the debate surrounding the fate of Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’.
News: What Chernobyl’s stray dogs could teach us about radiation
News: Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’ spark conservation row
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Anxiety can make the heart beat faster, but could the reverse be true as well? That question has been much debated, but hard to test. Now, a team has shown that artificially increasing a mouse’s heart rate can induce anxiety-like behaviours, and identified an area in the brain that appears to be a key mediator of this response. They hope that this knowledge could help to improve therapies for treating anxiety-related conditions in the future.
Research article: Hsueh et al.
News & Views: How an anxious heart talks to the brain
The chance discovery of the smallest rock seen so far in the Solar System, and the first brain recording from a freely swimming octopus.
Research Highlight: Asteroid photobombs JWST practice shots
Research Highlight: How to measure the brain of an octopus
In September 2022, NASA’s DART spacecraft smashed into a space rock known as Dimorphos, which orbits a near-Earth asteroid. The aim of the mission was to test whether asteroids could be redirected as a method to protect Earth against future impacts. This week, multiple papers have been published describing what researchers have learnt about the impact and its aftermath. Reporter Alex Witze joined us to round up the findings.
News: Asteroid lost 1 million kilograms after collision with DART spacecraft
Research article: Thomas et al.
Research article: Daly et al.
Research article: Li et al.
Research article: Cheng et al.
Research article: Graykowski et al.
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Twitter has become indispensable to many scientists. It is a place to share findings, raise their profile, and is even used as a source of data in many studies.
In recent months though, the site has been in turmoil after a swathe of policy changes in light of Elon Musk's takeover. Never a stranger to misinformation and abuse, these problems have reportedly gotten worse. Additionally, the ability to use Twitter as a source of data is in peril, and malfunctions are more commonplace.
In this episode of Nature's Take we discuss how these changes are affecting the platform and the knock-on effects on science.
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Imprinting is a quirk of the immune system in which someone’s initial exposure to a virus biases their immune response when they meet the same virus again.
Studies are showing how imprinting shapes people’s responses to SARS-CoV-2; those infected with earlier strains can mount weaker responses to a later Omicron infection.
This phenomenon is dampening the hope that variant-tailored boosters will markedly reduce transmission of the virus, although researchers agree that variant-tailored boosters are worth getting because they still provide some immunity, and prevent serious illness.
This is an audio version of our Feature: How your first brush with COVID warps your immunity
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To better visualise how electrons are ‘moving’ in materials, a team have developed the Quantum Twisting Microscope. This instrument puts two 2D layers of atoms into close contact, allowing them to interact, which can give useful information about their properties. The microscope can also rotate one of the layers, helping researchers look for so-called ‘magic angles’, where 2D materials like graphene can exhibit extraordinary properties.
Research article: Inbar et al.
News & Views: A twist in the bid to probe electrons in solids
How an extinct insect larvae’s prodigiously long ‘neck’ may have helped it hunt, and surveying the levels at which coastal cities are converting water into land.
Research Highlight: Extinct insects hunted like predatory giraffes
Research Highlight: Cities worldwide claw vast amounts of land from the sea
This week marks the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We discuss how science has fared in Ukraine over the past 12 months, and how international collaborations are shaping the future of research in the country.
News Feature: The fight to keep Ukrainian science alive through a year of war
Editorial: Rebuilding Ukrainian science can’t wait — here’s how to start
World View: Ukrainian science has survived against the odds — now let’s rebuild together
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the US Food and Drug Administration’s requirements to increase diversity in clinical trials, and research suggesting that snakes are better listeners than previously thought.
Nature News: FDA to require diversity plan for clinical trials
Science Alert: Snakes Can Hear You Better Than You Think
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In the past, increasing the speeds of electronics required designing smaller components, but further reductions in size are being hampered by increasing resistance. To get around this, researchers have demonstrated a ‘metadevice’, which prevents resistance building up by concentrating the flow of signals into specific regions of the device. The hope is that this meta-method could be used to create even smaller electrical components in the future.
Research article: Nikoo & Matioli
How waiting times for services are higher for people in the US with low incomes, and how your brain hears an alarm while you’re asleep.
Research Highlight: Who wastes more time waiting? Income plays a part
Research Highlight: Noise shatters deep sleep thanks to dedicated brain circuit
In the last ten years, levels of social media use and reported levels of mental health issues among adolescents have both increased. There is much concern that these trends are linked, but hard evidence has been hard to come by. So how can scientists get a better understanding of what’s going on? In a Comment article for Nature, researchers argue that, rather than lumping ‘young people’ into one homogeneous group, future studies should consider where they are in terms of their development, as this could influence the potential impacts of social media use.
Comment: How social media affects teen mental health: a missing link
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we discuss self-burying devices that can plant seeds in remote areas from the air, and scientists’ reactions to a talk by CRISPR-baby researcher He Jiankui.
Nature Video: This device corkscrews itself into the ground like a seed
Nature News: Disgraced CRISPR-baby scientist’s ‘publicity stunt’ frustrates researchers
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Quaoar is a small, rocky object that lies beyond Neptune’s orbit. In an unexpected discovery, researchers have shown that this object has its own orbiting ring, similar to those seen encircling planets like Saturn. However, Quaoar’s ring shouldn’t exist, as it is at a distance far outside the theoretical limit at which rings are thought to be stable, and researchers are trying to figure out why.
Research article: Morgado et al.
News and Views: A planetary ring in a surprising place
A repurposed skin-disease drug suppresses alcohol consumption in people with alcohol-use disorder, and how volcanic eruptions may have contributed to social unrest in ancient Egypt.
Research Highlight: Pill for a skin disease also curbs excessive drinking
Research Highlight: Volcanic quartet linked to bad times in ancient Egypt
Exposure to polluted air has been linked to millions of deaths each year. But while much is known about the sources and impacts of outdoor air pollution, significantly less is understood about the pollution that people are exposed to indoors, despite it causing a significant health burden. In a Comment article for Nature, a group of researchers argue for more research in order to inform future public health initiatives.
Comment: Hidden harms of indoor air pollution — five steps to expose them
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the discovery of a new type of ice, and how caffeine’s kick comes at a cost.
Nature News: Scientists made a new kind of ice that might exist on distant moons
The Conversation: Nope, coffee won’t give you extra energy. It’ll just borrow a bit that you’ll pay for later
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Mummification was a significant part of ancient Egyptian culture but, despite decades of research, much is unknown about the substances and methods used during the process. Now a team have analysed the contents of ceramic vessels uncovered in an embalming workshop that dates back to around 600 BC. The results reveal that some substances assumed to be a single thing were actually mixtures, while some came from far outside Egypt, providing a clearer picture of ancient mummification practices.
Research article: Rageot et al.
News and Views: Recipes for ancient Egyptian mummification
Modelling how fruit wrinkles as it ages, and a trove of ancient animal skulls suggest Neanderthals may have collected hunting trophies.
Research Highlight: A chilli’s wrinkles and a cherry’s dimples explained
Research Highlight: Neanderthals stashed dozens of animal skulls in a cave — but why?
CAR-T therapies are a type of cancer immunotherapy in which part of a person’s immune system – their T cells – are engineered to recognise and attack tumours. While these therapies have been shown to be effective at treating certain blood cancers, they are expensive and can have serious side effects. We hear about efforts to tackle these issues and even expand the range of diseases that CAR-T could be used to treat.
News Feature: The race to supercharge cancer-fighting T cells
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, why scientists need to agree on what time it is on the Moon, and the liquid-metal robots that can melt and re-form.
Nature News: What time is it on the Moon?
New Scientist: Metal robot can melt its way out of tight spaces to escape
Nature Video: The race to make a variant-proof COVID vaccine
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A new generation of anti-obesity medications are displaying striking results: drastically diminishing weight, without the serious side effects of previous medications.
These drugs have raised hopes the weight can be pharmacologically altered in a safe way, but some researchers are concerned about the drugs' high cost, and that these medications could feed into some societies' obsessions with thinness.
This is an audio version of our Feature: The ‘breakthrough’ obesity drugs that have stunned researchers
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Nerve damage is a common complication of diabetes, and can even lead to limb amputation. Thus far, the only way for people to slow its onset is by managing their diet and lifestyle. Now though, research in mice shows how the amino acid serine may be key to this nerve damage, suggesting a potential role for the molecule in future therapeutics.
Research article: Handzlik et al.
News and Views: Serine deficiency causes complications in diabetes
DNA from chickens is spreading to their wild relatives, and a hidden magma chamber is revealed beneath an underwater volcano.
Research Highlight: Chickens’ DNA is fouling the genomes of their wild relatives
Research Highlight: Underwater volcano near Greece is a sleeping menace
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time: how the Hubble Telescope is still helping scientists, and the multimillion-dollar trade of paper authorships.
Nature News: Why the Hubble telescope is still in the game — even as JWST wows
Nature News: Multimillion-dollar trade in paper authorships alarms publishers
Nature Video: Drowning in seaweed: How to stop invasive Sargassum
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Scientists have shown that a specially designed laser can divert the course of lightning strikes in a real-world setting. The team fired the laser into the sky above a communications tower high in the Swiss Alps and altered the course of four strikes. In future they hope that this kind of system could be used to protect large infrastructure, such as airports.
Research article: Houard et al.
News: This rapid-fire laser diverts lightning strikes
The crabs that lean on bacteria to detoxify sulfur from hydrothermal vents, and how a persons’ nasal microbes might exacerbate their hay fever.
Research Highlight: Crabs endure a hellish setting — with help from friends
Research Highlight: Plagued by hay fever? Blame your nasal microbes
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time: how “hot mixing” has helped ancient Roman concrete stand the test of time, and the first vaccine for honeybees shows promise.
Ars Technica: Ancient Roman concrete could self-heal thanks to “hot mixing” with quicklime
New York Times: U.S.D.A. Approves First Vaccine for Honeybees
Nature Video: 3D printing adds a twist with a novel nozzle
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In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on some science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing.
We’ll hear: how Brazil’s President Lula has started to make good on his pro-environment promises; a new theory for why giant ichthyosaurs congregated in one place; how glass frogs hide their blood; about a new statue honouring Henrietta Lacks; and why T. rex might have cooed like a dove.
Nature News: Will Brazil’s President Lula keep his climate promises?
Science News: Mysterious ichthyosaur graveyard may have been a breeding ground
The Atlantic: How Glass Frogs Weave the World’s Best Invisibility Cloak
BBC News: Statue of Henrietta Lacks will replace Robert E Lee
Books & Arts: The woman behind HeLa
Editorial: Henrietta Lacks: science must right a historical wrong
News: Wealthy funder pays reparations for use of HeLa cells
BBC Futures: What did dinosaurs sound like?
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In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2023. We'll hear about vaccines, multiple Moon missions and new therapeutics, to name but a few.
News: the science events to look out for in 2023
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In April, we heard how a team investigated whether switching from face-to-face to virtual meetings came at a cost to creativity. They showed that people meeting virtually produced fewer creative ideas than those working face-to-face, and suggest that when it comes to idea generation maybe it’s time to turn the camera off.
Nature Podcast: 27 April 2022
Research article: Brucks & Levav
Video: Why video calls are bad for brainstorming
The Black Death is estimated to have caused the deaths of up to 60% of the population of Europe. However, the origin of this wave of disease has remained unclear. In June, we heard from a team who used a combination of techniques to identify a potential starting point in modern-day Kyrgyzstan.
Nature Podcast: 15 June 2022
Research article: Spyrou et al.
Hippos’ habit of aggressively spraying dung when they hear a stranger, and why being far from humans helps trees live a long life.
Ten years ago, scientists announced that they’d found evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle first theorised to exist nearly sixty years earlier. We reminisced about what the discovery meant at the time, and what questions are left to be answered about this mysterious particle.
Nature Podcast: 06 July 2022
Nature News: Happy birthday, Higgs boson! What we do and don’t know about the particle
In this episode of Coronapod we investigated a radical new collaboration between 15 countries — co-led by the WHO, and modelled on open-science — that aims to create independent vaccine hubs that could supply the global south. This project was supported by the Pulitzer Center.
Coronapod: 29 July 2022
News Feature: The radical plan for vaccine equity
In September, we heard about the discovery of a skeleton with an amputated foot, dated to 31,000 years ago. The person whose foot was removed survived the procedure, which the researchers behind the find say shows the ‘surgeon’ must have had detailed knowledge of anatomy.
Nature Podcast: 07 September 2022
Research article: Maloney et al.
News and Views: Earliest known surgery was of a child in Borneo 31,000 years ago
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In the first of our festive songs, we celebrate some of the big space missions from this year: Artemis which aims to get people back to the moon, and DART which could help defend the Earth from meteor strikes.
In this year’s festive game, our competitors work together to try and figure out some Nature Podcast headlines where all the words have been removed. Find out how they get on…
Research Highlight: Why does fat return after dieting? The microbiome might have a hand
Research Highlight: Revealed: massive Maya structures built by vast labour forces
Every year, Nature’s 10 highlights some of the people who have shaped science. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2022 list.
In our final song this year, we imagine ourselves in a wintry lab thinking on genetic data from the Omicron variant of coronavirus…
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This week, a team of researchers working with the World Health Organization have used statistical modelling to estimate the number of excess deaths associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The work estimates that there were almost 15 million deaths either directly or indirectly attributed to the pandemic, almost three times higher than the official toll.
Research article: Msemburi et al.
News and Views: Global estimates of excess deaths from COVID-19
Editorial: Missing data mean we’ll probably never know how many people died of COVID
Why dinosaurs' tail clubs may actually have been used to battle rivals, and the ancient images that make up the earliest known narrative scene.
Research Highlight: Dinosaurs bashed each other with built-in tail clubs
Research Highlight: Prehistoric carvings are oldest known story sequence
Stark figures show that the representation of scientists from minority ethnic groups dwindles at each stage of UK academia. To get a sense of the issue and what can be done to tackle it, we spoke to Mahrukh Shameem, a PhD student and an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion.
News Feature: How UK science is failing Black researchers — in nine stark charts
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how the text-generating AI OpenGPT could spell the end for student essays, and what the successful test of NASA’s Orion capsule means for the Artemis programme.
Nature News: AI bot ChatGPT writes smart essays — should professors worry?
Nature News: NASA’s Orion Moon capsule splashes down! Here’s what’s next
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DNA recovered from ancient permafrost has been used to reconstruct what an ecosystem might have looked like two million years ago. Their work suggests that Northern Greenland was much warmer than the frozen desert it is today, with a rich ecosystem of plants and animals.
Research Article: Kjær et al.
Nature Video: The world's oldest DNA: Extinct beasts of ancient Greenland
Why low levels of ‘good’ cholesterol don’t predict heart disease risk in Black people, and how firework displays affect the flights of geese.
Research Highlight: ‘Good’ cholesterol readings can lead to bad results for Black people
Research Highlight: New Year’s fireworks chase wild geese high into the sky
While the global demand for plastics is growing, the manufacturing and disposal of these ubiquitous materials is responsible for significant CO2 emissions each year. This week, a team have modelled how CO2 emissions could vary in the context of different strategies for mitigating climate change. They reveal how under specific conditions the industry could potentially become a carbon sink.
Research Article: Stegmann et al.
News and Views: Plastics can be a carbon sink but only under stringent conditions
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In the second episode of Nature hits the books, science writer and broadcaster Gaia Vince joins us to talk about her new book Nomad Century, which looks at how climate change could render large parts of the globe uninhabitable, and how surviving this catastrophe will require a planned migration of people on a scale never seen before in human history.
Nomad Century, Gaia Vince, Allen Lane (2022)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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Ant larvae metamorphose into adults by pupating. It was assumed that these inert pupae don’t play a role in the wider ant colony, but a team of researchers have found that they actually secrete a fluid that is consumed by both adult ants and larvae. This fluid is rich in proteins and metabolites, and appears to be an important source of larval nutrition. These secretions have now been seen in the pupae of multiple ant species, suggesting it is an evolutionary ancient behaviour.
Research Article: Snir et al.
News and Views: A fluid role in ant society as adults give larvae ‘milk’ from pupae
Ancient chefs made bitter plants taste better by soaking and grinding, and an electric fishing-hook attachment that reduces accidental catches of sharks and rays.
Research Highlight: Prehistoric rubbish hints that early cooks cared about flavour
Research Highlight: Off the hook: electrical device keeps sharks away from fishing lines
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how analysing mosquito blood meals could reveal evidence of infection in people and animals, and how prolific data generation has driven the need for new metric unit prefixes.
Nature News: Mosquito blood meals reveal history of human infections
Nature News: How many yottabytes in a quettabyte? Extreme numbers get new names
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Big data is playing an increasingly important role in football, with technologies capturing huge amounts of information about players' positions and actions during a match.
To make sense of all this information, most elite football teams now employ data analysts plucked from top companies and laboratories. Their insights are helping to steer everything from player transfers to the intensity of training, and have even altered how the game is played.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Science and the World Cup: how big data is transforming football
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Satellite navigation has revolutionized how humans find their way. However, these systems often struggle in urban areas, where buildings can interfere with weak satellite signals. To counter this, a team has developed an alternative, satellite-free system, which could improve applications that require precise positioning in cities, such as self-driving cars.
Research Article: Koelemeij et al.
News and Views: Phone signals can help you find your way in cities even without GPS
How deforestation is the biggest threat to a rare lemur’s existence, and ultraviolet-activated molecules can kick-start plastic polymerization.
Research Highlight: This rare primate will not survive deforestation
Research Highlight: Lights, chemical reaction! Plastics take shape with help from UV light
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a survey reveals the challenges facing international postgraduate students, and the key takeaways from COP27.
Nature Careers: Obstacle race: the barriers facing graduates who study abroad
Nature News: COP27 climate talks: what succeeded, what failed and what’s next
New York Times: U.N. Climate Talks End With a Deal to Pay Poor Nations for Damage
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NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has successfully reached Earth orbit. After weeks of delays and issues, and a nail biting launch, the rocket marks the first step in a new era of moon exploration, with plans to test a new way to return astronauts to the moon. We caught up with reporter for all-things-space, Alex Witze, for the latest.
News: Lift off! Artemis Moon rocket launch kicks off new era of human exploration
The unlevel playing field in women’s football, and domed structures provide evidence for a biological origin of stromatolites.
Research Article: Okholm Kryger et al.
Research Article: Hickman-Lewis et al.
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that affects millions of people every year. Whilst the biggest risk factor of late-onset Alzheimer’s is age, there are a number of genes that have been implicated. How exactly these genes underpin this disease is unclear, but new research may now reveal how one of them does so, by affecting the myelination of neurons. The authors hope this work may help uncover treatments for Alzheimer’s.
Research Article: Blanchard et al.
News and Views: Alzheimer’s risk variant APOE4 linked to myelin-assembly malfunction
The second week of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference is underway, as policymakers and scientists try to come together to tackle climate change. Flora Graham, senior editor at Nature is in Egypt at the conference and we caught up with her for the latest.
News: ‘Actions, not just words’: Egypt’s climate scientists share COP27 hopes
News: Carbon emissions hit new high: warning from COP27
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Kathleen Folbigg has spent nearly 20 years in prison after being convicted of killing her four children. But in 2018, a group of scientists began gathering evidence that suggested another possibility for the deaths — that at least two of them were attributable to a genetic mutation that can affect heart function. A judicial inquiry in 2019 failed to reverse Folbigg’s conviction, but this month, the researchers will present new evidence at a second inquiry, which could ultimately spell freedom for Folbigg.
This is an audio version of our Feature: She was convicted of killing her four children. Could a gene mutation set her free?
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Heavy water is molecule very similar to H2O but with deuterium isotopes in the place of hydrogen atoms. Heavy water is useful in nuclear reactions, drug design and nutritional studies, but it's difficult to separate from normal water because they have such similar properties. Now, a team have developed a new separation method using tiny molecular cages, which they hope opens up more energy efficient ways to produce heavy water.
Research article: Su et al.
News and Views: A molecular flip-flop for separating heavy water
How dancers can feel the beat even when they can’t hear it, and how climate change might move desert dunes.
Research Highlight: Dancers pick up the pace on a bass beat — even though it’s inaudible
Research Highlight: Desert dunes pose more danger as Earth warms
Bridges are vital pieces of infrastructure but their structural health is hard to monitor, requiring either sophisticated sensors or intense surveying by human engineers. Now though, researchers have utilized large amounts of smartphone accelerometer data to check the health of the Golden Gate Bridge. They hope this new technique can be used to effectively and cheaply monitor bridges around the world.
Research Article: Matarazzo et al.
Communications Engineering special issue: Resilient Infrastructure
This week the 27th UN Climate Change Conference began, with world leaders, scientists and activists coming together to continue negotiations aimed at reining in global warming. Jeff Tollefson, senior reporter at Nature, joined us to talk about what’s been happening and what to expect, as the conference continues.
News: Climate change is costing trillions — and low-income countries are paying the price
News: As COP27 kicks off, Egypt warns wealthy nations against ‘backsliding’
News: COP27 climate summit: what scientists are watching
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Companies are offering genetic tests of embryos generated by in vitro fertilization that they say allow prospective parents to choose those with the lowest risk for diseases such as diabetes or certain cancers. However, some researchers are concerned about the accuracy and ethics of these tests.
This is an audio version of our Feature: The controversial embryo tests that promise a better baby
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It's long been assumed flies’ eyes don’t move, and so to alter their gaze they need to move their heads. Now, researchers have shown that this isn’t quite true and that fruit flies can actually move their retinas using a specific set of muscles, which may allow them to perceive depth. The team also hope that this movement may provide a window into some of the flies’ internal processes.
Research article: Fenk et al.
How the 80-year-old wreck of a sunken warship is influencing ocean microbes, and tracing an epilepsy-related gene variant back to a single person from 800 years ago.
Research Highlight: A ship sunk during the Second World War still stirs up the seabed
Research Highlight: Families on three continents inherited their epilepsy from a single person
The eyes of the world will be focused on the UN’s upcoming COP27 conference to see what governments will pledge to do to reduce global emissions. But there’s one sector of countries’ carbon outputs that remains something of a mystery: the emissions of their militaries. We speak to Oliver Belcher, one of a group of researchers who have written a Comment article for Nature, calling for better reporting and greater accountability for these military emissions.
Comment: Decarbonize the military — mandate emissions reporting
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time: efforts from Middle East countries to cut greenhouse-gas emissions while still supplying fossil fuels; the upcoming demise of NASA’s InSight spacecraft; and new estimates for how long bacteria could survive on Mars.
Nature News: The Middle East is going green — while supplying oil to others
Nature News: NASA spacecraft records epic ‘marsquakes’ as it prepares to die
New Scientist: Bacteria could survive just under Mars's surface for 280 million years
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When COVID-19 hit it didn't kill indiscriminately. In the US, being Black, Hispanic, or Native American meant you had a much greater risk of death than if you were white. And these disparities are mirrored across the world.
In this episode we explore the complex tale behind this disparity. Throughout history, racism and biases have been embedded within medical technology, along the clinicians who use it. Cultural concepts of race have been falsely conflated with biology. The way medicine is taught, has reinforced flawed stereotypes. Disease itself, has been racialised. All of this adds up to barriers to care and worse health outcomes for many people, just because of the colour of their skin.
Science and scientists have played an influential part in embedding such racism into medicine But by challenging received wisdom science too has the power to right wrongs, and work towards solutions.
Read more of Nature's coverage of racism in science.
Click here for our list of sources
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By analysing ancient DNA recovered from bone fragments found in two Siberian caves, researchers have identified a set of closely related Neanderthals: a father and daughter, as well as several other more-distant relatives. The work suggests that Neanderthal communities were small, and that females may have left their families to join other groups.
Research article: Skov et al.
News and Views: The first genomic portrait of a Neanderthal family
The robotic falcon that frightens nuisance flocks, and how climate change could lead to power loss in low-income households.
Research Highlight: Plagued by problem birds? Call RobotFalcon!
Research Highlight: Loss of power looms for some families as climate changes
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, assessing why women are cited less often than men in physics, and uncovering a long-lost star-map from ancient Greece.
Science: Women researchers are cited less than men. Here’s why—and what can be done about it
Nature News: First known map of night sky found hidden in Medieval parchment
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Brain organoids — lab-grown, self-organizing structures made of stem cells — are used in research to better understand brain development and disease progression. However, these structures lack connections seen in real brains, limiting their usefulness. To overcome this, a team has now transplanted human organoids into the brains of newborn rats, showing that these implanted organoids respond to stimuli and could influence the animals’ behaviour.
Research article: Revah et al.
News and Views: Human brain organoids influence rat behaviour
The subtle timing shift that gives jazz music its ‘swing’, and why hydrogen power could be a cost-effective way to reduce heavy industry emissions in China.
Research Highlight: What gives jazz its swing? A delay makes the difference
Research Highlight: Hydrogen could help China’s heavy industry to get greener
Wearable robotic exoskeletons that aid or enhance movement are fast becoming a reality, but there are challenges to overcome — to work best these devices frequently require careful calibration for their user using specialist equipment and time in a lab. Now, a team have created exoskeleton boots that can help people walk faster and more efficiently by learning and adapting to the wearer’s gait as they walk. They hope that this approach could be used to develop personalised assistive devices in the future.
Research article: Slade et al.
Nature Video: The robot boot that learns as you walk
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00:46 A virtual chemical library uncovers potential antidepressants
Certain psychedelic drugs are of interest to researchers due to their promising antidepressant effects. To help speed up the discovery of molecules with useful properties, researchers have built a virtual library of 75 million compounds related to these drugs. This approach yielded two molecules that showed antidepressant properties in mice, but without the hallucinogenic activity of psychedelic drugs.
Research article: Kaplan et al.
Research Briefing: Bespoke library docking for 5-HT2A receptor agonists with antidepressant activity
08:25 Research Highlights
Research suggests that ancient artificial island settlements were hubs of activity for society’s elite, and astronomers spot possibly the most luminous star ever observed.
Research Highlight: Ancient DNA suggests that artificial islands were party spots for the elite
Research Highlight: Scientists face down ‘Godzilla’, the most luminous star known
10:42 Nobel News
Flora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year’s Nobel Prizes.
Nature News: Geneticist who unmasked lives of ancient humans wins medicine Nobel
Nature News: ‘Spooky’ quantum-entanglement experiments win physics Nobel
Nature News: Chemists who invented revolutionary 'click' reactions win Nobel
Enter Nature’s ‘Scientist at Work’ photo competition, full details here
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The ongoing war in Ukraine has devastated the global economy, rocked geopolitics, killed thousands of people and displaced millions. Science too has been affected and the impacts on research are being felt more widely than just in Ukraine and Russia.
In this episode of Nature's Takes we discuss the war's impact on publishing, international collaborations, climate change and energy, and the destructive impacts on scientists themselves. And as the war continues, we consider the future of science in the face of a new political climate.
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At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries introduced strict lockdowns to help prevent spread of the disease. Since then, researchers have been studying the effects of these measures to help inform responses to future crises.
Conclusions suggest that countries that acted swiftly to bring in strict measures did best at preserving lives and their economies, but analysing the competing costs and benefits of lockdowns has been tough, as this work often comes down not to scientific calculations, but value judgements.
This is an audio version of our Feature: What scientists have learnt from COVID lockdowns
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00:45 Piecing together the early history of jawed vertebrates
A wealth of fossils discovered in southern China shed new light onto the diversity of jawed and jawless fish during the Silurian period, over 400 million years ago. Nature editor Henry Gee explains the finds and what they mean for the history of jawed vertebrates like us.
Research article: Zhu et al.
Research article: Gai et al.
Research article: Andreev et al.
Research article: Andreev et al.
News and Views: Fossils reveal the deep roots of jawed vertebrates
09:09 Research Highlights
Mice studies help explain why some people with a rare genetic condition have heightened musical abilities, and high-resolution images reveal how bees build honeycomb.
Research Highlight: How a missing gene leads to super-sensitivity to sound
Research Highlight: X-rays reveal how bees achieve an engineering marvel: the honeycomb
11:27 A lack of evidence in transgender policy making
Around the world, many laws are being proposed – and passed – regarding the rights of transgender people to participate in various aspects of society. We talk to Paisley Currah, who has written a World View for Nature arguing that these policies are frequently not backed up by data, and that policy affecting trans people’s lives needs to take a more evidence-based approach.
World View: To set transgender policy, look to the evidence
Watch our video about research trying to crack the nature of consciousness by dosing volunteers with psychedelic drugs and scanning their brains.
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In the US, where a person gained their PhD can have an outsized influence on their future career. Now, using a decade worth of data, researchers have shown there are stark inequalities in the hiring process, with 80% of US faculty trained at just 20% of institutions.
Research article: Wapman et al.
How wildlife can influence chocolate production, and the large planets captured by huge stars.
Research Highlight: A chocoholic’s best friends are the birds and the bats
Research Highlight: Giant stars turn to theft to snag jumbo planets
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what science says about grieving for a public figure, and why suburban Australians are sharing increasingly sophisticated measures to prevent cockatoos from opening wheelie bins.
Nature News: Millions are mourning the Queen — what’s the science behind public grief?
The Guardian: ‘Interspecies innovation arms race’: cockatoos and humans at war over wheelie bin raids
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For years researchers have been interested in creating artificial cells, as they could be useful for manufacturing compounds and understanding how life works. Now a new method shows how this can be accomplished using polymer droplets that integrate components of burst bacteria. The synthesised cells are able to perform translation and transcription and have several features that resemble real cells, like a proto-nucleus and a cytoskeleton.
Research article: Xu et al.
News and Views: Life brought to artificial cells
A mysterious ancient creature identified from its vomit, and the combination of immunity, diet and bacteria that could protect from metabolic disorders.
Research Highlight: The Jurassic vomit that stood the test of time
Research Highlight: A sugary diet wrecks gut microbes — and their anti-obesity efforts
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, research on the safety of three-person embryos, and the gene that gave our ancestors an edge over neanderthals.
Nature News: Embryos with DNA from three people develop normally in first safety study
Nature News: Did this gene give modern human brains their edge?
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A skeleton with an amputated foot discovered in Borneo has been dated to 31,000 years ago, suggesting that complex surgery might be much older than previously thought. The person whose foot was removed survived the procedure, which the researchers behind the find say shows the ‘surgeon’ must have had detailed knowledge of anatomy, and likely had access to antiseptic compounds.
Research article: Maloney et al.
News and Views: A surgical dawn 31,000 years ago in Borneo
Mummified reptiles hint at severe drought 250 million years ago, and mapping avalanche risk in remote locations.
Research Highlight: Quick-dried Lystrosaurus ‘mummy’ holds clues to mass death in the Triassic
Research Highlight: Avalanches in remote peaks are revealed with old satellites’ aid
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how extreme heat has likely contributed to Pakistan’s devastating floods, and what the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed about exoplanets so far?
Nature News: Why are Pakistan’s floods so extreme this year?
Nature News: Webb telescope wows with first image of an exoplanet
Nature News: Webb telescope spots CO2 on exoplanet for first time: what it means for finding alien life
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The development of brain chimaeras – made up of human and animal neurons – is an area of research that has hugely expanded in the past five years. Proponents say that these systems are yielding important insights into health and disease, but others say the chimeras represent an ethical grey zone, because of the potential to blur the line between humans and other animals, or to recapitulate human-like cognition in an animal.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Hybrid brains: the ethics of transplanting human neurons into animals
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Although water is an excellent solvent, it’s limited in its ability to dissolve gasses. To overcome this a team have developed ‘porous water’ containing tiny cages that can hold large numbers of gas molecules. The team suggest that this technology could have multiple medical applications, including in the development of artificial blood.
Research article: Erdosy et al.
News and Views: Suspended pores boost gas solubility in water
Synthetic ‘nerves’ help mice to walk, and planets orbiting a star that’s due to go supernova.
Research Highlight: Stretchy synthetic nerve helps mice give ball a mighty kick
Research Highlight: A massive planet circles a huge star doomed to explode
One of humanity's defining characteristics is our ability to walk on two legs. However, when this ability evolved remains a mystery. A paper out this week suggests that the species Sahelanthropus tchadensis was walking on two legs seven million years ago – but others dispute these findings. We hear about the research and the debate surrounding it.
News: Seven-million-year-old femur suggests ancient human relative walked upright
Research article: Daver et al.
News and Views: Standing up for the earliest bipedal hominins
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, modelling an enormous, extinct megalodon shark, and a potential way to break down ‘forever chemicals’.
The Guardian: Ancient megalodon shark could eat a whale in a few bites, research suggests
Nature News: How to destroy ‘forever chemicals’: cheap method breaks down PFAS
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For decades, scientists have debated whether protons have ‘intrinsic charm’, meaning they contain elementary particles known as charm quarks. Now, using machine learning to comb through huge amounts of experimental data, a team have shown evidence that the charm quark can be found within a proton, which may have important ramifications in the search for new physics.
Research article: The NNPDF Collaboration
News and Views: Evidence at last that the proton has intrinsic charm
How sea sponges ‘sneeze’ to clean their filters, and why bonobos’ infantile behaviour helps them receive consolation after conflict.
Research Highlight: How a sponge ‘sneezes’ mucus: against the flow
Research Highlight: Bonobo apes pout and throw tantrums — and gain sympathy
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the repeated evolution of the crab body-shape, and why demanding work can lead to mental fatigue.
Discover: Evolution Only Thinks About One Thing, and It’s Crabs
Nature News: Why thinking hard makes us feel tired
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In this first episode of Nature's Take, we get four of Nature's staff around microphones to get their expert take on preprints. These pre-peer-review open access articles have spiked in number over recent years and have cemented themselves as an integral part of scientific publishing. But this has not been without its issues.
In this discussion we cover a lot of ground. Amongst other things, we ask whether preprints could help democratise science or contribute to a loss of trust in scientists. We pick apart the relationship between preprints and peer-reviewed journals and tackle some common misconceptions. We ask how preprints have been used by different fields and how the pandemic has changed the game. And as we look to the future, we ask how preprints fit into the discussion around open access and even if they could do away with journals all together.
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Cold exposure in mice activates brown fat to deny tumours glucose, and the future of extreme heatwaves.
00:45 How cold temperatures could starve tumours
A team of researchers have found that exposing mice to the cold could starve tumour cells of the blood glucose they need to thrive. They showed that the cold temperatures deprived the tumours of fuel by activating brown fat – a tissue that burns through glucose to keep body temperature up. The team also showed preliminary evidence of the effect occurring in one person with cancer, but say that more research is needed before this method can be considered for clinical use.
Research article: Seki et al.
08:59 Research Highlights
Evidence of the world’s southernmost human outpost from before the Industrial Revolution, and how jumping up and down lets canoes surf their own waves.
Research Highlight: Bones and weapons show just how far south pre-industrial humans got
Research Highlight: How jumping up and down in a canoe propels it forwards
11:24 The future of extreme heatwaves
Climate scientists have long warned that extreme heat and extreme heatwaves will become more frequent as a result of climate change. But across the world these events are happening faster, and more furiously, than expected, and researchers are scrambling to dissect recent heatwaves to better understand what the world might have in store.
News Feature: Extreme heatwaves: surprising lessons from the record warmth
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By looking at data gathered from billions of Facebook friendships, researchers have shown that having more connections with people from higher income groups could increase future incomes by 20%. They also show how such connections can be formed, and how schools and other institutions could help to improve peoples’ opportunities in the future.
Research Article: Chetty et al.
Research Article: Chetty et al.
News and Views: The social connections that shape economic prospects
How balloons could help measure quakes on Venus, and the parasitic fungus that tricks flies into mating with fly corpses.
Research Highlight: Balloon flotilla detects an earthquake from high in the sky
Research Highlight: The fungus that entices male flies to mate with female corpses
When someone dies, tissues start to irreversibly degrade, but recently this irreversibility has been brought into question by studies showing that some organs can be partially revived several hours after death. Now, working in pigs, researchers have shown it is possible to revive the functions of several organs at once. This could pave the way for improved organ transplantation, but ethicists advise caution.
Research Article: Andrijevic et al.
News and Views: Improved organ recovery after oxygen deprivation
News: Pig organs partially revived in dead animals — researchers are stunned
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Inequity has been a central feature of the COVID19 pandemic. From health outcomes to access to vaccines, COVID has pushed long-standing disparities out of the shadows and into the public eye and many of these problems are global. In this episode of Coronapod we dig into a radical new collaboration of 15 countries - co-led by the WHO, and modelled on open-science. The project, called the mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub, aims to create independent vaccine hubs that could supply the global south, and take on the giants of the pharmaceutical industry in the process. But the road ahead is long - the challenges are complex and numerous, and the odds are stacked against them. But at a time when stakes couldn't be higher, momentum is building and if successful, the tantalising possibility of an end to a dangerous legacy of dependence looms. Can it be done? And if so, what needs to change to make it happen? We ask these questions and more.
News Feature: The radical plan for vaccine equity
This project was supported by the Pulitzer Center.
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Humans have been drinking milk for thousands of years, but it seems that they were doing so long before the ability to digest it became prevalent. Then around 2000 years ago, this ability became common in Europe, presenting a mystery to researchers – why then? Now by analyzing health data, ancient DNA, and fats residues from thousands of ancient pots, scientists have worked out what caused this trait to suddenly spread throughout Europe.
Research Article: Evershed et al.
News and Views: The mystery of early milk consumption in Europe
How genes stolen from outside the animal kingdom have altered insects’ abilities, and a dormant black hole beyond the Milky Way gives insights into these objects' origins.
Research Highlight: Genes purloined from across the tree of life give insects a boost
Research Highlight: A quiet black hole whispers its origin story
Ketamine has shown great promise as a fast-acting antidepressant, but there have been concerns about the risks of addiction relating to this therapeutic use. Now, a team have looked in mice to see whether ketamine causes the behavioural and neuronal changes characteristic of addictive substances. They find that ketamine likely has a low addiction risk, which could inform future prescribing decisions in humans.
Research article: Simmler et al.
News and Views: A short burst of reward curbs the addictiveness of ketamine
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a report shows a significant decline in Australia’s environment and ecosystems, and how adding a gene greatly increases rice yield.
The Conversation: This is Australia’s most important report on the environment’s deteriorating health. We present its grim findings
Science: Supercharged biotech rice yields 40% more grain
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The evolution of ‘warm bloodedness’ allowed mammals to live in a more diverse range of habitats, but working out when this occurred has been difficult. To try and pin down a date, researchers have studied the fossilised remains of ancient mammals' inner ears, which suggest that this key evolutionary leap appeared around 230 million years ago.
Research Article: Araujo et al.
News and Views: Evolution of thermoregulation as told by ear
A new surgical glue that’s both strong and easy to remove, and southern fin whales return to Antarctica after being hunted to near extinction.
Research Highlight: This adhesive bandage sticks strongly — even to hairy skin
Research Highlight: A feeding frenzy of 150 whales marks a species’ comeback
Hydrogen dependent CO2 reductase is an enzyme that can convert CO2 from the air into formic acid that can be used as fuel. It also does this extremely efficiently, but nobody has been quite sure how. Now researchers have an idea based on a detailed structural analysis.
Research Article: Dietrich et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the findings of some big biodiversity reports, and how woodpeckers don’t end up with headaches from their pecking.
Nature News: More than dollars: mega-review finds 50 ways to value nature
Nature News: Major wildlife report struggles to tally humanity’s exploitation of species
Science: Contrary to popular belief, woodpeckers don’t protect their brains when headbanging trees
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To understand the history of the Earth’s climate, researchers often rely on things like ice cores, which contain layered frozen insights of thousands of years of history. However, in the tropics long-term records like these have been absent. Now researchers have uncovered a sediment core in Peru which reveals around 700,000 years of climatic history.
Research Article: Rodbell et al.
News and Views: Sediment study finds the pulse of tropical glaciers
The biological ‘helmets’ that protect shrimp from themselves, and why the colour of wine bottles matters.
Research Highlight: ‘Helmets’ shield shrimp from their own supersonic shock waves
Research Highlight: Why white wine in plain-glass bottles loses its bouquet
After more than two decades of development, the James Webb Space Telescope has broadcast its first images in spectacular detail. We discuss how we got here, what’s next and what these images mean for science.
News: Stunning new Webb images: baby stars, colliding galaxies and hot exoplanets
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we discuss a crystal made out of starfish embryos.
Video: How starfish embryos become living crystals
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In this Podcast Extra, Nature's Lizzie Gibney and Federico Levi take a deep-dive into the Higgs boson, describing their experiences of its discovery, what the latest run of the Large Hadron Collider might reveal about the particle's properties, and what role it could play in potential physics beyond the standard model.
Nature News: Happy birthday, Higgs boson! What we do and don’t know about the particle
Nature Editorial: Particle physics isn’t going to die — even if the LHC finds no new particles
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Since early in the pandemic, scientists have searched for signals of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by sampling wastewater. This surveillance method has provided vital information to inform public health responses. But the approach has never been particularly specific - pointing to broad trends rather than granular information such as which variants are spreading where. But now a team from the University of California have created two new tools to sample waste water in much greater detail - and spot variants and their relative concentrations up to two weeks faster than testing-based surveillance methods. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss the paper and ask how a system like this could help countries around the world respond to the COVID pandemic and beyond.
News: COVID variants found in sewage weeks before showing up in tests
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Ten years ago this week, scientists announced that they’d found evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle first theorised to exist nearly sixty years earlier.
To celebrate this anniversary, we reminisce about what the discovery meant at the time, and what questions are left to be answered about this mysterious particle.
Nature News: Happy birthday, Higgs boson! What we do and don’t know about the particle
Nature Editorial: Particle physics isn’t going to die — even if the LHC finds no new particles
Clever clothes that can cool or warm the wearer, and finding hidden DNA from the endangered red wolf.
Research Highlight: ‘Smart’ clothing flexes to provide relief from the heat
Research Highlight: ‘Ghost’ DNA from the world’s rarest wolves lingers in coyotes
Stuttering is a speech condition that affects around 70 million people worldwide, which can make things like speaking in public, or even one-on-one incredibly daunting. We hear the experiences of one researcher of stuttering, who also has a stutter, as they explain the best way to offer support to others.
Careers Feature: The conference challenges faced by scientists who stutter
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we discuss how having similar smells could spark a friendship, and how viruses can alter our odour to make humans more attractive to mosquitos.
New Scientist: You're more likely to become friends with someone who smells like you
Nature News: How some viruses make people smell extra-tasty to mosquitoes
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In the first episode of our new series Nature hits the books, science journalist Ed Yong joins us to talk about his new book An Immense World, which takes a journey through the weird and wonderful realm of animal senses.
In the show, we chat about how our human-centric view of the world has restricted researchers' understanding of animal senses, how to conceptualise what it might be like to be an electric-field sensitive fish, and what bees might make of us blushing...
An Immense World, Ed Yong, Random House (2022)
Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images.
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Enteric viruses, such as norovirus, cause a significant health burden around the world and are generally considered to only spread via the faecal-oral route. However, new research in mice suggests that saliva may also be a route of transmission for these viruses, which the authors say could have important public health implications.
Research Article: Ghosh et al.
How devouring space rocks helped Jupiter to get so big, and what analysing teeth has revealed about the diet of the extinct super-sized megalodon shark.
Research Highlight: The heavy diet that made Jupiter so big
Research Highlight: What did megalodon the mega-toothed shark eat? Anything it wanted
For decades there have been hints of the existence of tetraneutrons, strange systems composed of four neutrons, and now researchers may have created one in the lab. This breakthrough could tell us more about the strong nuclear force that holds matter together.
Research article: Duer et al.
News and Views: Collisions hint that four neutrons form a transient isolated entity
Last Friday the US supreme court struck down the constitutional right to abortion. In the wake of this ruling, Nature has been turning to research to ask what we can expect in the coming weeks and months.
News: After Roe v. Wade: US researchers warn of what’s to come
Editorial: The US Supreme Court abortion verdict is a tragedy. This is how research organizations can help
Video: The pandemic's unequal toll
Collection: The science of inequality
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In the next year, no fewer than seven missions are heading to the Moon. While NASA's Artemis programme might be stealing most of the limelight, the United States is just one of many nations and private companies that soon plan to launch lunar missions.
Although some of the agencies running these expeditions are providing scant details about the missions, it is hoped the they will provide streams of data about the Moon, heralding what scientists say could be a new golden age of lunar exploration.
This is an audio version of our Feature: These six countries are about to go to the Moon — here’s why
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After a long wait, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have finally approved two COVID vaccines for use in children between the ages of six months and five years old. But despite a unanimous decision amongst regulators, parents still have questions about whether to vaccinate their young children, with survey data suggesting that the majority do not intend to accept vaccines right away. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the trials, the statistics and the regulators decision making process, in search of clarity around what the data are saying.
News: FDA authorizes COVID vaccines for the littlest kids: what the data say
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We discuss the research looking to understand the root causes and symptoms of inequalities, how they are growing, and how a cross-disciplinary approach may be the key to tackling them.
Editorial: Equity must be baked into randomized controlled trials
News Feature: How COVID has deepened inequality — in six stark graphics
Career Feature: The rise of inequality research: can spanning disciplines help tackle injustice?
For decades, researchers have been running randomised trials to assess different strategies to lift people out of poverty. Many of these trials centre on providing people with cash grants – we hear how these trials have fared, efforts to improve on them, and the difficulties of scaling them up.
News Feature: These experiments could lift millions out of dire poverty
A team of researchers have found that breast cancer tumours are more likely to metastasize while people are asleep. By studying mice, the team suggest that hormone levels that fluctuate during the day play a key role, a finding they hope will change how cancer is monitored and treated.
Research article: Diamantopoulou et al.
News and Views: Cancer cells spread aggressively during sleep
A comment article in Nature argues that one of the most pernicious types of inequality is inequality of opportunity – based on characteristics over which people have no control. We discuss some of the data behind this and what can be done about it.
Comment: Not all inequalities are alike
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The Black Death is estimated to have caused the deaths of up to 60% of the population of Europe. However, despite extensive research, the origin of this wave of disease has remained unclear. Now, by using a combination of techniques, a team have identified a potential starting point in modern day Kyrgyzstan.
Research article: Spyrou et al.
The cocktails of toxins produced by wriggling ribbon worms, and a tiny thermometer the size of a grain of sand.
Research Highlight: A poisonous shield, a potent venom: these worms mean business
Research Highlight: Mighty mini-thermometer detects tiny temperature changes
Around the world, there have been a number of outbreaks of monkeypox, a viral disease that has rarely been seen in countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Although infection numbers are small, researchers are racing to find out what’s driving these outbreaks and the best way to contain them. We get an update on the situation, and the questions scientists are trying to answer.
Nature News: Monkeypox vaccination begins — can the global outbreaks be contained?
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, doubts over claims that a Google chat bot has become sentient, and the automated cloud labs that let researchers perform experiments remotely.
New Scientist: Has Google's LaMDA artificial intelligence really achieved sentience?
The Washington Post: The Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to life
Nature News: Cloud labs: where robots do the research
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One of the most curious symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of smell and taste. For most, this phenomenon is short lived, but for many around the world the symptom can persist for months or even years after the infection has cleared. Once a tell-tale sign of infection, this sensory disruption is now becoming characterised as a chronic problem and scientists are only recently getting clear answers about the mechanisms behind it. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the most recent studies on the causes of smell loss after infection with SARS-CoV-2, as well as the treatments scientists are proposing to tackle it.
News: COVID and smell loss: answers begin to emerged
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How the giraffe got its long neck is a longstanding question in science. One possibility is that giraffes evolved longer necks for sexual competition, with males engaging in violent neck-swinging fights. Now, a team have described fossils of an ancient giraffoid species with a thick headpiece adapted for fighting, which could add weight to this hypothesis.
Nature News: How the giraffe got its neck: ‘unicorn’ fossil could shed light on puzzle
Around the world, the ‘great resignation’ has seen huge numbers of workers re-evaluating their careers and lifestyles and choosing to leave their jobs following the pandemic. Academia is no exception, with many scientists deciding to leave the sector in the face of increased workloads, systemic biases and pressure to publish.
Nature Careers: Has the ‘great resignation’ hit academia?
Earlier this year, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars since 2014, developed some serious equipment issues that prevented it from keeping its correct orientation in space. In a race against time, a team on Earth fixed the problem by developing a system that allowed the spacecraft to navigate by the stars.
Space.com: NASA's Mars MAVEN spacecraft spent 3 months on the brink of disaster
NASA’s Perseverance rover has arrived at an ancient Martian river delta where it will spend the next few months exploring, while scientists assess where to drill and extract rock samples. It’s thought that rocks from this region have the best chance of containing evidence of Martian life, and plans are being developed to return them to Earth in the future.
Nature News: NASA’s Perseverance rover begins key search for life on Mars
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Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) implanted in the brains of people who are paralysed are allowing them to control prosthetics that are restoring a range of skills.
Although the field is relatively young, researchers are making rapid advances in the abilities that these implants can restore. In the past few years, commercial interest in BCIs has soared, but many hurdles remain before these implants can be brought to market.
This is an audio version of our Feature: The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch
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Recreating the movements that tendon cells experience as they develop in the human body is necessary for growing tissue for transplantation, but this has been difficult to achieve in a laboratory setting. Now, a team has developed a system that uses a robot shoulder to stretch and twist these cells, which they hope could be used to improve the quality of tissue grafts in the future.
Research article: Mouthuy et al.
Video: A robotic Petri dish: How to grow human cells in a robot shoulder
A robotic surgeon that works within an MRI chamber, and an ancient human genome from a resident of Pompeii.
Research Highlight: Robot surgeons steer smoothly with help from magnet-free motor
Research Highlight: Vesuvius victim yields first human genome from Pompeii
Identifying sources of vaccine hesitancy is a key challenge in public health. This week, a team show that correcting misperceptions about doctor’s COVID-19 vaccine views increased vaccination rates in the Czech Republic. The team suggest this finding could extend to other countries, and represents a cost-effective intervention for reducing vaccine hesitancy.
Research article: Bartoš et al.
News and Views: Give physicians’ views to improve COVID vaccine uptake
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, where metals are lost during their economic lifetime, and how pesticide use has spurred cockroach evolution and even affected their mating habits.
Nature News: Metal-lifespan analysis shows scale of waste
New York Times: Cockroach Reproduction Has Taken a Strange Turn
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Despite the devastating loss of life caused by COVID-19, some researchers are arguing that the longest lasting impact of the pandemic will be on education. UN agencies calculate that more or less all school students on the planet - 1.6 billion - have faced an average of 4.5 months of school closures owing to the pandemic, the largest disruption to education in history. Teachers have been under immense pressure to keep their students happy and learning, but it is an uphill battle. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss the research which might guide policymakers and teachers in their attempts to repair some of this damage, and ask how implementing an evidence-based system of education could have benefits beyond the pandemic.
News Feature: COVID derailed learning for 1.6 billion students. Here’s how schools can help them catch up
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Over a hundred years ago, palaeontologists discovered fossils of the aquatic animal Palaeospondylus. But since then researchers have been unable to place where this animal sits on the tree of life. Now, new analysis of Palaeospondylus’s anatomy might help to solve this mystery.
Research article: Hirasawa et al.
News and Views: Clues to the identity of the fossil fish Palaeospondylus
A strong, silk-based version of mother of pearl, and the parrots that use their heads when climbing.
Research Highlight: Silk imitates mother of pearl for a tough, eco-friendly material
Research Highlight: A ‘forbidden’ body type? These parrots flout the rules
Archaeologists have used LiDAR to uncover evidence of an ancient civilization buried in the Bolivian Amazon. The team’s work suggests that this area was not as sparsely populated in pre-Hispanic times as previously thought.
Research article: Prümers et al.
News and Views: Large-scale early urban settlements in Amazonia
Nature Video: Lost beneath the leaves: Lasers reveal an ancient Amazonian civilisation
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the debate surrounding the first transplant of pig kidneys into humans, and the plants grown in lunar soil.
Nature News: First pig kidneys transplanted into people: what scientists think
BBC News: Moon soil used to grow plants for first time in breakthrough test
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Dark matter makes up most of the matter in the Universe, and is thought to be needed for galaxies to form. But four years ago, astronomers made a perplexing, and controversial discovery: two galaxies seemingly devoid of dark matter. This week the team suggests that a cosmic collision may explain how these, and a string of other dark-matter-free galaxies, could have formed.
Research article: van Dokkum et al.
News and Views: Giant collision created galaxies devoid of dark matter
How fossil fuel burning has caused levels of helium to rise, and a high-efficiency, hybrid solar-energy system.
Research Highlight: Helium levels in the atmosphere are ballooning
Research Highlight: Flower power: ‘Sunflower’ system churns out useful energy
We hear the stories of scientists whose lives have been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including researchers who have become refugees, soldiers and activists in the face of a horrifying conflict.
Nature Feature: How three Ukrainian scientists are surviving Russia’s brutal war
Last week, a team of researchers released an image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive blackhole at the centre of our galaxy. We hear how they took the image and what it is revealing about these enormous objects.
Nature News: Black hole at the centre of our Galaxy imaged for the first time
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Millions of people around the world have been left managing the complex and amorphous syndrome that is long COVID. But the underlying cause of this myriad of symptoms is not clear. One hypothesis is that the virus is able to find a safe haven in the body from which it can bide its time and potentially re-emerge - a viral reservoir. Now researchers studying long COVID have found evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in a series of organs around the body, most notably the gut, months after the infection appears to have been cleared from the respiratory system. While there is still a long way to go before the reservoir hypothesis can be confirmed, these data provide compelling new support for the theory. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss how the studies were carried out, why the question of long COVID's cause is so difficult to crack, and what more needs to be done to get a firm answer.
News: Coronavirus ‘ghosts’ found lingering in the gut
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Research efforts to learn more about diseases of the human eye have been hampered as these organs degrade rapidly after death, and animal eyes are quite different to those from humans. To address this, a team have developed a new method to revive retinas taken from donors shortly after their death. They hope this will provide tissue for new studies looking into the workings of the human eye and nervous system.
Research article: Abbas et al.
A technique that simplifies chocolate making yields fragrant flavours, and 3D imaging reveals some of the largest-known Native American cave art.
Research Highlight: How to make a fruitier, more floral chocolate
Research Highlight: Cramped chamber hides some of North America’s biggest cave art
How did the earliest biochemical process evolve from Earth’s primordial soup? One popular theory is that life began in an ‘RNA world’ from which proteins and DNA evolved. However, this week a new paper suggests that a world composed of RNA alone is unlikely, and that life is more likely to have begun with molecules that were part RNA and part protein.
Research article: Müller et al.
News and Views: A possible path towards encoded protein synthesis on ancient Earth
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the ‘polarised sunglasses’ that helped astronomers identify an ultra-bright pulsar, and how a chemical in sunscreen becomes toxic to coral.
Nature: A ‘galaxy’ is unmasked as a pulsar — the brightest outside the Milky Way
Nature: A common sunscreen ingredient turns toxic in the sea — anemones suggest why
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It’s well understood that the production of meat has large impacts on the environment. This week, a team show that replacing 20% of future meat consumption with protein derived from microbes could reduce associated emissions and halve deforestation rates.
Research article: Humpenöder et al
News and Views: Mycoprotein produced in cell culture has environmental benefits over beef
How saltwater crocodiles’ penchant for pigs is driving population recovery in Australia, and solving the mystery of some eighteenth-century porcelain’s iridescent lustre.
Research Highlight: Pork dinners fuel huge crocodiles’ return from near-extinction
Research Highlight: The nanoparticles that give a famed antique porcelain its dazzle
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes strongly prefer human odours to those of animals, but how they distinguish between them is not well understood. Now, researchers have shown that human odours strongly activate a specific area in the brains of these insects, a finding that could have important implications for mosquito-control strategies.
Research article: Zhao et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how climate change could affect virus transmission between mammals, and how the link between a dog's breed and its temperament may not be as close as previously thought.
Nature: Climate change will force new animal encounters — and boost viral outbreaks
Nature: Massive study of pet dogs shows breed does not predict behaviour
Our Webby Award winning episode: What’s the isiZulu for dinosaur? How science neglected African languages
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The true disability cost of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown, but more and more studies are adding to the list of potential fallout from even mild COVID 19 infection. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss a massive association study which links COVID-19 cases with an increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We delve into the numbers to ask how big the risk might be? Whether any casual relationship can be drawn from this association? And what might be in store from future research into COVID and chronic disease?
News: Diabetes risk rises after COVID, massive study finds
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As a result of the pandemic, workers around the world have become accustomed to meeting colleagues online. To find out if this switch from face-to-face meetings came at a cost to creativity, a team compared the number of ideas generated by workers collaborating either online, or in-person. They showed that people meeting virtually produced fewer creative ideas than those working face-to-face, and suggest that when it comes to idea generation maybe it’s time to turn the camera off.
Research article: Brucks & Levav
News and Views: Virtual collaboration hinders idea generation
Video: Why video calls are bad for brainstorming
Fragments from an ancient pyramid suggest earliest known use of a Maya calendar, and how sweet snacks could damage rare iguanas’ metabolism.
Research Highlight: Deer symbol hints at early adoption of Maya calendar
Research Highlight: Tourists’ sweet treats threaten rare iguanas’ health
Researchers looking at the skin cells of zebrafish have discovered a new type of cell division, which doesn’t require DNA replication. DNA is usually essential for healthy cells, but the researchers think this puzzling finding may be a temporary measure to help the fish produce skin more rapidly during growth spurts.
Research article: Chan et al.
News and Views: Stretched skin cells divide without DNA replication
Video: A new kind of cell division
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how laser-equipped submarines could help analyse gelatinous animals’ anatomy, and a push for a flagship mission to Uranus.
The New Yorker: Shedding Light on Untouchable Sea Creatures
Nature: Next stop, Uranus? Icy planet tops priority list for next big NASA mission
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Results from a huge epidemiological study found that infection by the Epstein-Barr virus increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis 32-fold. This result, combined with emerging mechanistic insights into how the virus triggers brain damage, are raising the prospect of treating or preventing MS.
These advances come at a time when researchers are more interested than ever in what happens in the months and years following a viral infection, and highlights the issues untangling the relationships between infectious diseases and chronic conditions.
This is an audio version of our Feature: The quest to prevent MS — and understand other post-viral diseases.
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At COP26 countries made a host of promises and commitments to tackle global warming. Now, a new analysis suggests these pledges could limit warming to below 2˚C — if countries stick to them.
BBC News: Climate change: COP26 promises will hold warming under 2C
Storing excess energy is a key obstacle preventing wider adoption of renewable power. One potential solution has been to store this energy as heat before converting it back into electricity, but to date this process has been inefficient. Last week, a team reported the development of a new type of ‘photothermovoltaic’ that increases the efficiency of converting stored heat back into electricity, potentially making the process economically viable.
Science: ‘Thermal batteries’ could efficiently store wind and solar power in a renewable grid
Blood ingested by leeches may be a way to track wildlife, suggests new research. Using DNA from the blood, researchers were able to detect 86 different species in China’s Ailaoshan Nature Reserve. Their results also suggest that biodiversity was highest in the high-altitude interior of the reserve, suggesting that human activity had pushed wildlife away from other areas.
ScienceNews: Leeches expose wildlife’s whereabouts and may aid conservation efforts
Research has revealed that Mexican tetra fish are very chatty, and capable of making six distinct sounds. They also showed that fish populations living in underground caves in north-eastern Mexico have distinct accents.
New Scientist: Blind Mexican cave fish are developing cave-specific accents
In 2014 a meteorite hit the Earth’s atmosphere that may have come from far outside the solar system, making it the first interstellar object to be detected. However, as some of the data needed to confirm this was classified by the US Government, the study wasn never published. Now the United States Space Command have confirmed the researchers’ findings, although the work has yet to be peer reviewed.
LiveScience: An interstellar object exploded over Earth in 2014, declassified government data reveal
Vice: Secret Government Info Confirms First Known Interstellar Object on Earth, Scientists Say
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Since the beginning of the pandemic there has been a debate amongst researchers about whether the body's immune cells can themselves be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Now two new studies show that they can - and what's more, the work has revealed a new mechanism for the massive inflammatory response seen in severe COVID. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the papers, asking why it has taken so long to get an answer to this question? How immune cell infection could lead to severe disease? And whether this new mechanism could provide a new avenue for the development of therapeutics?
News: What triggers severe COVID? Infected immune cells hold clues
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For biologists, a long-standing question has been why some animals live longer than others. This week a team have attempted to answer this, by measuring the rates that different animal species accumulate mutations. They show that longer-lived animals acquire mutations at a slower rate, which helps to explain why cancer risk does not scale with lifespan.
Research article: Cagan et al.
News and Views: Mutational clocks tick differently across species
A clinical trial suggests a change to the treatment of a pregnancy ailment, and astronomers identify the largest known structure produced by a single galaxy.
Research Highlight: Ambitious trial inspires a rethink on a common ailment of pregnancy
Research Highlight: Even among ‘giant’ galaxies this one is record-setting
Many European countries are dependent on Russian fossil fuels for energy production. Following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, these countries are looking to wean themselves off these fuels, which could have short- and long-term impacts on emissions and food production.
Feature: What the war in Ukraine means for energy, climate and food
Editorial: The EU can simultaneously end dependence on Russia and meet climate goals
Editorial: The war in Ukraine is exposing gaps in the world’s food-systems research
Last week, a new estimate of the W boson’s mass caused much excitement among physicists. The result suggests that this particle is heavier than theory predicts, a finding that could be the first major breach in the standard model of particle physics. However, measuring W bosons is notoriously tricky, and further work will be needed to confirm the finding.
News: Particle’s surprise mass threatens to upend the standard model
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Physics tells us that when matter is created, antimatter should be as well. But while the Universe is full of matter, there’s surprisingly little antimatter to be found. To try and understand this imbalance, a team have built a detector kept just above absolute zero which they are using to look for a hypothesised, ultra-rare type of particle decay that could create matter without antimatter.
Research article: The CUORE Collaboration
News and Views: Cryogenic mastery aids bid to spot matter creation
Subsidence of coastal cities makes them more vulnerable to sea-level rise, and tackling ‘crazy ants’ with a parasitic fungus.
Research Highlight: Global cities are sinking — and humans are partly to blame
Research Highlight: Marauding crazy ants come to grief when a fungus comes to call
Bacteria are well known for their ability to share genes, which they often do using small circles of DNA called plasmids. But while plasmids are common in bacteria, a long-standing mystery has been why they are absent in a group of cholera-causing strains of Vibrio cholerae. Now, a team might have solved this mystery, by discovering two previously unknown DNA defence systems that eliminate plasmids, hidden in the bacteria's genomes.
Research article: Jaskólska et al.
News and Views: Bacterial defence systems degrade plasmid invaders
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what smelling jars from an Egyptian tomb has revealed about ancient burial practices, and the latest report from the IPCC.
Science: Ancient smells reveal secrets of Egyptian tomb
Nature: IPCC’s starkest message yet: extreme steps needed to avert climate disaster
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While current maps of the human genome provide researchers with a wealth of information, many argue that they do not adequately capture humanity’s vast diversity.
Now, a team are trying to build a more complete and representative map that shows the varieties of sequence that can be found in different populations. However, given the failings of other projects, some geneticists focused on the needs of Indigenous communities are wary of the initiative.
This is an audio version of our Feature: A more-inclusive genome project aims to capture all of human diversity
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Researchers have long been trying to understand why some humans are better at navigating than others. This week, researchers show that where someone grew up plays an important role in their ability to find their way; the more winding and disorganised the layouts of your childhood were, the better navigator you’ll be later in life.
Research article: Coutrot et al.
How boas can squeeze without suffocating themselves, and why being far from humans helps trees live a long life.
Research Highlight: How boa constrictors squeeze and breathe at the same time
Research Highlight: Where are Earth’s oldest trees? Far from prying eyes
Coastal flooding causes billions of dollars in damage each year. Rising sea levels are known to be a key driver, but the importance of another factor, storm surges, is less clear. Typically after accounting for increasing sea level, they’re not thought to make much of an impact. However new research suggests that this may not be the case.
Research article: Calafat et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a brain implant allows a person who is completely paralysed to communicate, and penguin-like bone density suggests Spinosaurus may have hunted underwater.
Science: In a first, brain implant lets man with complete paralysis spell out thoughts: ‘I love my cool son.’
National Geographic: Spinosaurus had penguin-like bones, a sign of hunting underwater
Video: A swimming dinosaur: The tail of Spinosaurus
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In this episode:
To understand when, and how, the Milky Way formed, researchers need to know when its stars were born. This week, a team of astronomers have precisely aged nearly a quarter of a million stars, revealing more about the sequence of events that took place as our galaxy formed.
Research article: Xiang and Rix
News and Views: A stellar clock reveals the assembly history of the Milky Way
Archaeologists reveal an ancient lake was actually a ritual pool, and how the Moon’s phase affects some birds' altitude.
Research Highlight: Ancient ‘harbour’ revealed to be part of fertility god’s lavish shrine
Research Highlight: These birds fly high when the full Moon hangs in the sky
Yellowstone National Park’s iconic geothermal geysers and volcanic landmarks are well studied, but very little was known about the ‘plumbing system’ that feeds these features. Now a team of researchers have mapped the underground hydrothermal system, showing the specific faults and pathways that supply the park.
Research article: Finn et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, 0why an Australian university has been suspended from winning a research foundation’s fellowships, and the ongoing debate about the cause of ‘COVID toes’.
Nature: Funder bars university from grant programme over white-male award line-up
Nature: Are ‘COVID toes’ actually caused by the coronavirus?
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A handful of states around the world have pursued 'COVID zero' strategies. Through a combination of intensive lockdowns, travel restrictions and comprehensive test and trace systems, regions like Tonga, New Zealand, Taiwan, mainland China and Western Australia managed to keep the virus at bay. But now many of these countries are facing new outbreaks on a scale they have not yet seen, and it is being driven in part by vaccine hesitancy. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss how a successful public health campaign can breed new problems when it comes to public perception of risk, and ask how vaccine complacency might be avoided in the future.
News: ‘COVID zero’ regions struggle with vaccine complacency
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Marty Reiswig is fit and healthy, but every two weeks he is injected with the experimental drug gantenerumab and has monthly MRI scans. He submits to this because a rare genetic mutation runs in his family that predisposes them to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
We spoke to him about his experience on the trial, and why he chose to continue trialling the drug even after formal clinical trials were discontinued.
Produced and narrated by Lorna Stewart.
News Feature: Could drugs prevent Alzheimer’s? These trials aim to find out
Resources for those affected by Alzheimer's:
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Inspired by the ear, a team of researchers have developed an acoustic fibre that can be woven into fabrics to create a sensitive microphone. This fabric microphone is capable of detecting human speech and heartbeats, and the team think it could be used to develop new, wearable sensors for long-term health monitoring.
Research article: Yan et al.
News and Views: A smart sensor that can be woven into everyday life
How a shark’s posture lets you know if it’s asleep, and the desert dust that helps cirrus clouds form.
Research Highlight: The secrets of shark sleep
Research Highlight: Wispy clouds are born of dust in the wind
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Togo needed to distribute financial aid to citizens most in need of assistance. As running a nationwide survey to find out people’s financial situations was impossible, they turned to machine learning to discover how best to distribute aid.
Research article: Aiken et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. Using machine learning to find meteorite fragments in a desert, and using radiocarbon dating to detect forged paintings.
Physics World: ‘Huge leap’ as scientists report first drone-assisted space rock recovery after observed meteorite fall
Nature: Police rely on radiocarbon dating to identify forged paintings
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Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence that can restore and date ancient Greek inscriptions. They hope that it will help historians by speeding up the process of reconstructing damaged texts.
Research article: Assael et al.
News and Views: AI minds the gap and fills in missing Greek inscriptions
Video: The AI historian: A new tool to decipher ancient texts
Pollinators prefer nectar with a pinch of salt, and measurements of a megacomet’s mighty size.
Research Highlight: Even six-legged diners can’t resist sweet-and-salty snacks
Research Highlight: Huge comet is biggest of its kind
This week Nature publishes a Comment article from a group who aim to reverse biodiversity loss by reintroducing species to areas where they are extinct. We speak to one of the Comment’s authors about the project and their hopes that it might kick start ecosystem restoration.
Comment: Rewilding Argentina: lessons for the 2030 biodiversity targets
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, giant bacteria that can be seen with the naked eye, and how record-breaking rainfall has caused major floods in Australia.
Science: Largest bacterium ever discovered has an unexpectedly complex cell
New Scientist: Record flooding in Australia driven by La Niña and climate change
The Conversation: The east coast rain seems endless. Where on Earth is all the water coming from?
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As many countries start to ease or even remove COVID restrictions entirely, there are growing concerns from researchers that this will lead governments to take their eye off the ball and crucially stop collecting and reporting vital data. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss calls from two researchers to improve COVID testing and data reporting. What do they want done differently? Why does it matter? And what could such changes mean for the future of the pandemic and public health more broadly?
World View: Tracking COVID-19 infections: time for change
World View: Commit to transparent COVID data until the WHO declares the pandemic is over
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The G20 economies spent $14 trillion dollars on recovery packages to escape the global recession driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many governments made pledges to deliver emissions reductions as part of these packages. This week, a team of researchers have analysed the spending to see if these promises were kept.
Comment: G20’s US$14-trillion economic stimulus reneges on emissions pledges
An artificial nerve cell triggers a Venus flytrap’s snap, and a fossil shows that pterosaurs in the Jurassic period were larger than previously thought.
Research Highlight: Venus flytrap snaps shut at synthetic neuron’s command
Research Highlight: The surprisingly huge reptile that prowled the Jurassic skies
This week, a team of researchers have used lab-based studies to show how learning a little about a stranger makes a person feel that the stranger knows something about them. The team took this work out of the lab and into New York City, where they showed that providing residents with knowledge about community police officers temporarily reduced crime.
Research article: Shah & LaForest
News and Views: Letters and cards telling people about local police reduce crime
Following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, we hear about the experiences of Ukranian researchers as the conflict continues, and the outpouring of condemnation from the wider academic world.
News: Global research community condemns Russian invasion of Ukraine
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Almost everything we do on the Internet is made possible by cryptographic algorithms, which scramble our data to protect our privacy. However, this privacy could be under threat. If quantum computers reach their potential these machines could crack current encryption systems — leaving our online data vulnerable.
To limit the damage of this so called 'Q-day', researchers are racing to develop new cryptographic systems, capable of withstanding a quantum attack.
This is an audio version of our feature: The race to save the Internet from quantum hackers
Never miss an episode: Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app. Head here for the Nature Podcast RSS feed
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Around 66 million years ago, an enormous asteroid struck the Earth, leading to the end of the time of the dinosaurs. In a new paper, a team of scientists looked at evidence from fossilised fish, and suggest it happened in springtime in the Northern Hemisphere.
Research article: During et al.
Transparency shrinks the gender pay-gap in academia, and how Tutankhamen’s meteorite-metal dagger was forged.
Research Highlight: Gender pay gap closes after salary information goes public
Research Highlight: How a space rock became King Tut’s dagger
Cool, damp nights are a critical barrier to fire progression around the world. But a recent study has revealed that the duration and intensity of nighttime fires has increased in many places, as a result of climate change. The researchers say this trend is likely to continue, hampering efforts to control blazes.
Research article: Balch et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how transgenic, fluorescent fish found their way into Brazil’s watercourses, and the ecological impact of a giant oil spill in Peru.
Science: Transgenic glowing fish invades Brazilian streams
Nature News: Unprecedented oil spill catches researchers in Peru off guard
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Scientists scramble to understand the devastating Tongan volcano eruption, and modelling how societal changes might alter carbon emissions.
In this episode:
00:46 Understanding the Tongan eruption
On the 15th of January, a volcano in the South Pacific Ocean erupted, sending ash into the upper atmosphere, and unleashing a devastating tsunami that destroyed homes on Tonga’s nearby islands. Now scientists are trying to work out exactly what happened during the eruption — and what it means for future volcanic risks.
News Feature: Why the Tongan eruption will go down in the history of volcanology
08:49 Research Highlights
The genes associated with reindeers’ roaming behaviour, and how fossilised puke has thrown up new insights into pterosaurs’ stomachs.
Research Highlight: A reindeer’s yearning to travel can be read in its genes
Research Highlight: Petrified puke shows that ancient winged reptiles purged
11:29 Modelling societal changes to carbon emissions
A team of researchers have modelled what humans might do in the face of climate change, and looked at how societal, political and technological changes could alter future emissions.
Research article: Moore et al.
18:12 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, China alters its guidelines for gene-edited crops, and how Guinea worm infections have been driven down from millions of cases a year to just 14.
Nature News: China’s approval of gene-edited crops energizes researchers
Nature News: Just 14 cases: Guinea worm disease nears eradication
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Vaccine inequity continues to be one of the greatest challenges in the pandemic - with only 10% of those in low- and middle-income countries fully vaccinated. One of the biggest hold-ups is a lack of vaccine manufacturing capacity in poorer nations. But now, researchers at the WHO technology-transfer hub have completed the first step in a project aimed at building vaccine manufacturing capacity in the Global South, by successfully replicating Moderna's COVID vaccine without assistance from the US-based biotech company. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask how they did it? What happens next? What the legal ramifications might be and what this could mean for the future of vaccine manufacture in low- and middle-income countries? Both during the pandemic and beyond.News: South African scientists copy Moderna's COVID vaccineNews: The fight to manufacture COVID vaccines in lower-income countriesEditorial: Africa is bringing vaccine manufacturing homeSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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RNA in blood shows signs of pre-eclampsia before symptoms occur, and the issues of urine in our sewage and what can be done about it.
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The word endemic is often mistakenly used to describe a rosy end to the pandemic where COVID-19 becomes a mild, but ever-present infection akin to the common cold. But this is by no means guaranteed and the reality could be much less favourable. In this episode of Coronapod we get the evolutionary virologist's take - asking what endemicity might really look like, and what control we still have in shaping the future of SARS-CoV-2.World View: COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmlessSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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How quantum friction explains water’s strange flows in carbon nanotubes, and the latest from the Nature Briefing.
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Much of the coverage of COVID immunity often focuses on antibody response and for good reason - these small, y-shaped proteins can detect, and in some cases neutralise, viruses like SARS-CoV-2. But as variants like Omicron evolve to evade antibodies, the role of another part of the immune system, T cells, has been brought into sharper focus. These immune cells work in a different way to antibodies, attacking infected cells rather than the virus itself, which can make their response broader and more robust. Now, research is showing that, unlike antibodies, T cell potency is not impacted by the mutations in variants like Omicron. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why T cells are so often overlooked, and what role they might be playing in our protection from the coronavirus.News:‘Killer’ immune cells still recognize Omicron variantSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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Getting electric planes to take off, and the latest from the Nature Briefing.
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The burgeoning field of precision public health is a tech-centric approach that looks to target public-health interventions to the specific people who need them.Precision approaches are taking off and its advocates say this concept promises to save money and lives. However, other researchers are concerned that as funders provide huge amounts of money for precision-public-health initiatives, the focus will be taken away from conventional public health approaches that could improve the lives of millions.This is an audio version of our feature: Is precision public health the future — or a contradiction?
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As of January 2022, the WHO reports that 5.5 million people have lost their lives to the pandemic. However, many research groups suggests that this number is likely to be a significant underestimate, although it is hard to be certain as counting mortality across the world is an exceptionally difficult task. In this episode of Coronapod we ask why, and delve into the range of approaches scientists are taking to try to get to the bottom of the sticky problem - from excess death counts, to machine learning and even satellite imagery.News Feature: The pandemic’s true death toll: millions more than official countsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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Challenging the dogma of gene evolution, and how chiral nanoparticles could give vaccines a boost.
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As our environments change, so too do the sounds they make — and this change in soundscape can effect us in a whole host of ways, from our wellbeing to the way we think about conservation. In this Podcast Extra we hear from one researcher, Simon Butler, who is combining citizen science data with technology to recreate soundscapes lost to the past. Butler hopes to better understand how soundscapes change in response to changes in the environment, and use this to look forward to the soundscapes of the future.Nature Communications: Bird population declines and species turnover are changing the acoustic properties of spring soundscapesSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on the biggest science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing.
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In this episode, Nature reporter Davide Castelvecchi joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2022. We'll hear about vaccines, multiple Moon missions, the push to save biodiversity, and more.
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Cutting-edge microscopy techniques are letting researchers visualize biological molecules within cells, rather than studying them in isolation. This approach is providing new insights into how these structures interact in this complex environment.This is an audio version of our feature: The secret lives of cells — as never seen before
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The Nature Podcast team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months.
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Games, seasonal science songs, and Nature’s 10.
01:12 "Oh powered flight"
In the first of our festive songs, We pay tribute to NASA's Ingenuity craft - which took the first powered flight on another planet earlier this year. Lyrics by Noah Baker and performed by The Simon Langton School choir, directed by Emily Renshaw-Kidd.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the lyrics.
Video: Flying a helicopter on Mars: NASA's Ingenuity
News: Lift off! First flight on Mars launches new way to explore worlds
07:40 Communicating complex science with common words
In this year’s festive challenge, our competitors try to describe some of the biggest science stories of the year, using only the 1,000 most commonly used words in the English language. Find out how they get on…
Test your skills communicating complex science with simple words with the Up-Goer Five Text Editor
18:04 Alphafold oh Alphafold
Our second song brings some Hanukkah magic to Deep Mind's protein solving algorithm Alphafold. Lyrics by Kerri Smith and Noah Baker, arranged and performed by Phil Self.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the lyrics.
News: ‘It will change everything’: DeepMind’s AI makes gigantic leap in solving protein structures
21:01 Nature’s 10
Every year, Nature’s 10 highlights some of the people who played key roles in science. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2021 list.
News Feature: Nature's 10 — Ten people who helped shape science in 2021
Oh Powered flight
O fateful night!
The stars are brightly shining
it is the night to look far beyond the Earth!
Long was the way to get to the red planet,
‘til he appear'd and the world felt his worth.
The thrills and hope as he warmed up his motors.
Delays cause stress until the glorious morn!
Rise! To the skies.
Above the Martian surface.
Oh powered flight.
Hearts are full, as history’s made.
Oh joy, it flies!
Mars-copter, for the first time.
Led by a team, adept in aeronautics,
they rethought all of their theories of flight.
So led by da-ta, they crafted all the rotors,
to create lift though the atmosphere was light.
Viscosity is what would make is happen,
but Reynold’s number drove the craft’s design.
Rise! To the skies.
Above the Martian surface.
Oh powered flight.
Hearts are full, as history’s made.
Oh joy, it flies!
Mars-copter, for the first time.
Truly it showed, our exploration’s boundless,
with caves and canyon’s now all within our grasp.
Ingenuity will pave the way for others,
to pair with rovers, or solo payload tasks.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise this great success.
Rise! To the skies.
Above the Martian surface.
Oh powered flight.
Hearts are full, as history’s made.
Oh joy, it flies!
Mars-copter, for the first time.
Alphafold oh Alphafold
Oh, Alphafold oh...
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Several weeks after the Omicron variant was first identified, it has quickly spread across the world. Early data are showing clear signals that the latest variant of concern is able to evade immunity and spread at a rate faster than any other variant to date. But many questions remain unanswered about the severity of infection, the protection afforded by natural and vaccine-derived immunity, and the impact Omicron could have on the global pandemic response. In this episode, we delve into the very latest studies to take stock of where we are so far and, in a Coronapod first, take on questions sent in by Coronapod listeners.
News: How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far
News: Omicron likely to weaken COVID vaccine protection
News: Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists
News Feature: Beyond Omicron: what’s next for COVID’s viral evolution
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An explanation for giant ice structures on Pluto, and dismantling the mestizo myth in Latin American genetics.
In this episode:
00:46 The frozen root of Pluto’s polygonal patterns
In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons probe sent back some intriguing images of Pluto. Huge polygonal patterns could be seen on the surface of a nitrogen-ice ice filled basin known as Sputnik Planitia. This week, a team put forward a new theory to explain these perplexing patterns.
Research article: Morison et al.
06:15 Research Highlights
How Pamplona’s bull-running defies the dynamics of crowd motion, and self-healing microbial bio-bricks.
Research Highlight: Running of the bulls tramples the laws of crowd dynamics
Research Highlight: It’s alive! Bio-bricks can signal to others of their kind
09:06 How the mixed-race ‘mestizo’ myth has fostered discrimination
The term 'mestizo' emerged during the colonial period in Latin America to describe a blend of ethnicities – especially between Indigenous peoples and the Spanish colonizers. But this label is a social construct not a well-defined scientific category. Now researchers are challenging the mestizo myth, which they say is harmful and has a troubling influence on science.
Feature: How the mixed-race mestizo myth warped science in Latin America
17:22 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how interrupted sleep could be a route to creativity, and the development of vaccines to target respiratory syncytial virus.
New Scientist: Interrupting sleep after a few minutes can boost creativity
Nature News: The race to make vaccines for a dangerous respiratory virus
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Vaccines significantly reduce the risk of developing COVID-19, but scientists are now asking what effect the vaccines might have on long COVID. Long COVID is a somewhat ill-defined, but common, syndrome that can arise from even mild cases of COVID19 - with symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue to breathing difficulties and even neurological deficiency. But little is known about what triggers long COVID, or how to prevent it. As public health experts consider protection measures, the role of vaccines in protecting against long COVID is poorly understood, and although numerous studies are seeking answers, they are turning up conflicting results.
In this episode of Coronapod we pick through a selection of these studies, discuss the prevailing hypotheses on the causes of long COVID and ask how all of this might impact the pandemic.
News Feature: Do vaccines protect against long COVID? What the data say
Omicron
We will be discussing Omicron in an upcoming Coronapod on 17 December. If you would like to ask any questions of our reporters about Omicron, please get in touch on Twitter: @naturepodcast or email: podcast@nature.com
News: How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far
News: Omicron likely to weaken COVID vaccine protection
News: Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists
News Feature: Beyond Omicron: what’s next for COVID’s viral evolution
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Speeding up comparisons of behavioural interventions, and what to expect from the James Webb Space Telescope.
In this episode:
00:45 Identifying effective interventions with a 'megastudy'
Comparing single behavioural interventions and identifying which is most effective can be difficult and time consuming, hampering policy-making decisions. This week, a team demonstrate a ‘megastudy’, which allows researchers to compare multiple interventions within the same group of people.
Research article: Milkman et al.
News and Views: Benefits of megastudies for testing behavioural interventions
10:36 Research Highlights
The feeding habits of a giant, extinct eagle, and the relatively undisturbed life of a group of exoplanets.
Research Highlight: This enormous eagle could have killed you, probably
Research Highlight: Famous space family has a surprisingly peaceful history
13:07 What to expect from the Webb Telescope
Decades in the making, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is finally due to launch later this month. We discuss the telescope’s mission and what it might reveal about the Universe.
Feature: The $11-billion Webb telescope aims to probe the early Universe
News: NASA won’t rename James Webb telescope — and astronomers are angry
20:27 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the supermassive black holes headed for impact (in 250 million years), and a new dinosaur with an unusual tail weapon.
New Scientist: A pair of nearby supermassive black holes are heading for a collision
New York Times: Spike-tailed ankylosaur was built like a tank
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Studying mental health in populations is not a simple task, but as the pandemic has continued, mounting concerns have mobilised researchers.
Now, researchers have used data from helplines in 20 countries to assess the impacts that COVID, as well as associated political and public health measures like financial assistance programs and lockdowns, have had on mental health. Contrary to expectations, loneliness and concerns about the impacts of the pandemic drove most of the callers, rather than imminent threats such as suicidal thoughts or abuse.
News: Millions of helpline calls reveal how COVID affected mental health
Omicron
We will be discussing Omicron in an upcoming Coronapod on 17 December. If you would like to ask any questions of our reporters about Omicron, please get in touch on Twitter: @naturepodcast or email: podcast@nature.com
News: How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far
News: Omicron is supercharging the COVID vaccine booster debate
News: Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists
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Designing a nutritious and planet-friendly diet, and an AI that guides mathematicians.
In this episode:
00:46 Designing a healthy diet for the planet
Researchers are trying to develop diets that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time providing nutrition. Some of these sustainable diets are now being tested to see if they work in local contexts without damaging livelihoods.
Feature: What humanity should eat to stay healthy and save the planet
08:24 Research Highlights
How jellyfish get by without a centralised brain, and reading the runes within a medieval lead amulet.
Research Highlight: How jellyfish control their lives
Research Highlight: Neutron beam sheds light on medieval faith and superstition
10:32 The AI guiding mathematicians’ intuition
Finding relationships between two seemingly unrelated groups of objects is an important part of some branches of mathematics. To help speed up this process, a new AI has been developed, which points mathematicians towards potential relationships, allowing them to come up with new conjectures.
Research article: Davies et al.
News and Views: Artificial intelligence aids intuition in mathematical discovery
11:23 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a pendant made from mammoth tusk, and developing lab-grown fish for food.
Nature News: Is this mammoth-ivory pendant Eurasia’s oldest surviving jewellery?
Nature Biotechnology: No bones, no scales, no eyeballs: appetite grows for cell-based seafood
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A host of private companies are promising commercial fusion reactors in the next decade.
After decades of promise, it finally seems that nuclear fusion is approaching commercial viability. Companies around the world are securing huge amounts of funding, and advances in materials research and computing are enabling technologies other than the standard designs to be pursued.
This is an audio version of our feature: The chase for fusion energy
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In a quickly developing story a new variant, first detected in Botswana, is triggering rapid action among researchers. The variant - currently named B.1.1.529 has more than 30 changes to the spike protein - and the concern is that these mutations may result in increased transmissibility, severity of disease or even antibody evasion.
In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss what we know so far, how scientists are searching for answers and what this could mean for the pandemic.
News: Heavily mutated coronavirus variant puts scientists on alert
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The Nature salary and satisfaction survey reveals researchers' outlook, and NASA’s test of planetary defences.
In this episode:
00:45 Salary and satisfaction survey
Like all aspects of life, scientific careers have been impacted by the pandemic. To get an insight into how researchers are feeling, Nature has conducted a salary and satisfaction survey. We hear from some of the respondents.
Careers Feature: Stagnating salaries present hurdles to career satisfaction
09:07 Research Highlights
The physics of a finger snap, and the surprisingly strong silk of jumping spiders.
Research Highlight: It’s a snap: the friction-based physics behind a common gesture
Research Highlight: High-speed spinning yields some of the toughest spider silk ever found
11:23 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the plans to smash a spacecraft into an asteroid, and how baby formula is changing to better resemble breast milk.
Nature News: NASA spacecraft will slam into asteroid in first planetary-defence test
Chemistry World: The science of breast milk and baby formula
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Spineless sea squirts shed light on vertebrate evolution, and an iodine-fuelled engine powering a satellite in space.
In this episode:
00:45 A story of sea squirts, ancient vertebrates and missing genes
When a PhD student set out to study the developmental pathways of a strange sea creature, he hoped to shed light on the origins of vertebrate animals. Instead, researchers found themselves investigating a strange case of missing genes. We hear why gene loss could be a more significant factor in evolutionary processes than was previously thought.
Research article: Ferrández-Roldán et al.
08:17 Research Highlights
The unusual crystal that gives a beetle its glittering green sheen, and the genetics of a fish’s 200 year lifespan.
Research Highlight: Weird crystal makes beetle a living jewel
Research Highlight: Some of Earth’s longest-lived fish show how to reach extreme ages
10:43 An iodine-fuelled engine for satellites
In space, many satellites use xenon-fuelled ‘electric propulsion systems’ to maneuver. However, xenon is rare and requires high-pressure storage systems, so researchers have been working to develop alternative fuels. This week, a team publish details of the first in-space test of an iodine-powered electric propulsion system, which they say has many advantages over xenon systems.
Research article: Rafalskyi et al
16:37 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, issues aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and what the discovery of a theorised mineral reveals about processes deep within the Earth.
Wired: NASA Tries to Save Hubble, Again
Nature: Diamond delivers long-sought mineral from the deep Earth
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Two new anti-viral pills have been shown to be safe and effective against COVID in clinical trials, according to recent press releases. The drugs, molnupiravir, developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and Paxlovid, developed by Pfizer both appear to significantly reduce hospitalisation in people with early COVID. Some researchers are quietly hopeful that these new weapons in the anti-COVID arsenal could have a big impact, in particular in parts of the world where vaccines are still not widely available, but there are a number of caveats. In this episode of Coronapod, we open the pill boxes and pick through the contents - asking how the drugs work, what side effects we might see and how, if at all, they might change the course of the pandemic.
News: COVID antiviral pills: what scientists still want to know
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Reassessing 24,000 years of global temperatures, and on the ground at COP26.
In this episode:
01:21 Reassessing Earth’s climate over the past 24,000 years
The ~20,000 year period from the Last Glacial Maximum to the pre-industrial era saw huge changes to the Earth’s climate. But characterising how temperatures changed during this time has been difficult, with different methods producing different results. Now, a team have combined two techniques, which they hope will provide new insights into the past, and future, of Earth’s climate.
Research article: Osman et al.
News and Views: Global temperature changes mapped across the past 24,000 years
09:53 COP26 Briefing Chat
The United Nations’ climate change conference COP26 continues this week. In this special edition of the Briefing Chat, we head over to the conference to hear the latest on what’s been happening, and the measures being discussed to tackle future warming.
Collection: COP26: Inside the science
Video: Your COP26 questions answered: carbon capture
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Lake Kivu, nestled between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, is a geological anomaly that holds 300 cubic kilometres of dissolved carbon dioxide and 60 cubic kilometres of methane.
The lake has the potential to explosively release these gases, which could fill the surrounding valley, potentially killing millions of people.
Researchers are trying to establish the likelihood of such an event happening, and the best way to safely siphon the gases from the lake.
This is an audio version of our feature: How dangerous is Africa’s explosive Lake Kivu?
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Last weekend, hundreds of young people boarded a specially chartered train in Amsterdam to travel to Glasgow ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate summit.
Among them were scientists, activists and policy makers. In a Nature Podcast special, we boarded the train to catch up with some of them - to talk about their science, their motivations and their message.
News: All aboard the climate train! Scientists join activists for COP26 trip
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More that 3 billions doses of China's CoronaVac and Sinopharm vaccines have been administered across the globe, playing an especially important role in Latin America and South East Asia, as well as China. These vaccines use inactivated virus particles to expose the immune system to Sars-CoV-2, but they do not appear to generate the same levels of neutralising antibodies as other vaccine platforms such as those based on mRNA. Now studies are suggesting that this protection may be waning more quickly than with other vaccines, which has sparked a conundrum - in many countries the only vaccines available are CoronaVac or Sinopharm. In this episode of Coronapod we ask how researchers are trying to get a handle on what is going on and how they might adapt to counteract waning immunity from these crucial vaccines.
News: China’s COVID vaccines have been crucial — now immunity is waning
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The unexpected origins of a 4000-year-old people, protecting your ‘digital presence’ and what to expect from COP26.
In this episode:
00:48 The origins of the mysterious Tarim mummies
For decades there has been debate about the origins of a group of 4000-year-old individuals known as the Tarim Basin mummies. Their distinct appearance and clothing has prompted scientists to hypothesise they had migrated from the North or West. Now, a team of researchers have used modern genomics to shed new light on this mystery and reveal that migration was not the mummies’ origin.
Research article: Zhang et al.
News and Views: The unexpected ancestry of Inner Asian mummies
08:59 Research Highlights
Making wood mouldable, and how ancient snakes diversified their diets.
Research Highlight: Moulded or folded, this wood stays strong
Research Highlight: Finicky no more: ancient snakes ate their way to success
11:09 How a regular ‘digital-hygiene’ check can protect your reputation
Attaching a researcher’s name to a paper without them knowing is an unscrupulous practice that can have serious repercussions for the unwitting academic. To prevent this, computer scientist Guillaume Cabanac is advocating a once-a-month ‘digital-hygiene’ check, to identify incorrect acknowledgements, and help prevent research malpractice.
World View: This digital-hygiene routine will protect your scholarship
18:51 What to expect from COP26
This week sees the start of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), with an estimated 20,000 people — including world leaders, scientists and activists — expected to be in attendance. Jeff Tollefson, senior reporter at Nature, joins us to explain what’s on the agenda for the conference.
News Explainer: COP26 climate summit: A scientists’ guide to a momentous meeting
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People that have recovered from COVID are seeing stronger immune responses after vaccination than those that never contracted the virus. Researchers are now racing to unpick what is behind this powerful 'hybrid immunity'. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss a series of studies which are offering up some possibile explanations, and ask how this might inform publish health policy in the future.
News: COVID super-immunity: one of the pandemic’s great puzzles
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An ancient solar storm helps pinpoint when Vikings lived in the Americas, and using magnets to deftly move non-magnetic metals.
In this episode:
00:53 Pinpointing Viking presence in North America
It’s well-understood that Vikings went to North America around a thousand years ago. However, working out a precise date has proven difficult. Now, thanks to an ancient solar storm, researchers have been able to identify an individual year when Vikings were definitely living on the continent.
Research article: Kuitems et al.
14:57 Research Highlights
How shoulder muscles gave Pterosaurs an aerodynamic edge, and mysterious radio waves coming from near the centre of the Milky Way.
Research Highlight: How ancient reptiles were streamlined for flight
Research Highlight: A mysterious radio signal object is beaming radio waves into the Milky Way
17:45 Magnets move non-magnetic metals
Scientists have created an array of magnets capable of moving non-metallic objects in 6 dimensions. They hope their new approach could one day be used to clean up debris in space.
Research article: Pham et al.
News and Views: Non-magnetic objects induced to move by electromagnets
27:06 What Francis Collin’s retirement means for the US NIH
After 12 years, Francis Collins announced plans to retire from his role as Director of the United States National Institutes of Health. We discuss his legacy and what this means for the world’s biggest public funder of biomedical research.
Editorial: COVID, racism, China: three tests for the next NIH leader
News: Francis Collins to step down at NIH: scientists assess his legacy
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Hundreds of scientists have responded to a survey asking about harassment and abuse during the pandemic. The results paint a picture which is as concerning as it is shocking. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss the kinds of abuse scientists are facing, try to pick apart where it is comes from and ask what can be done about it?
News Feature: ‘I hope you die’: how the COVID pandemic unleashed attacks on scientists
Careers feature: Real-life stories of online harassment — and how scientists got through it
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The neurons behind acupuncture’s effect on inflammation, and how antibiotics affect gut bacteria.
In this episode:
00:54 The neuronal basis for acupuncture’s effect on inflammation
In mice, electroacupuncture has been shown to reduce inflammation, but only when certain points on the body are stimulated. Why this is has puzzled scientists, but now, researchers have identified the specific neurons that are involved. They hope that this knowledge could be used in future to help treat certain inflammatory-related diseases.
Research article: Liu et al.
News and Views: Electroacupuncture activates neurons to switch off inflammation
07:28 Research Highlights
The Aztec origins of an obsidian ‘spirit mirror’, and the damage done by a Soviet plutonium complex.
Research Highlight: A ‘spirit mirror’ used in Elizabeth I’s court had Aztec roots
Research Highlight: Cold-war spy pictures reveal a Soviet nuclear ‘cloud generator’
10:18 Assessing antibiotics’ collateral damage.
Antibiotics are known to cause damage to the communities of bacteria that live in our guts. To better understand why this happens, a team has mapped the effects that different antibiotics have on individual gut-bacteria species, which may offer new insights into preventing this collateral damage.
Research article: Maier et al.
17:32 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the latest species to be declared extinct in the US, and a potential planet that orbits three stars.
New York Times: Protected Too Late: U.S. Officials Report More Than 20 Extinctions
New York Times: This May Be the First Planet Found Orbiting 3 Stars at Once
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New data suggests that inexpensive, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can effectively scrub SARS-CoV-2 particles from the air in hospital COVID wards. The result validates previous studies carried out in controlled conditions. Currently, HEPA filters are not routinely used in hospital settings, but researchers suggest they could could help mitigate the risk of tramission of airborne viruses.
In addition a new study has demonstrated the effectiveness of mask wearing, with surgical masks proving more effective than those made of cloth. The trial, which involved 350,000 participants in Bangladesh, is the latest in a long line of studies demonstrating mask efficacy - but this is the first randomised control trial of its kind. We ask if this gold-standard trial will prove to be the final word on the effectiveness of masks.
News: Real-world data show that filters clean COVID-causing virus from air
News: Face masks for COVID pass their largest test yet
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AI weather forecasters, mapping the human brain and the 2021 science Nobel prizes.
In this episode:
00:52 Improving the accuracy of weather forecasts with AI
Short-term rain predictions are a significant challenge for meteorologists. Now, a team of researchers have come up with an artificial-intelligence based system that weather forecasters preferred to other prediction methods.
Research article: Ravuri et al.
08:02 Research Highlights
The vaping robot that could help explain why some e-cigarettes damage lungs, and the sea-slugs that steal chloroplasts to boost egg production.
Research Highlight: This robot vapes for science
Research Highlight: Solar-powered slugs have a bright reproductive future
10:29 A map of the motor cortex
A group of researchers are undertaking an enormous task: to make a cellular atlas of the entire brain. This week, they publish a suite of papers that has accomplished this feat for one part of the brain — the motor cortex.
Research Article: BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network
News and Views: A census of cell types in the brain’s motor cortex
Editorial: Neuroscientists make strides towards deciphering the human brain
17:58 Nobel News
Flora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year’s science Nobels.
News: Medicine Nobel goes to scientists who discovered biology of senses
News: Climate modellers and theorist of complex systems share physics Nobel
News: ‘Elegant’ catalysts that tell left from right scoop chemistry Nobel
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Starting up in science: behind the scenes
In this bonus episode, the four Nature reporters behind Starting up in science discuss how the project came about, what it was like to follow two scientists for three years, and what the series has achieved.
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Episode 4
Ali interviews for a critical grant. While she is waiting for the result, the pandemic throws their labs into chaos. Then comes a personal crisis.
Read a written version of Starting up in science
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Episode 3
As newly-minted principal investigators, Ali and Dan have grand plans for their research – but science is slow, especially when other demands loom large: hiring staff, mentoring and teaching students and, of course, the race to secure funding.
Read a written version of Starting up in science
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Episode 2
Ali and Dan have landed positions as the heads of their very own labs. But how did they get to the starting line? Every scientist’s journey is different, and in this episode we hear Ali and Dan’s, which covers years, thousands of miles, and some very difficult decisions.
Read a written version of Starting up in science
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Every year, thousands of scientists struggle to launch their own labs. For three years, a reporting team from Nature documented the lives of married couple Alison Twelvetrees and Daniel Bose as they worked to get their fledgling research groups off the ground.
Frustrations over funding, a global pandemic, and a personal trauma have made this journey anything but simple for Ali and Dan. Listen to their story in Starting up in science.
Episode 1
What does it take to start up in science? Meet two biologists fighting the odds to build their careers and break new ground. But their first priority is getting grants – without them, their labs might not stay afloat.
Read a written version of Starting up in science
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Australian scientists are developing new technologies to help protect coral from climate change.
Earlier this year, a team of researchers used a mist-machine to artificially brighten clouds in order to block sunlight above Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The project is the world’s first field trial of marine cloud brightening and is among a number of techniques and technologies being developed to save the country’s reefs from the worst effects of climate change.
This is an audio version of our feature: Can artificially altered clouds save the Great Barrier Reef?
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Less than 1% of those in low income countries are fully vaccinated, and that number only rises to 10% in low-middle income countries. Meanwhile more than half of the population in wealthier countries have received a double dose with several now rolling out third dosess.
In this episode of Coronapod we look at the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Drug companies are facing increased pressure to partner with manufacturing firms in the global south but most are reluctant to relinquish control. We ask what needs to change to help address the global disparity in vaccine access.
News: The fight to manufacture COVID vaccines in lower-income countries
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How tiny seed-like sensors could monitor the environment, and the latest from the Nature Briefing.
In this episode:
00:45 Spinning seeds inspire floating electronics
Researchers have developed miniature electronic-chips with wings that fall like seeds, which could be a new way to monitor the environment.
Research article: Kim et al.
Video: Seed-inspired spinners ride the wind and monitor the atmosphere
06:02 Research Highlights
How humans can adjust to an energy-efficient walking pace almost without thinking, and the viral shell that excels at delivering genome-editing tools.
Research Highlight: Humans walk efficiently even with their heads in the clouds
Research Highlight: A CRISPR fix for muscles hatches from a viral shell
08:34 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the mystery of the Sun’s super-hot corona, and the latest efforts to toilet-train cows.
Physics World: The enduring mystery of the solar corona
The Guardian: Cows ‘potty-trained’ in experiment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
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How aquatic foods could help tackle world hunger, and how Australian wildfires spurred phytoplankton growth in the Southern Ocean.
In this episode:
00:45 The role of aquatic food in tackling hunger
Ahead of the UN’s Food Systems Summit, Nature journals are publishing research from the Blue Food Assessment, looking at how aquatic foods could help feed the world's population in a healthy, sustainable and equitable way.
We speak to Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, who tells us about the role of blue foods in future food systems.
Immersive feature: Blue Foods
12:27 Research Highlights
The ingestible capsule that injects drugs straight into stomach tissue, and a soft material that changes colour when twisted.
Research Highlight: An easily swallowed capsule injects drugs straight into the gut
Research Highlight: Flowing crystals for quick camouflage
14:52 How Australian wildfires spurred phytoplankton blooms
The devastating Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 released plumes of iron-rich aerosols that circled the globe, fertilizing oceans thousands of miles away. New research suggests that these aerosols ultimately triggered blooms of microscopic phytoplankton downwind of the fires, in the Southern Ocean.
Research Article: Tang et al.
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A new theory to explain missing geological time, the end of leaded petrol, and the ancient humans of Arabia.
In this episode:
00:29 Unpicking the Great Unconformity
For more than 150 years, geologists have been aware of ‘missing’ layers of rock from the Earth’s geological record. Up to one billion years appear to have been erased in what’s known as the Great Unconformity. Many theories to explain this have been proposed, and now a new one suggests that the Great Unconformity may have in fact been a series of smaller events.
BBC Future: The strange race to track down a missing billion years
05:23 The era of leaded petrol is over
In July, Algeria became the final country to ban the sale of leaded petrol, meaning that the fuel is unavailable to buy legally anywhere on Earth. However despite this milestone, the toxic effects of lead petrol pollution will linger for many years to come.
Chemistry World: Leaded petrol is finally phased out worldwide
08:26 The ancient humans who lived in a wetter Arabia
While much of modern day Arabia is covered by deserts, new research suggests that hundreds of thousands of years ago conditions were much wetter for periods on the peninsula. These lusher periods may have made the area a key migratory crossroads for ancient humans.
Research Article: Groucutt et al.
News and Views: Traces of a series of human dispersals through Arabia
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How insects help release carbon stored in forests, and the upcoming biodiversity summit COP 15.
In this episode:
00:44 Fungi, insects, dead trees and the carbon cycle
Across the world forests play a huge role in the carbon cycle, removing huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But when those trees die, some of that carbon goes back into the air. A new project studies how fast dead wood breaks down in different conditions, and the important role played by insects.
Research Article: Seibold et al.
09:37 Research Highlights
Massive stars make bigger planets, and melting ice moves continents.
Research Highlight: Why gassy planets are bigger around more-massive stars
Research Highlight: So much ice is melting that Earth’s crust is moving
12:04 The UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity
After several delays, the fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, is now slated to take place next year. Even communicating the issues surrounding biodiversity loss has been a challenge, and reaching the targets due to be set at the upcoming meeting will be an even bigger one.
Editorial: The scientific panel on biodiversity needs a bigger role
19:32 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, cannibal cane toads and a pterosaur fossil rescued from smugglers.
Nature News: Australia’s cane toads evolved as cannibals with frightening speed
Research Highlight: A plundered pterosaur reveals the extinct flyer’s extreme headgear
National Geographic: Stunning fossil seized in police raid reveals prehistoric flying reptile's secrets
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As women’s soccer, rugby and other sports gain in popularity a growing body of evidence suggests that female athletes are at a greater risk of traumatic brain injury than men - what's more they tend to fare worse after a concussion and take longer to recover. Now researchers are racing to get to the bottom of why and ask how treatment might need to change.
This is an audio version of our feature: Why sports concussions are worse for women
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Delta has quickly become the dominant COVID variant in many countries across the world, in this episode we ask why. Over the past few weeks, a slew of studies have started to shed more light on how the Delta variant differs from its cousins and even the mechanisms behind its rampant spread. We dig into studies on the epidemiology and molecular biology of Delta to ask some key questions surrounding its transmissibility, lethality and what all this might mean for vaccine roll outs.
News: The mutation that helps Delta spread like wildfire
News: COVID vaccines protect against Delta, but their effectiveness wanes
News: How do vaccinated people spread Delta? What the science says
News: Delta coronavirus variant: scientists brace for impact
News: Delta’s rise is fuelled by rampant spread from people who feel fine
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A team is creating bespoke words for scientific terms in African languages, and the sustainability of the electric car boom.
00:46 Creating new words for scientific terms
Many words that are common to science have never been written in some African languages, or speakers struggle to agree what the right term is. Now a new project aims to change that, by translating 180 research papers into six languages spoken by millions of people across the continent of Africa.
News: African languages to get more bespoke scientific terms
11:48 Research Highlights
A rainbow of biodegradable inks derived from brown seaweed, and the enormous centipede that preys on baby birds.
Research Highlight: From drab to dazzling: seaweed yields sparkling coloured inks
Research Highlight: The giant centipede that devours fluffy baby seabirds
13:58 How sustainable is the electric car boom?
As electric cars become more ubiquitous, manufacturers will have to up the production of batteries needed to power them. But that begs the question - can they be mass produced in a sustainable way?
News Feature: Electric cars and batteries: how will the world produce enough?
24:06 Briefing chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how a tusk-based ‘chemical GPS’ revealed details of a mammoth’s enormous journeys , and why the Perseverance rover’s first efforts to collect a Mars rock sample didn’t go according to plan.
Nature: Mammoth’s epic travels preserved in tusk
Nature: Why NASA’s Mars rover failed to collect its first rock core
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Several wealthy nations have announced plans to give third vaccine doses in a bid to help increase the protection of their most vulnerable citizens - but the science is not clear on whether this strategy will be effective or indeed necessary. Meanwhile with limited vaccine supplies - billions around the world still have no access to vaccines at all. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss the science of boosters, the stark reality of vaccine disparity and what this means for the future of the pandemic.
News: COVID boosters for wealthy nations spark outrage
News feature: COVID vaccine boosters: the most important questions
Coronapod: the inequality at the heart of the pandemic
Coronapod: the biomarker that could change COVID vaccines
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Researchers uncover how grid cells fire in a 3D space to help bats navigate, and a fabric that switches between being stiff and flexible.
In this episode:
00:47 Mapping a bat’s navigation neurons in 3D
Grid cells are neurons that regularly fire as an animal moves through space, creating a pattern of activity that aids navigation. But much of our understanding of how grid cells work has involved rats moving in a 2D plane. To figure out how the system works in a 3D space, researchers have mapped the brain activity of bats flying freely around a room.
Research Article: Ginosar et al.
07:44 Research Highlights
How a ‘toxin sponge’ may protect poison dart frogs from themselves, and the world’s oldest known coin foundry has been found.
Research Highlight: An absorbing tale: poison dart frogs might have a ‘toxin sponge’
Research Highlight: Found: the world’s oldest known mint and its jumbo product
09:59 A flexible fabric that transforms from soft to rigid (and back again)
Researchers have created a ‘tunable’ fabric, inspired by medieval chainmail, that when compressed changes from flexible to rigid. The stiffened structure can hold 30 times its own weight, and the team behind it suggest this material could be used to build temporary shelters or have medical applications.
Research article: Wang et al.
16:33 Stark warning from the IPCC’s latest report
This week the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its long awaited report detailing compiling the latest climate science data. Nature’s Jeff Tollefson joins us to discuss the report and the warnings it contains for our warming world.
News: IPCC climate report: Earth is warmer than it’s been in 125,000 years
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Ivermectin is a cheap, widely available, anti-parasitic drug that has been proposed by many as a possible treatment for COVID-19. Dozens of trials have been started, but results have been far from clear, with inconsistent results further confused by high profile paper retractions. Nonetheless many countries have recommended the use of Ivermectin, despite WHO advice to the contrary.
Now a group of researchers have found suspect data in another influential paper which claimed a Ivermectin caused a 90% reduction in fatality. The paper, published at the end of 2020, has since been withdrawn pending investigation. In this episode of Coronapod we ask what this might mean for Ivermectin, and what's next for the controversial drug.
Correction: at 2:53 when discussing two discredited studies, we mistakenly say that the papers say "both drugs worked really well". In fact, this retracted study from the Lancet claimed that the drug hydroxychloroquine caused harm. We apologise for any confusion. More information on the scandal surrounding these papers can be found here.
News:Flawed ivermectin preprint highlights challenges of COVID drug studies
News: Latin America’s embrace of an unproven COVID treatment is hindering drug trials
Coronapod: The Surgisphere scandal that rocked coronavirus drug research
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Satellite imaging has shown population increases are 10x higher in flood prone areas than previously thought, and a new way to introduce fairness into a democratic process.
In this episode:
00:47 Calculating how many people are at risk of floods.
Researchers have used satellite imagery to estimate the number of people living in flood-prone regions. They suggest that the percentage of people exposed to floods has increased 10 times more than previously thought, and with climate change that number is only set to climb.
Research Article: Tellman et al.
News and Views: The fraction of the global population at risk of floods is growing
09:41 Research Highlights
People are happy to be selfish towards a crowd, but generous to an individual; and how wildfire smoke affects clouds’ brightness.
Research Highlight: ‘Robber’ experiment tests generosity — with sobering results
Research Highlight: Wildfire smoke creates brighter clouds — and weather changes
12:01 Making democracy fairer
Citizens’ assemblies are small groups of people invited to come together to help inform and affect policy decisions. But deciding who is in these groups is a mathematical challenge — the process needs to be random, but still reflect social demographics. This week, researchers describe a new algorithm that could offer a solution.
Research article: Flanigan et al.
News and Views: A bridge across the democracy–expertise divide
20:04 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how ships could spread a deadly coral disease, and research shows that female scientists are less likely to be cited in elite medical journals.
The Guardian: Deadly coral disease sweeping Caribbean linked to water from ships
Nature News: Fewer citations for female authors of medical research
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Researchers debate whether an ancient fossil is the oldest animal yet discovered, and a new way to eavesdrop on glaciers.
In this episode:
01:04 Early sponge
This week in Nature, a researcher claims to have found a fossil sponge from 890-million-years-ago. If confirmed, this would be more than 300-million-years older than the earliest uncontested animal fossils but not all palaeontologists are convinced.
Research Article: Turner
10:13 Research Highlights
A caffeine buzz appears to improve bees’ memory, and reconstructing an Iron Age man’s final meal.
Research Highlight: A caffeine buzz gives bees flower power
Research Highlight: The guts of a ‘bog body’ reveal sacrificed man’s final meal
12:34 Eavesdropping on a glacier’s base
We hear about one researcher’s unorthodox attempt to listen in to the seismic-whisper at the foot of a Greenland glacier – a method that might reveal more about conditions under these enormous blocks of ice.
Research Article: Podolskiy et al.
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Archaeological evidence shows that ancient people ate carbs, long before domesticated crops.
While the idea that early humans subsisted mainly on meat persists, archaeologists are increasingly understanding that ancient people have actually long been in love with carbs, even before the advent of agriculture.
This is an audio version of our feature: How ancient people fell in love with bread, beer and other carbs
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Early in 2021 the United Kingdom, along with several other countries, allowed mass gatherings as part of a series of controlled studies aimed at better understanding the role events could play in the pandemic. The goal was to inform policy - however early results have provided limited data on viral transmission.
As the Olympic games kick off in Tokyo, we delve into the research, asking what the limitations have been, if more data will become available and whether policy makers are likely to take the findings into account in the future.
News: COVID and mass sport events: early studies yield limited insights
News: Why England’s COVID ‘freedom day’ alarms researchers
Podcast: Coronapod: does England's COVID strategy risk breeding deadly variants?
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Funding for gun violence research in the US returns after a 20-year federal hiatus, and the glass sponges that can manipulate ocean currents.
In this episode:
00:45 Gun violence research is rebooted
For 20 years there has been no federally-funded research on gun violence in the US. In 2019, $25 million a year was allocated for this work. We speak to some of the researchers that are using these funds, and the questions they are trying to answer about gun violence.
News Feature: Gun violence is surging — researchers finally have the money to ask why
Podcast: Stick to the science
09:21 Research Highlights
Strategic laziness and yak dung help pikas survive harsh winters, and how food gets wasted in China’s supply chains.
Research Highlight: Pikas in high places have a winter-time treat: yak poo
Research Highlight: China wastes almost 30% of its food
11:40 How a sea sponge controls ocean currents
Venus’ flower baskets are marine sponges that live at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. These sponges have an unusual glass skeleton that helps them gather food, and even appears to control ocean currents.
Research Article: Falcucci et al.
News and Views: Fluid flow through a deep-sea sponge could inspire engineering designs
18:55 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, investment in non-human primate facilities, and the European Union's latest climate plan.
Nature News: The US is boosting funding for research monkeys in the wake of COVID
BBC News: EU unveils sweeping climate change plan
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The UK government has announced that virtually all COVID restrictions will be removed in England on Monday 18th July. This will do away with social distancing requirements, allow businesses to re-open to full capacity and remove legal mask mandates. This decision comes, however, amidst soaring infections rates in the country, driven by the delta variant.
Now scientists are questioning the wisdom of this policy and asking whether the combination of high transmission and a partially vaccinated population could provide the perfect breeding ground for vaccine-resistant variants - a possibility which could have devastating global consequences.
News: Why England’s COVID ‘freedom day’ alarms researchers
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Why heat waves disproportionately impact minorities in US cities, and the researcher that critiqued his whole career on Twitter.
In this episode:
00:45 How heat waves kill unequally
Researchers are beginning to unpick how historic discrimination in city planning is making the recent heat waves in North America more deadly for some than others.
News Feature: Racism is magnifying the deadly impact of rising city heat
11:59 Research Highlights
A graphene layer can protect paintings from age, and a new and endangered species of ‘fairy lantern’.
Research Highlight: A graphene cloak keeps artworks’ colours ageles
Research Highlight: Newfound ‘fairy lantern’ could soon be snuffed out forever
14:25 Self-criticism
When researcher Nick Holmes decided to criticise his past papers, in 57 tweets, he found the reflection enlightening. Now he’s encouraging other researchers to self-criticise, to help speed scientific progress.
World View: I critiqued my past papers on social media — here’s what I learnt
20:53 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, Richard Branson’s commercial space flight, and the Maori perspective on Antarctic conservation.
The Washington Post: Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew are safely back from space, ushering in a new era
The New York Times: The Maori Vision of Antarctica’s Future (intermittent paywall)
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For much of the pandemic, the greatest burden of disease has been felt by older generations. But now, for the first time, vaccine roll outs are starting to skew the average age of those infections towards the young. This has led many researchers to ask what this might mean for the future of the pandemic. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss what we know and what we don't know about this change in the demographic profile of COVID infections. We ask how this might impact global vaccination efforts, disease transmission and the health and wellbeing of young people.
News: Will COVID become a disease of the young?
News: How kids’ immune systems can evade COVID
Podcast: Coronapod: counting the cost of long COVID
Podcast: Coronapod: Kids and COVID vaccines
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Addressing the problem of sudden food scarcity in US cities, and the up-and-coming field of computational social science.
In this episode:
00:45 Food shocks
Climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical crises can cause food shortages. To tackle this issue, Alfonso Mejia and colleagues have modelled how to best mitigate these food shocks in US cities. Alfonso tells us about the new analyses and what steps cities could take in the future.
Research Article: Gomez et al.
News and Views: How to buffer against an urban food shortage
06:07 Research Highlights
A tiny lattice can withstand the impacts of projectiles at twice the speed of sound, and the neurons that allow humans to perceive time.
Research Highlight: Supersonic strikes leave just a dent in this super-light material
Research Highlight: The ‘time neurons’ that help the brain keep track
08:25 Computational Social Science
Big data is transforming research, and social science is no exception. This week, Nature is running a special issue on ‘computational social science’. We catch up with some of the editors involved to find out more about this up-and-coming field.
Collections: Computational Social Science
19:27 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, discovering the dazzling diversity of viruses, and how China eradicated malaria.
Nature News Feature: Beyond coronavirus: the virus discoveries transforming biology
Science: It’s official: China has eliminated malaria
Nature Videos
Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa
Why leaky pipes can be better for moving water
The artificial pancreas: a bridge to a cure
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Since the beginning oft he pandemic, researchers have searched for a biomarker which indicates immune protection from COVID-19 known as a correlate of protection. Now, the team developing the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have published the first results of their so-called 'breakthrough study' which indicated puts forwards thresholds of neutralising antibodies that they suggest correlate with protection. The hope is that, should these results be confirmed, such biomarkers could speed up the development of new vaccines, and provide better ways to monitor the efficacy of tweaked vaccine aimed at fighting variants.
News: Scientists identify long-sought marker for COVID vaccine success
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A historian reflects on the life of Chinese crop scientist Yuan Longping, and the possible influence of geothermal energy production on earthquake aftershocks.
In this episode:
00:46 Remembering Yuan Longping
Yuan Longping, one of China’s most famous scientists, died in May at the age of 90. Known as the ‘father of hybrid rice’, we reflect on his life and the impact of his research, which helped feed billions of people.
Obituary: Yuan Longping (1930–2021)
09:55 Research Highlights
The ancient and incredibly well-preserved beetle found in dinosaur poo, and a 5,000 year old, less transmissible strain of plague bacteria.
Research Highlight: A piece of Triassic poo yields a beautifully preserved beetle
Research Highlight: A hunter-gather’s bones yield the oldest known strain of plague
12:14 Geothermal power and earthquake aftershocks
In 2019, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rippled through California, except – according to some researchers – at the site of a geothermal power plant. Now, a paper in Nature tries to understand why.
Research paper: Im et al.
16:47 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the new skull fossils that might expand the human family tree, and a new estimate of the age of an ancient ‘living fossil’.
Nature News: Mysterious skull fossils expand human family tree — but questions remain
Science: This ‘living fossil’ could reach 100 years old
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A deluge of trials has stress-tested the systems that produce evidence.
Around the world, researchers have raced to test therapies to treat COVID-19. The speed and urgency of this task has revealed both the weaknesses in the collection and use of research-based evidence, and how well-run trials have helped save lives.
This is an audio version of our feature: How COVID broke the evidence pipeline
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Early vaccine trials did not include pregnant or breastfeeding people which left some people asking whether COVID vaccines are safe and effective for those who are breastfeeding. The latest data suggests that they are and in this episode of Coronapod we dig into the questions scientists have been asking. Could the vaccine make it into breastmilk? Can COVID antibodies be transferred to a breastfeeding child? And if so, how?
News Feature: COVID vaccines and breastfeeding: what the data say
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Researchers isolate the protein thought to allow birds to sense magnetic fields, and astronomers pinpoint the stars that could view Earth as an exoplanet.
In this episode:
00:45 Homing in on the molecule that helps birds find their way.
How migratory birds sense magnetic fields is a long standing mystery in sensory biology. Now researchers have isolated a molecule, found within the eyes of these birds, which might act as a compass using quantum mechanics.
Research paper: Xu et al.
07:28 Research Highlights
How spending time on land boosts the brainpower of amphibious fish, and the neural pathway of sneezing has been revealed.
Research Highlight: Amphibious fish get smart — by working out on land
Research Highlight: How the brain makes us go ‘Achoo!’
09:52 Exoplanet Earth
Astronomers have catalogued almost 2,000 stars from which the Earth could be detected passing in front of the Sun. The team suggest that these stars would be good targets to search for planets that could harbour life.
Research Article: Kaltenegger & Faherty
18:46 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the unexpected science kicked up by the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, and how science is embracing the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Nature News: Mars helicopter kicks up ‘cool’ dust clouds — and unexpected science
Nature News: How scientists are embracing NFTs
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After a slew of wildly successful vaccine trials, this week marked a more underwhelming result. The third mRNA vaccine to complete phase three trials, developed by CureVac, is just 47% effective at staving off disease according to preliminary data. This is a stark contrast with previous mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer BioNtec which returned around twice that efficacy in their trials. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why the CureVac vaccine has faltered, and what this might mean for the future of the pandemic and mRNA vaccine development.
News: CureVac COVID vaccine let-down spotlights mRNA design challenges
News Feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines
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The pros and pitfalls of collaboration, with insights from researchers and beyond.
This week, Nature has a special issue on collaborations, looking at the benefits to science and society that working together can bring. In this collaboration-themed edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Nature’s David Payne to discuss the issue, and the state of research collaborations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this episode:
02:49 How are research collaborations changing?
To answer the biggest questions, research teams are coming together in larger numbers than ever before. But the scientific enterprise hasn’t been set up to support or reward team efforts. We look at how funding systems and methods for giving research-credit need to adapt, to match the reality of modern science.
Feature: How the COVID pandemic is changing global science collaborations
Careers Feature: The authorship rows that sour scientific collaborations
Careers Feature: ‘We need to talk’: ways to prevent collaborations breaking down
16:45 Community-research collaborations
In order to do research that can help communities, scientists need to develop relationships with community members. Creating these bonds can be fraught with difficulty, so we examine how to make them work using the example of Flint, Michigan in the US.
Comment: Community–academic partnerships helped Flint through its water crisis
Nature Video: China and the UK: Making an international collaboration work
Take Nature’s 2021 International Salary and Job Satisfaction Survey
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The global burden of COVID-19 has predominantly been measured using metrics like case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths. But the long term health impacts are more difficult to capture. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss one way that public health experts are trying to get to grips with the problem using metrics such as disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs).
As new data suggests that COVID could leave millions with lasting disability or ill-health, we ask how changing the lens through which we asses the impacts of COVID could change public health policies, the perception of risk and even the behaviour of individuals.
News Feature: The four most urgent questions about long COVID
Comment: Count the cost of disability caused by COVID-19
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An AI that designs computer chips in hours, and zooming in on DNA’s complex 3D structures.
In this episode:
00:46 An AI computer microchip designer
Working out where to place the billions of components that a modern computer chip needs can take human designers months and, despite decades of research, has defied automation. This week, however, a team from Google report a new machine learning algorithm that does the job in a fraction of the time, and is already helping design their next generation of AI processors.
Research Article: Mirhoseini et al.
News and Views: AI system outperforms humans in designing floorplans for microchips
Editorial: Google is using AI to speed up microchip design — a welcome advance that must be handled with care
07:00 Research Highlights
The blood proteins that may help assess cardiovascular fitness, and how the rock-hard teeth of a mollusc could inspire stronger 3D-printed materials.
Research Highlight: How fit can you get? These blood proteins hold a clue
Research Highlight: The surprise hidden in the teeth of the ‘wandering meatloaf’
09:47 Zooming in on the 3D structure of DNA
In order to switch genes on, DNA often needs to twist up into complex 3D shapes, bringing distant parts of a genome together. Understanding precisely which sections come into contact has been difficult, but now a new technique is helping to reveal them at an individual base-pair level.
Research paper: Hua et al.
15:22 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the missing sections from the human genome sequence that have now been filled, and NASA announces two missions to Venus.
Stat: Researchers claim they have sequenced the entirety of the human genome — including the missing parts
National Geographic: NASA will head to Venus for first time in roughly 30 years
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Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been allegations that SARS-CoV-2 could have originated in a Chinese lab. A phase one WHO investigation concluded that a 'lab-leak' was "extremely unlikely" and yet, the theory has seen a resurgence in recent weeks with several scientists wading into the debate.
In this episode of Coronapod, we delve into what scientists have been saying and ask how and why the 'lab-leak' hypothesis has gained so much traction. We ask if the way we communicate complex and nuanced science could be fuelling division, and what the fallout could be for international collaboration on ending the pandemic.
News: Divisive COVID ‘lab leak’ debate prompts dire warnings from researchers
Science: Investigate the origins of COVID-19
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The cross-discipline effort to work our how ancient humans learned to count.
In this episode:
00:45 Number origins
Around the world, archaeologists, linguists and a host of other researchers are trying to answer some big questions – when, and how, did humans learn to count? We speak to some of the scientists at the forefront of this effort.
News Feature: How did Neanderthals and other ancient humans learn to count?
07:47 Research Highlights
How sea anemones influence clownfish stripes, and how skin-to-skin contact can improve survival rates for high-risk newborns.
Research Highlight: How the clownfish gets its stripes
Research Highlight: Nestling skin-to-skin right after birth saves fragile babies’ lives
09:48 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, an upper limit for human ageing, and could tardigrades survive a collision with the moon?
Scientific American: Humans Could Live up to 150 Years, New Research Suggests
Science: Hardy water bears survive bullet impacts—up to a point
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A vaccine candidate for a neglected tropical disease, and calls to extend the 14-day limit on embryo research.
In this episode:
00:46 A vaccine candidate for an important livestock disease
African animal trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that kills millions of cattle each year, affecting livelihoods and causing significant economic costs in many sub-Saharan countries. Developing a vaccine against the disease has proved difficult as the parasite has a wealth of tricks to evade the immune system. This week however, a team of researchers have created a vaccine candidate that shows early promise in mice.
Research Article: Autheman et al.
08:27 Research Highlights
A tapeworm infection helps worker ants live longer (at a cost), and how humanity’s shift to farming influenced plant-life in pre-industrial times.
Research Highlight: Tapeworm infestation gives lowly ants long life
Research Highlight: Our radical changes to Earth’s greenery began long ago — with farms, not factories
11:21 New guidelines for stem cell research
For the first time since 2016, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has updated its guidelines for biomedical research involving human embryos. We discuss the rapid advances in the field over the past five years, and how the new guidelines have had to change to keep pace with them.
News: 14-day limit on growing human embryos in lab dropped by advisory body
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Scientists are trying to figure out whether these pervasive plastic specks are dangerous.
Wherever they look – from the bottom of oceans to the top of mountains – researchers are uncovering tiny specks of plastic, known as microplastics.
Scientists are trying to understand the potential impacts of ingesting these pervasive plastics but early results are ambiguous, as some experiments might not reflect the diversity of microplastics that exist in the real world.
This is an audio version of our feature: Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful?
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Smouldering fires lay dormant before bursting back into flame in spring.
In this episode:
00:56 The mysterious overwintering forest fires
Researchers have shown that fires can smoulder under snow in frozen northern forests before flaring up the following spring. Understanding how these so-called ‘zombie’ fires start and spread is vital in the fight against climate change.
Research Article: Scholten et al.
07:39 Research Highlights
Aesthetic bias means pretty plants receive the most research attention, and ancient tooth gunk reveals the evolution of the mouth microbiome.
Research Highlight: Flashy plants draw outsize share of scientists’ attention
Research Highlight: Microbes in Neanderthals’ mouths reveal their carb-laden diet
10:04 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, Voyager 1 detects a faint interstellar ‘hum’, and a trove of Neanderthal bones found in an Italian cave.
Reuters: Faraway NASA probe detects the eerie hum of interstellar space
The Guardian: Remains of nine Neanderthals found in cave south of Rome
Video: Hawaii’s surprise volcanic eruption: Lessons from Kilauea 2018
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Over the past few weeks, India has been experiencing a devastating second wave of COVID-19, recording hundreds of thousands of new cases a day.
Evidence is growing that a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as B.1.617, first detected in India in October, may be driving this wave.
On this week’s Coronapod we talk about the race to learn more about B.1.617, with early results suggesting it may be more transmissible and could cause more severe disease.
News: Coronavirus variants are spreading in India — what scientists know so far
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A new neural interface lets people type with their mind, and a crafting journey into materials science.
In this episode:
00:45 A brain interface to type out thoughts
Researchers have developed a brain-computer interface that is able to read brain signals from people thinking about handwriting, and translate them into on-screen text. The team hope this technology could be used to help people with paralysis to communicate quicker than before.
Research Article: Willett et al.
News and Views: Neural interface translates thoughts into type
Video: The BCI handwriting system in action
07:37 Research Highlights
Light-sensitive cells help headless worms ‘see’ with their bodies, and a wearable device that monitors itchiness.
Research Highlight: How headless worms see the light to steer
Research Highlight: How itchy are you? A new device knows precisely
10:26 The science of everyday materials
Materials scientist Anna Ploszajski joins us to talk about her new book Handmade, which details how her journey into craft helped shape her materials research.
Book review: From spoons to semiconductors — we are what we make
18:26 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the genomes of some viruses that contain a very unusual DNA nucleobase, and the smouldering nuclear reactions that remain in the wreckage of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Nature: Weird viral DNA spills secrets to biologists
Science: ‘It’s like the embers in a barbecue pit.’ Nuclear reactions are smoldering again at Chernobyl
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In surprise news this week, the US government announced its support for waiving patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, in an effort to boost supplies around the world.As fewer than 1% of people living in low-income countries have received COVID-19 vaccines, it is hoped that this move is a major step towards addressing this inequity by allowing manufacturers to legally produce generic versions of vaccines. We discuss the next steps that need to be taken to make this a reality, and why there is opposition to the plan.
Also on the podcast, we look at another aspect of coronavirus inequity: the sharing of genomic data. Around the world, researchers are racing to upload SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences to repositories, to help in the fight against the pandemic. One popular data repository, GISAID, requires users to sign in and acknowledge those whose data they analyse. Although a growing faction of scientists from wealthy nations are calling for the removal of gatekeeping requirements, scientists in the global south are pushing back, arguing that this will deprive them of credit and chances to participate in big-data analyses.
News: In shock move, US backs waiving patents on COVID vaccines
News: Why some researchers oppose unrestricted sharing of coronavirus genome data
News: Scientists call for fully open sharing of coronavirus genome data
Science: Coronavirus sequence trove sparks frustration
New York Times: Pfizer Reaps Hundreds of Millions in Profits From Covid Vaccine
Washington Post: Poor countries may not be vaccinated until 2024. Here’s how to prevent that.
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The earliest evidence of deliberate human burial in Africa, and a metal-free rechargeable battery.
Listen to our mini-series ‘Stick to the Science’: when science gets political and vote for the show in this year’s Webby Awards.
In this episode:
00:44 Human burial practices in Stone Age Africa
The discovery of the burial site of a young child in a Kenyan cave dated to around 78 thousand years ago sheds new light on how Stone Age populations treated their dead.
Research Article: Martinón-Torres et al.
News and Views: A child’s grave is the earliest known burial site in Africa
09:15 Research Highlights
How warming seas led to a record low in Northwestern Pacific typhoons, and the Arctic bird that maintains a circadian rhythm despite 24 hour sunlight.
Research Highlight: Warming seas brought an eerie calm to a stormy region
Research Highlight: The world’s northernmost bird is a clock-watcher
11:35 A metal-free rechargeable battery
Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised portable electronics, but there are significant issues surrounding their recyclability and the mining of the metals within them. To address these problems, a team of researchers have developed a metal-free rechargeable battery that breaks down to its component parts on demand.
Research Article: Nguyen et al.
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For more than a century, public health researchers have demonstrated how poverty and discrimination drive disease and the coronavirus pandemic has only reinforced this.
In a Coronapod special, Nature reporter Amy Maxmen takes us with her through eight months of reporting in the San Joaquin valley, a part of rural California where COVID's unequal toll has proven deadly.
News: Inequality's deadly toll
This piece was supported by grants from the Pulitzer Center and the MIT Knight Science Journalism fellowship.
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Ultra-precise measurements connect brain activity and energy use in individual fruit-fly neurons.
Vote for our mini-series ‘Stick to the Science’: when science gets political in this year’s Webby Awards.
In this episode:
00:45 How brain cells use energy
A team of researchers have looked in individual fruit-fly neurons to better understand how energy use and information processing are linked – which may have important implications for future fMRI studies in humans.
Research Article: Mann et al.
07:04 Research Highlights
A tough but flexible material inspired by lobster underbellies, and research reveals that red meat consumption hasn't dropped since the 1960s.
Research Highlight: Material mimicking lobster belly cracks the code for toughness
Research Highlight: Meat lovers worldwide pay climate little heed
10:15 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, early results for a new malaria vaccine look positive, and researchers unearth the latest chapter in a long-running plant experiment.
Nature News: Malaria vaccine shows promise — now come tougher trials
BBC News: Malaria vaccine hailed as potential breakthrough
New York Times: One of the World’s Oldest Science Experiments Comes Up From the Dirt
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Despite warnings, and a number of close calls, drugmakers failed to develop and stockpile drugs to fight a viral pandemic. Now, in the wake of SARS-CoV-2, they are pledging not to make the same mistake again.
Around the world, researchers are racing to develop drugs to target COVID-19, but also broad-spectrum antivirals that could be used to treat future viral threats.
This is an audio version of our feature: The race for antiviral drugs to beat COVID — and the next pandemic
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As COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs continue, attentions are turning to one group: children. While research suggests that children rarely develop severe forms of COVID-19, scientists still believe they could play a key role in transmission and a plan needs to be in place for the longer term. But clinical trials in children are more complicated than those in adults as different ethical and practical concerns need to be taken into account.
In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss the ongoing clinical trials to test vaccines in young children, and ask what scientists want to know about safety, and how effective these vaccines might be at preventing disease and transmission.
News: COVID vaccines and kids: five questions as trials begin
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The self-supporting structures that snap into place, and how a ban on fossil-fuel funding could entrench poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
In this episode:
00:45 Self-supporting, foldable structures
Drawing inspiration from the art of origami, a team of researchers have demonstrated a way to design self-supporting structures that lock into place after being inflated. The team hope that this technique could be used to create arches and emergency shelters that can be quickly unfolded from flat with minimal input.
Research Article: Melancon et al.
News and Views: Large-scale origami locks into place under pressure
Video: Origami-inspired structures could be deployed in disaster zones
07:32 Research Highlights
Nocturnal fluctuations cause scientists to underestimate rivers’ carbon emissions, and the ‘island rule’ of animal size-change is seen around the world.
Research Highlight: Rivers give off stealth carbon at night
Research Highlight: Animals around the world follow the ‘island rule’ to a curious fate
09:55 Banning fossil-fuel funding will not alleviate poverty
A ban by wealthy nations on the funding of overseas fossil-fuel projects would do little to reduce the world’s climate emissions and much to entrench poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, argues economist Vijaya Ramachandran.
World View: Blanket bans on fossil-fuel funds will entrench poverty
17:17 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the first powered flight on another world, and estimating how many Tyrannosaurus rex ever lived.
News: Lift off! First flight on Mars launches new way to explore worlds
Video: Flying a helicopter on Mars: NASA’s Ingenuity
News: How many T. rex ever existed? Calculation of dinosaur’s abundance offers an answer
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Reports of rare and unusual blood clots have resulted in several vaccine roll outs being paused while scientists scramble to work out if the vaccines are responsible and if so how.
The unusual combination of symptoms, including a low platelet count and clots focussed in the abdomen or brain, seems similar to a rare side effect from treatment with the drug blood thinning drug Heparin - however it is not clear how the vaccines could cause the syndrome.
In this episode of Coronapod we discuss the latest theories and ask how scientists are trying to get to the bottom of this important question. Medical regulators maintain that the benefits of these vaccines significantly outweigh the risks. But as uncertainty spreads, we ponder the wider implications of these reports, including the public perception of risk.
News: How could a COVID vaccine cause blood clots? Scientists race to investigate
Coronapod: How to define rare COVID vaccine side effects
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The lack of adequate sanitation in parts of the rural US, and physicists reassess muons’ magnetism.
In this episode:
00:45 How failing sanitation infrastructure is causing a US public health crisis
In the US, huge numbers of people live without access to adequate sanitation. Environmental-health advocate Catherine Coleman Flowers tells us about her new book looking at the roots and consequences of this crisis, focusing on Lowndes County, Alabama, an area inhabited largely by poor Black people, where an estimated 90% of households have failing or inadequate waste-water systems.
Book review: Toilets – what will it take to fix them?
07:56 Research Highlights
Why adding new members to the team can spark ideas, and how manta rays remember the best spots for pampering.
Research Highlight: Want fresh results? Analysis of thousands of papers suggests trying new teammates
Research Highlight: What manta rays remember: the best spots to get spruced up
10:13 Reassessing muons’ magnetic moment
A decade ago, physicists measured the ‘magnetic moment’ of the subatomic muon, and found their value did not match what theory suggested. This puzzled researchers, and hinted at the existence of new physics. Now, a team has used a different method to recalculate the theoretical result and see if this discrepancy remains.
Research Article: Fodor et al.
News: Is the standard model broken? Physicists cheer major muon result
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Rick Bright exposed former president Trump's political meddling in the US COVID response. Now he is championing a new privately funded initiative to track viral spread and combat new variants.
We discuss the challenges of collecting data on a rapidly spreading virus, from transmission dynamics to genomic surveillance. We also ask why a veteran government scientist like Bright, the ex-director of the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, would take a new path in the private sector.
News Q&A: Pandemic whistle-blower: we need a non-political way to track viruses
News: Why US coronavirus tracking can’t keep up with concerning variants
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In 2020, the artificial intelligence (AI) GPT-3 wowed the world with its ability to write fluent streams of text. Trained on billions of words from books, articles and websites, GPT-3 was the latest in a series of ‘large language model’ AIs that are used by companies around the world to improve search results, answer questions, or propose computer code.
However, these large language model are not without their issues. Their training is based on the statistical relationships between the words and phrases, which can lead to them generating toxic or dangerous outputs.
Preventing responses like these is a huge challenge for researchers, who are attempting to do so by addressing biases in training data, or by instilling these AIs with common-sense and moral judgement.
This is an audio version of our feature: Robo-writers: the rise and risks of language-generating AI
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From a sore arm to anaphylaxis, a wide range of adverse events have been reported after people have received a COVID-19 vaccine. And yet it is unclear how many of these events are actually caused by the vaccine. In the vast majority of cases, reactions are mild and can be explained by the body's own immune response. But monitoring systems designed to track adverse events are catching much rarer but more serious events. Now scientists need to work out if they are causally liked to the vaccine, or are just statistical anomalies - and that is not an easy task.
News: Why is it so hard to investigate the rare side effects of COVID vaccines?
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Laser-cooled antimatter opens up new physics experiments, and the staggering economic cost of invasive species.
In this episode:
00:44 Cooling antimatter with a laser focus
Antimatter is annihilated whenever it interacts with regular matter, which makes it tough for physicists to investigate. Now though, a team at CERN have developed a way to trap and cool antihydrogen atoms using lasers, allowing them to better study its properties.
Research Article: Baker et al.
News and Views: Antimatter cooled by laser light
09:27 Research Highlights
A dramatic increase in Arctic lightning strikes, and an acrobatic bunny helps researchers understand hopping.
Research Highlight: Rising temperatures spark boom in Arctic lightning
Research Highlight: Rabbits that do ‘handstands’ help to find a gene for hopping
11:53 Cost of invasion
Invasive alien species are organisms that end up in places where they don’t really belong, usually as a result of human activity. These species can cause loss of biodiversity and a host of damage to their new environments. This week, researchers estimate that the economic impact of invasive species to be over US $1 trillion.
Research Article: Diagne et al.
19:04 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the physics that might explain how a ship blocked the Suez Canal, and a new insight into octopuses’ sleep patterns.
The Financial Times: The bank effect and the big boat blocking the Suez
Science: Octopuses, like humans, sleep in two stages
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Since the beginning of the pandemic the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been plagued by confusion and controversy. The vaccine has been authorised in over 100 countries, tens of millions of doses have been administered, and it has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. However, over the past few weeks the vaccine has again been in the headlines.
In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss all of these controversies and ask how they may the reputation of the vaccine, and what that could mean for roll-outs moving forward.
News: Latest results put Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID vaccine back on track
News: What scientists do and don’t know about the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID vaccine
Never miss an episode: Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app. Head here for the Nature Podcast RSS feed.
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A web of three optical atomic clocks show incredibly accurate measurements of time, and the trailblazing astronomer who found hints of dark matter.
In this episode:
00:44 Optical clock network
Optical atomic clocks have the potential to reach new levels of accuracy and redefine how scientists measure time. However, this would require a worldwide system of connected clocks. Now researchers have shown that a network of three optical clocks is possible and confirm high levels of accuracy.
Research Article: BACON collaboration
News and Views: Atomic clocks compared with astounding accuracy
08:55 Research Highlights
The possible downside of high-intensity workouts, and the robot with adaptable legs for rough terrain.
Research Highlight: Can people get too much exercise? Mitochondria hint that the answer is yes
Research Highlight: A motorized leg up: this robot changes its limb length to suit the terrain
11:26 Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin was an astronomer whose observations were among the first to show evidence of dark matter. At the time, female astronomers were a rarity, but Vera blazed the trial for future women in science.
Books Review: Vera Rubin, astronomer extraordinaire — a new biography
18:35 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, carbon cost of bottom trawling, and the fictional French researcher confounding metrics.
The Guardian: Bottom trawling releases as much carbon as air travel, landmark study finds
Science: Who is Camille Noûs, the fictitious French researcher with nearly 200 papers?
Video: The quantum world of diamonds
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In the early days of the pandemic, researchers raced to identify the most potent antibodies produced by the immune system in response to SAR-COV-2 infection and produce them in bulk. The resulting ‘monoclonal antibodies’ have since been tested in a variety of settings as treatments for COVID-19.
But despite promising clinical trial results and several therapies having already been approved, antibody therapies have not yet played a large role in the fight against COVID-19. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why.
News: COVID antibody treatments show promise for preventing severe disease
News: Antibody therapies could be a bridge to a coronavirus vaccine — but will the world benefit?
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A computer that can participate in live debates against human opponents.
In this episode:
00:43 AI Debater
After thousands of years of human practise, it’s still not clear what makes a good argument. Despite this, researchers have been developing computer programs that can find and process arguments. And this week, researchers at IBM are publishing details of an artificial intelligence that is capable of debating with humans.
Research Article: Slonim et al.
News and Views: Argument technology for debating with humans
10:30 Research Highlights
The sea slugs that can regrow their whole body from their severed head, and evidence of high status women in ancient Europe.
Research Highlight: Now that’s using your head: a sea slug’s severed noggin sprouts a new body
Research Highlight: A breathtaking treasure reveals the power of the woman buried with it
12:56 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, and why 2020 was a record-breaking year for near-Earth asteroids.
Nature News: Record number of asteroids seen whizzing past Earth in 2020
Science: Giant gravitational wave detectors could hear murmurs from across universe
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Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been many open questions about how COVID-19 could impact pregnant people and their babies – confounded by a lack of data.
But now, studies are finally starting to provide some answers. While it does seem that pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation, babies appear to be spared from severe illness in most cases.
In this week’s Coronapod we talk about these findings, and the questions that remain – including whether vaccines are safe to give to pregnant people.
News: Pregnancy and COVID: what the data say
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Physicists examine the gravitational pull between two tiny masses, and how fossil lampreys could shake-up the field of vertebrate evolution.
In this episode:
00:47 Gravity, on the small scale
This week, researchers have captured the smallest measurement of gravity on record, by measuring the pull between two tiny gold spheres. This experiment opens the door for future experiments to investigate the fundamental forces of nature and the quantum nature of gravity.
Research Article: Westphal et al.
News and Views: Ultra-weak gravitational field detected
07:37 Research Highlights
Research shows that people often don’t know when a conversation should end, and the cuttlefish that show remarkable self control.
Research Highlight: How long should a conversation last? The people involved haven’t a clue
Research Highlight: Arms control: cuttlefish can pass the ‘marshmallow test’
10:18 Lamprey evolution
The larval stage of lamprey growth has long been thought to resemble the kind of early animal that all vertebrates evolved from. However, new research looking at the fossils of lamprey species suggests that this popular hypothesis may be incorrect.
Research Article: Miyashita et al.
17:38 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, glow-in-the-dark sharks, and scientists’ reflections on the nuclear industry 10 years on from Fukushima.
The Guardian: 'Giant luminous shark': researchers discover three deep-sea sharks glow in the dark
Nature Comment: Nuclear energy, ten years after Fukushima
Video: Deep-sea soft robots
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Where did the SARS-CoV-2 virus come from? As a team of researchers from the WHO prepares to report on its investigation into the origins of the virus, we discuss the leading theories, including the controversial ‘lab leak' hypothesis.
Although there is no evidence to support it, the lab-leak idea remains popular among certain groups. Similar hypotheses were even touted about the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. We discuss why theories like this seem to gain traction.
News: ‘Major stones unturned’: COVID origin search must continue after WHO report, say scientists
News: Where did COVID come from? Five mysteries that remain
News: Can COVID spread from frozen wildlife? Scientists probe pandemic origins
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The pandemic's unequal toll on the research community, and a newly discovered mitochondria-like symbiosis.
In this episode:
00:48 The pandemic's unequal toll on researchers
Although 2020 saw a huge uptick in the numbers of research papers submitted, these increases were not evenly distributed among male and female scientists. We look at how this could widen existing disparities in science, and damage future career prospects.
Editorial: COVID is amplifying the inadequacy of research-evaluation processes
09:18 Research Highlights
How a parasite can make viral infections more deadly, and the first known space hurricane.
Research Highlight: Intestinal worms throw open the door to dangerous viruses
Research Highlight: The first known space hurricane pours electron ‘rain’
11:36 Energy without oxygen
Millions of years ago, a microscopic protist swallowed a bacterium and gained the ability to breathe nitrate. This relationship partially replaced the cell's mitochondria and allowed it to produce abundant energy without oxygen. This week, researchers describe how this newly discovered symbiosis works.
Research Article: Graf et al.
News and Views: A microbial marriage reminiscent of mitochondrial evolution
19:22 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the weakening of the Gulf Stream, and a new satellite to monitor deforestation in the Amazon.
The Guardian: Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium, say scientists
Science: Brazil’s first homemade satellite will put an extra eye on dwindling Amazon forests
Video: How to build a Quantum Internet
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A repository with millions of data points will track immunity and variant spread.
To answer the big questions in the pandemic, researchers need access to data. But while a wealth has been collected, much of it isn’t collated or accessible to the people who need it.
This week sees the launch of Global.health, a database that aims to collate an enormous amount of anonymized information about individual COVID-19 cases.
On this week’s Coronapod we discuss how this database could help answer the biggest questions facing scientists right now, from variants to vaccines – could data change the game?
News: Massive Google-funded COVID database will track variants and immunity
News: Can COVID vaccines stop transmission? Scientists race to find answers
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The surprising structure of protons, and a method for growing small intestines for transplantation.
In this episode:
00:45 Probing the proton’s interior
Although studied for decades, the internal structure of the proton is still throwing up surprises for physicists. This week, a team of researchers report an unexpected imbalance in the antimatter particles that make up the proton.
Research Article: Dove et al.
News and Views: Antimatter in the proton is more down than up
07:08 Research Highlights
How an inactive gene may help keep off the chill, and Cuba’s isolation may have prevented invasive species taking root on the island.
Research Highlight: Impervious to cold? A gene helps people to ward off the chills
Research Highlight: Marauding plants steer clear of a communist-ruled island
09:48 A new way to grow a small intestine
Short Bowel Syndrome is an often fatal condition that results from the removal of the small intestine. Treatment options are limited to transplantation, but donor intestines are hard to come by and can be rejected by the body. Now researchers may have developed a method to grow a replacement small intestine using stem cells and a small section of colon.
Research Article: Sugimoto et al.
15:50 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the landing of Perseverance on Mars, and the researchers speaking with lucid dreamers.
Nature News: Mars video reveals Perseverance rover’s daring touchdown
Nature News: Touch down! NASA’s Mars landing sparks new era of exploration
Nature News: The hunt for life on Mars: A visual guide to NASA’s latest mission
Science: Scientists entered people’s dreams and got them ‘talking’
Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Researchers in Japan are trying to understand why thunderstorms fire out bursts of powerful radiation.
Gamma rays – the highest-energy electromagnetic radiation in the universe – are typically created in extreme outer space environments like supernovae. But back in the 1980s and 1990s, physicists discovered a source of gamma rays much closer to home: thunderstorms here on Earth.
Now, researchers in Japan are enlisting an army of citizen scientists to help understand the mysterious process going on inside storm clouds that leads to them creating extreme bursts of radiation.
This is an audio version of our feature: Thunderstorms spew out gamma rays — these scientists want to know why
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What’s the endgame for the COVID-19 pandemic? Is a world without SARS-CoV-2 possible, or is the virus here to stay?
A recent Nature survey suggests that the majority of experts expect the virus to become endemic, circulating in the world’s population for years to come.
But what does this mean? On this week’s episode of Coronapod, we ask what a future with an ever-present virus could look like.
News Feature: The coronavirus is here to stay — here’s what that means
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Researchers sequence the oldest DNA ever recovered, and the people bringing art and science together.
In this episode:
00:46 Million-year-old mammoth DNA
This week, researchers have smashed a long-standing record by sequencing a genome that's over a million years old. They achieved this feat by extracting DNA from permafrost-preserved mammoth teeth, using it to build-up a more detailed family tree for these ancient animals.
Research Article: van der Valk et al.
News: Million-year-old mammoth genomes shatter record for oldest ancient DNA
News and Views: Million-year-old DNA provides a glimpse of mammoth evolution
10:00 Research Highlights
A spacecraft catches a rare glimpse of a rock smashing into Jupiter, and the perilous state of sawfish populations.
Research Highlight: Robotic eyes spy the flash of a meteor on Jupiter
Research Highlight: Humans push a hulking fish with a chainsaw nose towards oblivion
12:18 Putting art into science (and science into art)
Art and science are sometimes considered disparate, but when brought together the results can be greater than the sum of their parts. This week we hear from an artist and a scientist on the benefits they found when crossing the divide.
Career Feature: How to shape a productive scientist–artist collaboration
Career Feature: How the arts can help you to craft a successful research career
Where I work: ‘All my art is curiosity-driven’: the garden studio where art and physics collide
Some resources for bringing arts and science together:
21:43 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a neanderthal gene makes brain-like organoids bumpy, and uncovering the original location of Stonehenge’s stone circle.
News:
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The science behind how and when to give vaccines doses.
As vaccines are rolled out, massive logistical challenges are leading scientists and policymakers to consider alternative dosing strategies.
But what does the science say? In this week’s episode of Coronapod, we discuss mixing and matching vaccines and lengthening the time between doses. Approaches like these could ease logistical concerns, but we ask what's known about their impact on vaccine efficacy – what is the science behind the decisions, and could they actually boost immune responses?
News: Could mixing COVID vaccines boost immune response?
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Looking back at the publication of the human genome, and how macrophages mend muscle.
In this episode:
00:45 The human genome sequence, 20 years on
This week marks the 20th anniversary of a scientific milestone – the publication of the first draft of the human genome. Magdalena Skipper, Nature’s Editor-in-Chief gives us her recollections of genomics at the turn of the millennium, and the legacy of the achievement.
Editorial: The next 20 years of human genomics must be more equitable and more open
Comment: A wealth of discovery built on the Human Genome Project — by the numbers
Comment: Sequence three million genomes across Africa
Video: How a worm showed us the way to open science
Video: How ancient DNA sequencing changed the game
10:50 Research Highlights
Is there an evolutionary reason why hotter countries have hotter food? Maybe not. And larger groups of giraffe gal pals have better chances of survival.
Research Article: Bromham et al.
Research Highlight: For female giraffes, friends in high places bring towering benefits
12:48 Mending damaged muscles
It’s known that immune cells play an important role in muscle repair. Now though, researchers have isolated the specific molecules involved, and hope that this knowledge could be used in future to create therapies.
Research Article: Ratnayake et al.
19:39 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a court overrules a Trump administration guideline on how science can be used in environmental policy, and the harrowing lengths that Blue Whales need to take to avoid fishing vessels.
Washington Post: Judge throws out Trump rule limiting what science EPA can use
The Independent: Animation shows week in life of blue whale as it tries to avoid fishing... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Researchers are scrambling to understand the biology of new coronavirus variants and the impact they might have on vaccine efficacy.
Around the world, concern is growing about the impact that new, faster-spreading variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus will have on the pandemic.
In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss what these variants are, and the best way to respond to them, in the face of increasing evidence that some can evade the immunity produced by vaccination or previous infection.
News: ‘A bloody mess’: Confusion reigns over naming of new COVID variants
News: Fast-spreading COVID variant can elude immune responses
News: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find out
News: How to redesign COVID vaccines so they protect against variants
News: J&J’s one-shot COVID vaccine offers hope for faster protection
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Exploring the properties of a vanishingly-rare artificial element, and the AI that generates new mathematical conjectures.
In this episode:
01:04 Einsteinium's secrets
Einsteinium is an incredibly scarce, artificial element that decays so quickly that researchers don’t know much about it. Now, using state-of-the-art technology, a team has examined how it interacts with other atoms, which they hope will shed new light on einsteinium and its neighbours on the periodic table.
Research Article: Carter et al.
06:28 Research Highlights
The mysterious appearance of three ozone-depleting chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere, and how ride-sharing services have failed to reduce traffic jams.
Research Highlight: Mystery on high: an ozone-destroying chemical appears in the air
Research Highlight: Uber and Lyft drive US gridlock — but not cuts in car ownership
8:38 The computer that comes up with new mathematical formulas
A team of researchers have developed artificial-intelligence algorithms that can generate new formulas for calculating the digits of key mathematical numbers like pi. Although crucial, many of these numbers remain mysterious, so it is hoped that this system will open up new avenues of questioning for mathematicians.
Research Article: Raayoni et al.
14:48 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a new theory to explain a sixty-year-old mystery surrounding the icy deaths of a group of Russian students, and the continued controversy about the chances of life on Venus.
Video: Explaining the icy mystery of the Dyatlov Pass deaths
News: Life on Venus claim faces strongest challenge yet
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A year ago the WHO’s coronavirus emergency alarm was largely ignored. Why?
On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a ‘public health emergency of international concern’, or PHEIC, to raise the alarm of the imminent threat of a global coronavirus pandemic.
Alongside the PHEIC, the WHO made a number of recommendations to curb the spread of the virus. But many of these were ignored by governments around the world.
In this episode of Coronapod, we explore why this emergency warning system failed, and hear about efforts to reform it, and the WHO, to avoid this happening again.
News: Why did the world’s pandemic warning system fail when COVID hit?
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Researchers are probing the subtle physical forces that sculpt cells and bodies.
At every stage of life, from embryo to adulthood, physical forces tug and squeeze at bodies from within.
These forces are vital, ensuring that cells are correctly positioned in a developing embryo, for example. But they also play a role in diseases like cancer. Yet despite their importance, relatively little is known about how cells sense, respond to and generate these forces.
To find out, researchers have turned to bespoke tools and methods, using them to probe lab-cultured cells and whole animals to get to the root of how mechanical forces sculpt life.
This is an audio version of our feature: The secret forces that squeeze and pull life into shape
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A neuroprosthetic device restores blood-pressure control after spinal-cord injury, and identifying the neurons that help us understand others’ beliefs.
In this episode:
00:47 A neuroprosthetic restores the body’s baroreflex
A common problem for people who have experienced spinal-cord injury is the inability to maintain their blood pressure, which can have serious, long-term health consequences. Now, however, researchers have developed a device that may restore this ability, by stimulating the neural circuits involved in the so-called baroreflex.
Research Article: Squair et al.
News and Views: Neuroprosthetic device maintains blood pressure after spinal cord injury
08:27 Research Highlights
How gesticulating changes the way that speech is perceived, and a new theory of how Saturn got its tilt.
Research Highlight: Hands speak: how casual gestures shape what we hear
Research Highlight: The moon that made Saturn a pushover
10:58 A neuronal map of understanding others
Humans are very good at understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings and beliefs that are different to our own. But the neuronal underpinnings of this ability have been hard to unpick. Now, researchers have identified a subset of neurons that they think gives us this ability.
Research Article: Jamali et al.
18:04 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the science of why cats love catnip, and the struggle to identify what the mysterious celestial object StDr 56 actually is.
Science: Why cats are crazy for catnip
Syfy Wire: So what the heck is StDr 56?
Check out our new video - Fossilised glider takes the origin of mammals back to the Triassic
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Analysis of hundreds of thousands of job searches shows that recruiters will discriminate based on ethnicity and gender, and the neural circuitry behind a brief period of forgetting.
In this episode:
00:47 Hiring discrimination
A huge dataset has shown that widespread discrimination occurs in job hiring, based on ethnicity and gender. This backs up decades of research, showing that people from minority backgrounds tend to get contacted far less by employers.
Research Article: Hangartner et al.
09:31 Coronapod
Today Joe Biden becomes the next president of the United States. We find out what this new political chapter could mean for the country’s immediate pandemic response, including the mass rollout of vaccines.
News: Joe Biden’s COVID plan is taking shape — and researchers approve
News: Joe Biden names top geneticist Eric Lander as science adviser
20:46 Research Highlights
A new way to study fragile helium pairs, and there’s no limit to how much exercise improves your heart health.
Research Highlight: Taking tenuous helium molecules for a spin
Research Highlight: Feeling fit? A little more sweat could still help your heart
23:17 Forgetful flies
Ever had the feeling where you can’t quite remember what you were doing? While common, this sort of ‘tip of the tongue’ forgetting is not well understood. Now though, researchers have uncovered the neural process behind this feeling… in fruit flies.
Research Article: Sabadal et al.
29:49 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the economics calculations of thieving monkeys, and how in certain situations electric eels will hunt together.
The Guardian: Bali’s thieving monkeys can spot high-value items to ransom
Science: Shocking discovery: Electric eels hunt in packs in Amazon rivers
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Elie Dolgin discuss RNA vaccines.
In this episode:
01:16 How RNA vaccines came to prominence
In less than a year, two RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were designed, tested and rolled out across the world. We discuss these vaccines’ pros and cons, how RNA technology lends itself to rapid vaccine development, and what this means for the fight against other diseases.
News feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines
09:20 The hurdles for trialling new COVID-19 vaccines
Multiple candidates for new COVID-19 vaccines are still being developed, which may offer advantages over the vaccines currently available. However, running placebo-controlled trials of these candidates is becoming increasingly difficult, so researchers are looking for different ways to evaluate them.
News: Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts
14:45 How long will COVID vaccines be effective?
There is much concern around the world about two faster-spreading variants of SARS-CoV-2. We get an update on whether these variants could render vaccines ineffective.
News: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find out
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DNA clues point to how dire wolves went extinct, and a round-up of the main impacts of Brexit on science.
In this episode:
00:45 Dire wolf DNA
Dire wolves were huge predators that commonly roamed across North America before disappearing around 13,000 years ago. Despite the existence of a large number of dire wolf fossils, questions remain about why this species went extinct and how they relate to other wolf species. Now, using DNA and protein analysis, researchers are getting a better understanding of what happened to these extinct predators.
Research Article: Perri et al.
11:43 Research Highlights
The secret to Pluto’s blue haze, and the neural circuitry underlying mice empathy.
Research Highlight: Ice bathes Pluto in a blue haze
Research Highlight: Brain maps show how empathetic mice feel each other's pain
13:31 Post-Brexit science
In December, a last minute trade-deal between the UK and EU clarified what the future relationship between the two regions would look like, after Brexit. We discuss the implications of this trade-deal for science funding, the movement of researchers, and data sharing.
News Explainer: What the landmark Brexit deal means for science
23:18 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, concerns about contaminating water on the moon, and the spy satellites that spied out environmental change.
Nature News: Will increasing traffic to the Moon contaminate its precious ice?
The New York Times: Inside the C.I.A., She Became a Spy for Planet Earth
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Lessons from Iceland, which utilised huge scientific resources to contain COVID-19.
When COVID reached the shores of Iceland back in March, the diminutive island brought it to heel with science. Here’s how they did it, and what they learnt.
This is an audio version of our feature: How Iceland hammered COVID with science
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The Nature Podcast team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months.
In this episode:
00:32 Following the Viking footprint across Europe
In September, we heard about the researchers mapping ancient genomes to better understand who the Vikings were, and where they went.
Nature Podcast: 16 September 2020
Research Article: Margaryan et al.
08:09 Mars hopes
In July, the UAE launched its first mission to Mars. We spoke to the mission leads to learn about the aims of the project, and how they developed the mission in under six years.
Nature Podcast: 08 July 2020
News Feature: How a small Arab nation built a Mars mission from scratch in six years
News Feature: Countdown to Mars: three daring missions take aim at the red planet
17:42 Disaster in San Quentin
In July, we reported on a massive COVID-19 outbreak in San Quentin. In Coronapod, we dug into how they got there. Also in the episode, we investigated whether lockdowns could have any lasting impact on young minds.
Coronapod: 10 July 2020
25:23 Communicating complex data
In April, we found out about some of the methods that communications experts and behavioural scientists recommend to keep the public informed about risks and evidence – something that remains key for governments and other organisations during the pandemic.
Coronapod: 17 April 2020
37:19 ‘Stick to the science’: when science gets political
In November, we published our miniseries “Stick to the science” which aimed to find out why a journal of science needs to cover politics. In the series we explored the history, philosophy and reality of science’s complicated relationship with politics.
‘Stick to the science’: when science gets political
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Traci Watson discuss some of 2020's most significant coronavirus research papers.
In the final Coronapod of 2020, we dive into the scientific literature to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers have discovered so much about SARS-CoV-2 – information that has been vital for public health responses and the rapid development of effective vaccines. But we also look forward to 2021, and the critical questions that remain to be answered about the pandemic.
Papers discussed
A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019- New England Journal of Medicine, 24 January
Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China - The Lancet, 24 January
A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin - Nature, 3 February
A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China - Nature, 3 February
Temporal dynamics in viral shedding and transmissibility of COVID-19 - Nature Medicine, 15 April
Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Icelandic Population - New England Journal of Medicine, 11 June
High SARS-CoV-2 Attack Rate Following Exposure at a Choir Practice — Skagit County, Washington, March 2020 - Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 15 August
Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks - Nature Medicine, 3 April
Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 - New England Journal of Medicine, 13 April
Projecting the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 through the postpandemic period - Science, 22 May
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A video game provides players with insights into pandemic responses, and our annual festive fun.
In this episode:
01:02 Balancing responses in a video game pandemic
In the strategy video-game Plague Inc: The Cure, players assume the role of an omnipotent global health agency trying to tackle outbreaks of increasingly nasty pathogens. We find out how the game was developed, and how it might help change public perception of pandemic responses.
Plague Inc: The Cure from Ndemic Creations
10:02 “We three Spacecraft travel to Mars”
The first of our festive songs, we head back to July this year, and the launch of three separate space missions to the red planet. Scroll to the transcript section at the bottom of the page for the lyrics.
12:54 Research Highlights
Giant pandas roll in piles of poo to keep warm, and how different bread-baking styles have led to distinct lineages of baker’s yeast.
Research Highlight: Why pandas like to roll in piles of poo
Research Highlight: Sourdough starters give rise to a new line of yeast
15:17 The Nature Podcast Audio Charades Competition: Lockdown edition
In this year’s festive competition, our reporters try to describe some of the biggest science stories, using only homemade sound effects. Results are mixed, at best...
24:15 Nature’s 10
We hear about some of the people who made it on to this year’s Nature’s 10 list this year.
Nature’s 10: ten people who helped shape science in 2020
32:20 All I want for Christmas is vaccines
In our final festive song, we celebrate a huge scientific achievement, and one that’s offering a little hope for 2021. Scroll to the transcript section at the bottom of the page for the lyrics.
Song lyrics:
"We three Spacecraft travel to Mars"
We three spacecraft travel to Mars
Bearing probes we traverse afar
Rockets firing
Launching, flying
One by one we depart
Oh-oh one from China
one the States
one the Arab Emirates…
Careful timing
Worlds aligning
launching on the perfect dates.
First is Hope from the UAE
I map weather, orbitally
My ambition
our first mission
Interplanetary
Oh-oh one from China
one the States
one the Arab Emirates…
Careful timing
Worlds aligning
launching on the perfect dates.
Next Tianwen-one will debut
I’ve a rover and orbiter too
Plus a lander
And I’ve planned a
Mission returning soon
Oh-oh one from China
one the States
one the Arab Emirates…
Careful...
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How water chemistry is shifting researchers' thoughts on where life might have arisen, and a new model to tackle climate change equitably and economically.
In this episode:
00:46 A shallow start to life on Earth?
It’s long been thought that life on Earth first appeared in the oceans. However, the chemical complexities involved in creating biopolymers in water has led some scientists to speculate that shallow pools on land were actually the most likely location for early life.
News Feature: How the first life on Earth survived its biggest threat — water
07:44 Coronapod
The COVID-19 pandemic has massively shifted the scientific landscape, changing research and funding priorities across the world. While this shift was necessary for the development of things like vaccines, there are concerns that the ‘covidization’ of research could have long-term impacts on other areas of research.
News: Scientists fear that ‘covidization’ is distorting research
20:45 Research Highlights
The Hayabusa2 mission successfully delivers a tiny cargo of asteroid material back to Earth, and a team in China claims to have made the first definitive demonstration of computational ‘quantum advantage’.
Nature News: Physicists in China challenge Google’s ‘quantum advantage’
22:38 Calculating carbon
Limiting carbon emissions is essential to tackling climate change. However, working out how to do this in a way that is fair to nations worldwide is notoriously difficult. Now, researchers have developed a model that gives some surprising insights in how to equitably limit carbon.
Research Article: Bauer et al.
News and Views: Trade-offs for equitable climate policy assessed
29:08 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, bioluminescent Australian animals, and the collapse of the Arecibo telescope.
ABC News: Biofluorescent Australian mammals and marsupials take scientists by surprise in accidental discovery
Nature News: Gut-wrenching footage documents Arecibo telescope’s collapse
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Erna Solberg on fisheries, fossil fuels and the future of the oceans.
This week, world leaders are announcing a series of pledges to protect and sustainably use the world’s oceans. The pledges form the crowning achievement of the ‘High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’ a multinational group formed back in 2018. The panel has sought to bring together research, published in a number of so-called ‘blue papers’ and special reports by scientists, policy- and legal-experts from around the world – all with the ear of 14 participating world leaders.
Erna Solberg, the prime minister of Norway, co-led the Panel. In this podcast, she speaks with Springer Nature’s editor-in-chief Philip Campbell about the panel’s work.
The ocean in humanity’s future: read all of Nature's content on the Ocean Panel
World View: Science can boost ocean health and human prosperity
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A trio of genes may be key to making cells young again, and ultra precise measurement of a fundamental physics constant.
In this episode:
00:47 Reversing ageing
Researchers claim to have identified a method to revert cells in mice eyes back to a younger state.
Research article: Lu et al.
News and Views: Sight restored by turning back the epigenetic clock
News: Reversal of biological clock restores vision in old mice
09:39 Coronapod
We discuss emergency-use approvals for COVID-19 vaccines. Approvals are coming in fast, which presents a dilemma for scientists - they’re critically needed, but what could it mean for research?
News: Why emergency COVID-vaccine approvals pose a dilemma for scientists
News: The UK has approved a COVID vaccine — here’s what scientists now want to know
27:04 Research Highlights
Ancient megalodon nurseries, and predicting mud volcanoes.
Research Highlight: Even Earth’s largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babies
Research Highlight: How mud volcanoes are born under the sea
29:38 Fine measurement of the fine-structure constant
The fine structure constant is a fundamental number that gives researchers an understanding of the laws of the universe. For years, scientists have been trying to get better measurements of it. This week, we see the most precise measurement yet.
Research Article: Morel et al.
News and Views: Fine-structure constant tests standard model
35:00 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a holistic plan to tackle climate challenges, and the rarest pollinator of them all - a lizard.
Washington Post: An ancient people with a modern climate plan
The Guardian:
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Scientists have finally confirmed the existence of a CNO cycle fusion reaction in the Sun, and why women’s contraception research needs a reboot.
In this episode:
00:47 Detection of CNO neutrinos
Since the 1930s it has been theorised that stars have a specific fusion reaction known as the CNO cycle, but proof has been elusive. Now, a collaboration in Italy report detection of neutrinos that show that the CNO cycle exists.
Research article: The Borexino Collaboration
News and Views: Neutrino detection gets to the core of the Sun
08:48 Coronapod
We discuss the search for the animal origin of SARS-CoV-2, with researchers raiding their freezer draws to see if any animals carry similar viruses, and the latest vaccine results.
News: Coronaviruses closely related to the pandemic virus discovered in Japan and Cambodia
News: Why Oxford’s positive COVID vaccine results are puzzling scientists
19:32 Research Highlights
How sleep patterns relate to ageing, and a solar-powered steam sterilizer.
Research Highlight: For better health, don’t sleep your age
Research Highlight: Technology for sterilizing medical instruments goes solar
21:50 Getting women’s contraception research unstuck
Since the 1960s there has been little progress on research into women’s contraceptives. This week in Nature, researchers argue that this needs to change.
Comment: Reboot contraceptives research — it has been stuck for decades
29:35 Briefing Chat
We discuss a highlight from the Nature Briefing. This time, a tool to summarise papers.
Nature News: tl;dr: this AI sums up research papers in a sentence
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In this episode:
00:44 An increase in survival rates
The COVID-19 mortality rate is falling around the world. We discuss the reasons behind this – the role of new drugs, the treatment strategies the have been learned, or re-learned, and the ever-present worry that these hard won victories could be undone by rising infection rates.
News Feature: Why do COVID death rates seem to be falling?
10:53 More vaccine good news
This week, Moderna released preliminary results for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, the third positive indication from a string of vaccine announcements. Although the full data are yet to be published, do these results give us more reasons to feel hopeful?
News: COVID vaccine excitement builds as Moderna reports third positive result
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Scientists have grave concerns over ethical and societal impacts of facial-recognition technology. In this surveillance special, we dig into the details.
In this episode:
03:24 Standing up against ‘smart cities’
Cities across the globe are installing thousands of surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition technology. Although marketed as a way to reduce crime, researchers worry that these systems are ripe for exploitation and are calling for strict regulations on their deployment.
Feature: Resisting the rise of facial recognition
17:44 The ethics of researching facial recognition technology
Despite concerns surrounding consent and use, researchers are still working on facial recognition technology. Can this sort of work be justified? We hear some of the debates going on in academia about this field of research.
Feature: The ethical questions that haunt facial-recognition research
25:02 What do researchers actually think?
Nature surveyed 480 researchers who have published papers on facial recognition, AI and computer science. The results revealed that many researchers think there’s a problem.
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New fossil finds and new techniques reveal evidence that early animals were more complex than previously thought.
The Cambrian explosion, around 541 million years ago, has long been regarded as a pivotal point in evolutionary history, as this is when the ancient ancestors of most of today’s animals made their first appearances in the fossil record.
Before this was a period known as the Ediacaran – a time when the world was believed to be populated by strange, simple organisms. But now, modern molecular research techniques, and some newly discovered fossils, are providing evidence that some of these organisms were actually animals, including ones with sophisticated features like legs and guts.
This is an audio version of our feature: These bizarre ancient species are rewriting animal evolution
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Researchers try to unpick the complex relationship between sensory pollutants and bird reproduction, and how to combat organised crime in fisheries.
In this episode:
00:46 Sensory pollution and bird reproduction
Light- and noise-pollution have been shown to affect the behaviour of birds. However, it’s been difficult to work out whether these behavioural changes have led to bird species thriving or declining. Now, researchers have assembled a massive dataset that can begin to give some answers. Research article: Senzaki et al.
10:17 Coronapod
Interim results from a phase III trial show compelling evidence that a coronavirus vaccine candidate can prevent COVID-19. However, amid the optimism there remain questions to be answered – we discuss these, and what the results might mean for other vaccines in development. News: What Pfizer’s landmark COVID vaccine results mean for the pandemic
23:29 Research Highlights
A tiny bat breaks a migration record, and researchers engineer a mouse’s sense of place. Research Highlight: The record-setting flight of a bat that weighs less than a toothbrush; Research Article: Robinson et al.
25:39 Organised crime in fisheries
When you think of fishing, organised crime probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. However, billions of dollars every year from the fishing industry are lost to criminal enterprises. We discuss some of the impacts and what can be done about it. Research Article: Witbooi et al.
32:13 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a time-capsule discovered on the Irish coast provides a damning indictment of Arctic warming, and some human remains challenge the idea of ‘man-the-hunter’. The Guardian: Arctic time capsule from 2018 washes up in Ireland as polar ice melts; Science: Woman the hunter: Ancient Andean remains challenge old ideas of who speared big game
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Astronomers pin down the likely origins of mysterious fast radio bursts, and the latest on what the US election means for science.
In this episode:
00:46 The origins of mysterious fast radio bursts
The detection of a brief but enormously-powerful radio burst originating from within the Milky Way could help researchers answer one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries.
Research article: Bochenek et al.; News: Astronomers spot first fast radio burst in the Milky Way
07:59 Coronapod
At the start of the pandemic, there were fears that schools could become hotspots for infections. We discuss the evidence suggesting that this is unlikely to be the case, and the rates of infection in children of different ages.
News: Why schools probably aren’t COVID hotspots
18:34 Research Highlights
Octopuses taste with touch, and a tool to watch dangerously-reactive metals grow.
Research Highlight: How octopuses taste with their arms — all eight of them; Research Highlight: How to make violently reactive metals and watch them grow
21:28 An update on the US election
Although the winner of this year’s US election is unclear, we discuss the current situation and what it might mean for science.
News: Scientists aghast as hopes for landslide Biden election victory vanish
28:58 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, ancient genomes reveal the migration of man’s best friend, and a new polio vaccine looks set to receive emergency approval.
News: Ancient dog DNA reveals 11,000 years of canine evolution; News: New polio vaccine poised to get emergency WHO approval
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Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In the third and final episode we try to get to the bottom of how journalists, communicators and policymakers influence how science is perceived. We discuss the danger of politicization and ask the question - can science be part of the political narrative without compromising its values?
Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc
This episode was produced by Nick Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. It featured: Deborah Blum, Bruce Lewenstein, Dan Sarewitz, Hannah Schmid-Petri, Shobita Parthasarathy, and Beth Simone Noveck.
Further Reading
Politicization of mask wearing
Comparing Norway and Sweden in their coronavirus combating actions
Beth Simone Noveck argues for more open and transparent governance
Solving Public Problems, by Beth Simone Noveck
The Received Wisdom Podcast, with Shobita Parthasarathy
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Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In this episode we're asking how politics shapes the life of a working scientist. Be it through funding agendas, cultural lobbies or personal bias, there's a myriad of ways in which politics can shape the game; influencing the direction and quality of research, But what does this mean for the objective ideals of science?
Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc
This episode was produced by Nick Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. it featured contributions from many people, including: Mayana Zatz, Shobita Parthasarathy, Michael Erard, Peg AtKisson, Susannah Gal, Allen Rostron, Mark Rosenberg, and Alice Bell.
Further Reading
Brazil’s budget cuts threaten more than 80,000 science scholarships
Move to reallocate funds from scientific institutions in São Paulo
Backlash to “Shrimps on a treadmill”
Explanation of the Dickey Amendment
After over 20 years the CDC can now fund gun violence research
Spirometer use “race-correction” software
Black researchers less likely to get funding from the National Institutes of Health in the US
Black researchers may get less funding from the National Institutes of Health due to topic choice
Black researchers fill fewer academic roles in the UK
Clinical trials use mostly white participants
The Received Wisdom Podcast, with Shobita Parthasarathy
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Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why.
In this episode we delve into the past, and uncover the complicated relationship between science, politics and power. Along the way, we come up against some pretty big questions: what is science? Should science be apolitical? And where does Nature fit in?
Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc
This episode was produced by Nick Howe, with editing from Noah Baker and Benjamin Thompson. it featured contributions from many researchers, including: Shobita Parthasarathy, Alice Bell, Dan Sarewitz, Anna Jay, Melinda Baldwin, Magdelena Skipper, Steven Shapin, David Edgerton, Deborah Blum, Bruce Lewenstein and Chiara Ambrosio. Quotes from social media were read by: Shamini Bundell, Flora Graham, Dan Fox, Edie Edmundson and Bredan Maher. And excerpts from Nature were read by Jen Musgreave.
Further Reading
History of Education in the UK
Nature editorial on covering politics
Making “Nature”, by Melinda Baldwin
David Edgerton’s writing on the history of science and politics in the Guardian
The received wisdom podcast with Shobita Parthasarathy
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The chances of mini-brains becoming sentient, and a UK government decision threatens gender diversity in academia.
In this episode:
00:59 The ethics of creating consciousness
Brain organoids, created by culturing stem cells in a petri dish, are a mainstay of neuroscience research. But as these mini-brains become more complex, is there the chance they could become conscious, and if so, how could we tell?
News Feature: Can lab-grown brains become conscious?
09:01 Coronapod
So called ‘herd immunity’ is claimed by some as a way to break the chain of infection and curtail the pandemic. However epidemiologists say that this course of action is ineffective and will lead to large numbers of infections and deaths.
News Explainer: The false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19
20:59 Research Highlights
Volcanic ash degrades ancient art in Pompeii, and the aerial ineptitude of two bat-like dinosaurs.
Research Highlight: The volcanic debris that buried Pompeii wreaks further destruction; Research Highlight: A dead end on the way to the sky
23:22 How cutting red-tape could harm gender diversity in UK academia
The Athena SWAN scheme, designed to boost gender-equality in UK academia, has proved effective, and has been exported to countries around the world. But now a decision by the UK government to cut bureaucracy could mean that institutions pay less heed to schemes like this and threaten future efforts to increase gender diversity in UK academia.
Editorial: Equality and diversity efforts do not ‘burden’ research — no matter what the UK government says
31:00 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, oncologists discover a potential new human organ, and how re-examined fossils have given new insights into the size of baby tyrannosaurs.
New York Times: Doctors May Have Found Secretive New Organs in the Center of Your Head; National Geographic: First tyrannosaur embryo fossils revealed
Other links
Vote for the podcast in this year's Lovie Awards! Your vote can help us win a People's Lovie. Two of our videos are also up an award,
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The structure of a beetle’s super-strong exoskeleton could open up new engineering applications, and efforts to address diversity and equality imbalances in academia.
In this episode:
01:17 Insights into an armoured insect
The diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton so strong, it can survive being run over by a car. Researchers have identified how the structure of the exoskeleton provides this strength, and show that mimicking it may lead to improved aerospace components.
Research Article: Rivera et al.; News and Views: Diabolical ironclad beetles inspire tougher joints for engineering applications
10:42 Coronapod
This week, the UK government announced plans to run a ‘human challenge trial’, where healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We talk about the process, the ethical and procedural hurdles, and whether such an approach will provide any useful data.
News: Dozens to be deliberately infected with coronavirus in UK ‘human challenge’ trials
22:46 Research Highlights
A method to assess the age of RNA, and how southern elephant seals helped to identify supercooled seawater.
Research article: Rodriques et al.; Research article: Haumann et al.
25:20 Efforts to address equity in science
Julie Posselt has been investigating the efforts of academic institutions to assess ingrained imbalances in diversity and equality. We talk to her about these efforts and her new book on the subject.
Book review: How to get more women and people of colour into graduate school — and keep them there
31:43 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, back pay for female professors at Princeton, and a newly uncovered superpower for the tiny tardigrade.
CNN: Princeton will pay nearly $1M in back pay to female professors in sweeping discrimination settlement; Science: New species of water bear uses fluorescent ‘shield’ to survive lethal UV radiation
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In this episode:
00:44 Room-temperature superconductivity
For decades, scientists have been searching for a material that superconducts at room temperature. This week, researchers show a material that appears to do so, but only under pressures close to those at the centre of the planet.
The paper covered in this podcast has been retracted following concerns surrounding data processing steps.
Read more in this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03066-z
The retracted paper can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2801-z
08:26 Coronapod
The Coronapod team revisit mask-use. Does public use really control the virus? And how much evidence is enough to turn the tide on this ongoing debate? News Feature: Face masks: what the data say
19:37 Research Highlights
A new method provides 3D printed materials with some flexibility, and why an honest post to Facebook may do you some good. Research Highlight: A promising 3D-printing method gets flexible; Research Highlight: Why Facebook users might want to show their true colours
22:11 The best way to restore ecosystems
Restoring degraded or human-utilised landscapes could help fight climate change and protect biodiversity. However, there are multiple costs and benefits that need to be balanced. Researchers hope a newly developed algorithm will help harmonise these factors and show the best locations to target restoration. Research Article: Strassburg et al.; News and Views: Prioritizing where to restore Earth’s ecosystems
28:40 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a 44 year speed record for solving a maths problem is beaten… just, and an ancient set of tracks show a mysterious journey. Quanta: Computer Scientists Break Traveling Salesperson Record; The Conversation: Fossil footprints: the fascinating story behind the longest known prehistoric journey
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Researchers are aligning data on animal neuronal activity with behavioural information recorded on millisecond timescales, to uncover the signatures of internal brain states associated with things like moods and motivation.
This is an audio version of our feature: Inside the mind of an animal
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How current and future ice loss in Greenland compares to the past, and using graphene to make ultra-sensitive radiation detectors.
In this episode:
00:45 Greenland’s historic ice loss
Climate change is accelerating the loss of ice and glaciers around the world leading to unprecedented levels of disappearance. Researchers have drilled samples from deep in the Greenland ice sheet, to model how current, and future, losses compare to those seen in the last 12,000 years. Research Article: Briner et al.; News and Views: The worst is yet to come for the Greenland ice sheet; Editorial: Arctic science cannot afford a new cold war
09:23 Coronapod
Despite recovering from an initial COVID-19 infection, many patients are experiencing severe symptoms months later. We find out about the impact of ‘Long Covid’ and the research that’s being done to try and understand it. News Feature: The lasting misery of coronavirus long-haulers
18:55 Research Highlights
A robot defeats humans at yet another sport, and extreme diving in Cuvier’s beaked whales. Research Highlight: A robot triumphs in a curling match against elite humans; Research Highlight: A smiling whale makes a record deep dive
21:20 A radiation detector made of graphene
Radiation-detectors known as bolometers are vital instruments in many fields of science. This week, two groups of researchers have harnessed graphene to make super sensitive bolometers that could be used to improve quantum computers, or detect subtle traces of molecules on other planets. Research Article: Lee et al.; Research Article: Kokkoniemi et al.
27:49 Briefing Chat
We discuss some of the latest stories highlighted in the Nature Briefing. This week we chat about the lack of diversity in academia, and an animal ally that can protect wildlife during forest fires. Nature Careers: Diversity in science: next steps for research group leaders; National Geographic:
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Coaxing tiny colloid particles into a diamond structure, and manipulating cell death and homeostasis in neurodegenerative disease.
In this episode:
00:45 Creating colloidal crystals
For decades, researchers have attempted to create crystals with a diamond-like structure using tiny colloid particles. Now, a team thinks they’ve cracked it, which could open the door for new optical technologies. Research Article: He et al.
07:50 Coronapod
Rapid antigen tests for coronavirus have been described in some circles as ‘game changers’ in the fight against COVID-19. We discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and how they could fit into an overall testing strategy. News Feature: Fast coronavirus tests: what they can and can’t do; If you are involved in a clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine or treatment, please fill in our survey.
23:52 Research Highlights
Climate change causes greening in the Arctic, and the peptide that gives the Giant Stinging Tree its sting. Research Highlight: A frozen land goes green as Earth warms; Research Highlight: How the giant stinging tree of Australia can inflict months of agony
26:04 Controlling cellular death
In neurodegenerative disease, cell death can be prevented, however this can lead to the accumulation of incorrectly folded proteins. Now researchers have found targets that can be used to both stop cell death and protein aggregation. Research Article: Xu et al.
32:20 Briefing Chat
We discuss some of the latest stories highlighted in the Nature Briefing. This week we talk about the increasing complexity of scientific writing, and uncovering the real origins of charcoal. Nature Index: Science is getting harder to read; Nature News: Microscopy illuminates charcoal’s sketchy origins
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Mapping the migration of the Vikings, and the world’s smallest ultrasound device.
In this episode:
00:45 Following the Viking footprint across Europe
To better understand who the Vikings were, and where they went, researchers have mapped genomes from hundreds of archaeological artifacts. Research Article: Margaryan et al.
08:00 Coronapod
Phase III trials of a leading coronavirus vaccine were abruptly paused last week – we discuss how news of the event leaked out, and the arguments for transparency in clinical trials. News: A leading coronavirus vaccine trial is on hold: scientists react; News: Scientists relieved as coronavirus vaccine trial restarts — but question lack of transparency; If you are involved in a clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine or treatment, please fill in our survey.
21:05 Research Highlights
A burnt grain silo gives insight into ancient tax collection, and how hummingbirds survive the cold Andean nights. Research Highlight: Ancient tax collectors amassed a fortune — until it went up in smoke; Research Highlight: Why some of the world’s zippiest birds go stiff and cold every night
23:40 Ultra-tiny ultrasound
Scientists have developed an ultrasound detector which is smaller than the wavelength of sound it detects, providing highly detailed imaging at a cellular level; Research Article: ; Research Article: Shnaiderman et al.
29:53 Briefing Chat
We discuss some of the latest stories highlighted in the Nature Briefing. This week we talk about why California has an orange hue, and the strangeness at the edge of the Solar System. Forbes: The Science Behind Mysterious Orange Skies In California; BBC Future: The weird space that lies outside our Solar System
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Keeping electronics from overheating, and how to include minority populations in genetic analyses.
In this episode:
00:46 Cool computers
Keeping components cool is a major hurdle when it comes to increasing electronic power. This week, we find out about a new way to integrate tiny microfluidic channels directly into circuits, to help keep them cool. Research Article: van Erp et al.
06:57 Coronapod
By comparing coronavirus genomes taken from people around the world, researchers are getting an idea of how SARS-CoV-2 is changing as it spreads. We discuss a particular genetic mutation that rapidly became dominant early in the pandemic, and the effect it may have had on the outbreak. News: The coronavirus is mutating — does it matter?
21:41 Research Highlights
How rock avalanches can cause destructive air blasts, and melting glaciers cause lakes to grow. Research Highlight: The violent blasts that can add to an avalanche’s devastation; Research Article: Shugar et al.
23:59 The people left out of genetic studies
Minority populations are often underrepresented in genetic study recruitment. However, even when data about them is collected it may go unused. We find out why, and what can be done about it. Comment: Don’t ignore genetic data from minority populations
30:51 Briefing Chat
We discuss some of the latest stories highlighted in the Nature Briefing. This week we discuss how bacterially-infected mosquitoes could curb dengue fever, and some surprisingly large black holes. Nature News: The mosquito strategy that could eliminate dengue; Nature News: ‘It’s mindboggling!’: astronomers detect most powerful black-hole collision yet
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Protecting delicate quantum bits, and a competition to replicate findings from ancient computer code.
In this episode:
01:04 Quantum computers vs ionizing radiation
The quantum bits, or ‘qubits’, central to the operation of quantum computers are notoriously sensitive. Now, researchers have assessed the damaging effects that ionizing radiation can have on these qubits and what can be done about it. Research Article: Vepsäläinen et al.
08:15 Coronapod
We discuss the US Food and Drug Administration’s decision to authorize convalescent plasma for emergency use in COVID-19 patients. As accusations of political interference fly, what might this mean for the future of the US coronavirus response?
20:39 Research Highlights
Finding new populations of a long-lost elephant shrew, and the hunting method of ancient ichthyosaurs. Research Highlight: An elephant-nosed creature ‘lost to science’ was living just next door; Research Highlight: An extinct reptile’s last meal shows it was a grip-and-tear killer
22:34 The reproducibility of computer code
Many scientists have published papers based on code. Recently though, a gauntlet was thrown down for researchers to try to replicate their code, 10 years or more after they wrote it. Tech Feature: Challenge to scientists: does your ten-year-old code still run?
28:06 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we discuss a cancer diagnosis in a dinosaur, and how to brew yourself a career outside of academia. Science: Doctors diagnose advanced cancer—in a dinosaur; Nature Careers Feature: The brews and bakes that forged career paths outside academia
Other links
Video: March of the microscopic robots
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A new way to produce aerogels opens up their use, and understanding how sulfur can change state between two liquids.
In this episode:
01:05 Printing aerogels
Aerogels are materials with impressive insulating properties, but they’re difficult to handle, due to their innate fragility. Now, researchers have shown a new way to 3D print the most common form of aerogel, opening up a range of potential new applications. Research Article: Zhao et al.
07:00 Coronapod
To provide targeted public health interventions during the pandemic, it’s vital that data are collected and shared effectively. We discuss the countries doing this well, and find out how fragmented systems are preventing epidemiologists from giving up-to-date information on outbreaks. News: Why the United States is having a coronavirus data crisis
21:11 Research Highlights
Fats in the blood as a possible marker of autism, and the selfish component to solar panel adoption. Research Highlight: Fats in the blood linked to autism; Research Highlight: Self-interest powers decision to go solar
23:24 Liquid-liquid transitions
It’s been thought that some liquids may be able to exist in two distinct states, but evidence has been scarce. Now, researchers show that sulfur can exist in two liquid states, and have discovered some insights into how this might occur. Research Article: Henry et al.; Video: 24 hours in a synchrotron
30:09 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we discuss the English language’s dominance in science, and how to make squid transparent. Symmetry: Physics in a second language; OneZero: The First Gene-Edited Squid in History Is a Biological Breakthrough
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Triggering swarming behaviour in locusts, and new insights into how humans synchronize.
In this episode:
01:56 Understanding swarming behaviour
Swarms of migratory locusts regularly devastate crops across the world, but why these swarms form has been a mystery. Now, a team of researchers have identified a compound that causes solitary locusts to come together in their billions - a finding that could have practical applications for preventing this behaviour. Research article: Guo et al.; News & Views: Catching plague locusts with their own scent
08:48 Coronapod
We discuss the role that monoclonal antibodies may have as therapeutics to treat COVID-19. Although promising, there are numerous hurdles to overcome before these drugs can be used. News: Antibody therapies could be a bridge to a coronavirus vaccine — but will the world benefit?
15:30 Research Highlights
A satellite’s fecal find reveals that Antarctica’s emperor penguin population is much larger than previously thought, and changing how genes are named to avoid Excel’s autocorrect. Research Highlight: Satellites find penguins by following the poo; Research article: Bruford et al.
17:49 An out-of-sync arts project
A collaborative art-science project featuring a network of connected violinists has given new insights into how humans synchronize. Research article: Shahal et al.
23:51 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we find out about the odd immune system of the anglerfish, and the beetle that can pass through a frog’s digestive system without coming to harm. Wired: The Anglerfish Deleted Its Immune System to Fuse With Its Mate; Research paper: Sugiura
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In 2015, after a nine-and-a-half-year journey, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft raced past Pluto, beaming images of the dwarf planet back to Earth.
Five years after the mission, researchers are poring over images of Pluto’s far-side, which was shrouded in shadow during New Horizon’s flypast. They hope that these images will help give a better understanding of how Pluto was born and even whether a hidden ocean resides beneath the world’s icy crust.
This is an audio version of our feature: Pluto’s dark side spills its secrets — including hints of a hidden ocean
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New evidence may push back the date on human arrival to the Americas, and an examination of science’s flaws.
In this episode:
00:59 Ancient Americans
Two papers suggest that humans were present in the Americas thousands of years before many people have thought. We examine the evidence. Research Article: Ardelean et al.; Research Article: Becerra-Valdivia and Higham; News and Views: Evidence grows that peopling of the Americas began more than 20,000 years ago
10:44 Coronapod
We discuss the latest results from vaccine trials around the world, and controversy in the US as COVID-19 data collection moves out of the CDC. News: Coronavirus vaccines leap through safety trials — but which will work is anybody’s guess
24:38 Research Highlights
How being green makes things easy for some frogs, and how waves will be affected by climate change. Research Highlight: How frogs became green — again, and again, and again; Research Highlight: Extreme Arctic waves set to hit new heights
27:11 How can science improve?
A new book highlights some of the flaws of how science is done. We caught up with the author to find out his thoughts on how science can be cleaned up. Books and Arts: Fraud, bias, negligence and hype in the lab — a rogues’ gallery
35:54 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we discuss a puzzling new insight into the expansion of the Universe, and an update to Plan S that will allow open-access research to be published in any journal. Nature News: Mystery over Universe’s expansion deepens with fresh data; Nature News: Open-access Plan S to allow publishing in any journal
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Probing the superconducting properties of graphene and bacteria that can use manganese to grow.
01:15 Magic angle graphene
If you sandwich two sheets of graphene together and twist one in just the right way, it can gain some superconducting properties. Now, physicists have added another material to this sandwich which stabilises that superconductivity, a result that may complicate physicists’ understanding of magic angles. Research Article: Arora et al.
08:22 Coronapod
With evidence mounting that SARS-CoV2 can spread in tiny aersolised droplets, researchers have called on the WHO to change their guidance for disease prevention. News: Mounting evidence suggests coronavirus is airborne — but health advice has not caught up; Research article: Morwaska et al.; WHO: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: implications for infection prevention precautions
19:27 Research Highlights
Repairing human lungs by hooking them up to pigs, and a new form of carbon. Research Highlight: How to use a live pig to revitalize a human lung; Research Highlight: This material is almost as hard as diamond — but as light as graphite
21:46 Manganese munchers
For decades it’s been thought that microbes that use manganese as an energy source must exist. Now, for the first time, researchers have found evidence that they do. Research Article: Yu and Leadbetter
29:12 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we discuss DNA evidence of contact between ancient Native Americans and Polynesians, reintroduction of bison to the UK, and the first extinction of a modern marine fish. Nature News: Ancient voyage carried Native Americans’ DNA to remote Pacific islands; The Guardian: Wild bison to return to UK for first time in 6,000 years; Scientific American:
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In this episode:
01:47 Disaster in San Quentin
San Quentin prison is facing a massive outbreak, we dig into how they got there. The crisis has arisen despite warnings from experts, and offers of free tests, which were declined. We ask why? And what can be done now?
29:51 One good thing
For the last episode of Coronapod, our hosts pick out ways that the pandemic has changed them for the better, including professional flexibility, a renewed focus on the power of reporting and time with family
36:07 Lockdown and children's health
Reporter Stewart asks if lockdowns could have any lasting impact on her young children - what evidence is there on the effect of isolation on young minds?
Survey: Co-Space Study: Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics
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On this week’s podcast, an ambitious Mars mission from a young space agency, and how crumbling up rocks could help fight climate change.
In this episode:
00:46 Mars hopes
In a few weeks the UAE’s first mission to Mars is due to launch. We speak to the mission leads to learn about the aims of the project, and how they developed the mission in under six years. News Feature: How a small Arab nation built a Mars mission from scratch in six years; News Feature: Countdown to Mars: three daring missions take aim at the red planet
09:53 Research Highlights
Pluto appears to be losing its atmosphere, and solving the mystery of a pitch-black prehistoric mine. Research Highlight: Goodbye, Pluto’s atmosphere; Research Highlight: Why ancient people pushed deep into Mexico’s pitch-black caverns
12:12 Climate rocks
Researchers have assessed whether Enhanced Weathering – a technique to pull carbon dioxide out of the air – has the potential to help battle climate change. Research Article: Beerling et al.
18:41 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we talk about an outbreak of flesh-eating bacteria in Australia, and how flatworms can regrow their nervous systems. The Atlantic: Australia Has a Flesh-Eating-Bacteria Problem; The New York Times: A Worm’s Hidden Map for Growing New Eyes
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Next week, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show.
In this episode:
02:15 Simulating pandemics
Researchers have run numerous military-style simulations to predict the consequences of fictitious viral outbreaks. We discuss how these simulations work, what recommendations come out of them and if any of these warnings have been heeded.
24:08 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including audience feedback, the official end of the Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and an enormous t-shirt collection.
News: World’s second-deadliest Ebola outbreak ends in Democratic Republic of the Congo
28:50 The latest coronavirus research papers
Benjamin Thompson takes a look through some of the key coronavirus papers of the last few weeks.
News: Coronavirus research updates
Cell: A SARS-CoV-2 Infection Model in Mice Demonstrates Protection by Neutralizing Antibodies
Cell: Generation of a Broadly Useful Model for COVID-19 Pathogenesis, Vaccination, and Treatment
Clincal Infectious Diseases: The natural history and transmission potential of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection
Nature: Suppression of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in the Italian municipality of Vo’
medRxiv: Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 surveillance
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On this week’s podcast, how the molecular structure of tooth enamel may impact decay, and a mysterious planetary core from a half-formed gas giant.
In this episode:
00:46 Unravelling tooth enamel
Researchers have been looking into the structure and composition of enamel in an effort to better understand tooth decay. Research Article: DeRocher et al.
07:02 Research Highlights
An adhesive patch to help heal heart-attacks, and a new technique to inspect the structure of 2D ‘wonder materials’. Research Highlight: A healing patch holds tight to a beating heart; Research Highlight: A snapshot shows off super-material only two atoms thick
09:21 Unusual planet
In the region close to stars known as the ‘hot Neptune desert’ planets of Neptune’s size are rarely found, but this week scientists have uncovered one and are trying to untangle its mysteries. Research Article: Armstrong et al.
14:52 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we talk about the pitfalls of using CRISPR in human embryos, and renaming of moon craters inadvertently named after Nazi scientists. Nature News: CRISPR gene editing in human embryos wreaks chromosomal mayhem; Prospect Magazine: Astronomers unknowingly dedicated moon craters to Nazis. Will the next historical reckoning be at cosmic level?
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In a few weeks, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show.
In this episode:
03:13 What have we learnt?
We take a look back over the past six months of the pandemic, and discuss how far the world has come. It’s been a period of turmoil and science has faced an unprecedented challenge. What lessons can be learned from the epidemic so far to continue the fight in the months to come?
Financial Times: Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as countries start to reopen
Wellcome Open Research: What settings have been linked to SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters?
12:55 Unanswered questions
After months of intensive research, much is known about the new coronavirus – but many important questions remain unanswered. We look at the knowledge gaps researchers are trying to fill.
Nature Medicine: Real-time tracking of self-reported symptoms to predict potential COVID-19
20:36 How has lockdown affected fieldwork?
The inability to travel during lockdown has seriously hampered many researchers’ ability to gather fieldwork data. We hear from three whose work has been affected, and what this means for their projects.
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On this week’s podcast, life lessons from poker, and keeping things civil during peer review.
In this episode:
00:44 Deciding to play poker
When writer Maria Konnikova wanted to better understand the human decision making process, she took a rather unusual step: becoming a professional poker player. We delve into her journey and find out how poker could help people make better decisions. Books and Arts: What the world needs now: lessons from a poker player
09:12 Research Highlights
A sweaty synthetic skin that can exude useful compounds, and Mars’s green atmosphere. Research Highlight: An artificial skin oozes ‘sweat’ through tiny pores; Research Highlight: The red planet has a green glow
11:21 Developing dialogues
The peer-review process is an integral part of scientific discourse, however, sometimes interactions between authors and reviews can be less than civil. How do we tread the fine line between critique and rudeness? Editorial: Peer review should be an honest, but collegial, conversation
18:47 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we talk about research into racism, and a possible hint of dark matter. Nature News: What the data say about police brutality and racial bias — and which reforms might work; Nature News: Mathematicians urge colleagues to boycott police work in wake of killings; Quanta: Dark Matter Experiment Finds Unexplained Signal
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In this episode:
00:37 Lessons from the Ebola outbreak
We get an update on the pandemic response in the African countries still reeling from the 2014 Ebola crisis. Resource strapped and under pressure – can the lessons learned from Ebola help keep the coronavirus under control?
15:32 Dexamethasone, a breakthrough drug?
A UK-based drugs trial suggests that a cheap steroid could cut deaths by a third among the sickest COVID patients. We discuss what this could mean for the pandemic.
News: Coronavirus breakthrough: dexamethasone is first drug shown to save lives
20:06 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including altruistic bone marrow donors, and skateboarding.
22:48 The numbers don’t lie
A huge amount of projections, graphs and data have been produced during the pandemic. But how accurate are numbers and can they be relied upon?
News: Why daily death tolls have become unusually important in understanding the coronavirus pandemic
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This week, researchers make diamonds tough, and evidence of incest in a 5,000 year old tomb.
In this episode:
00:51 Tough versus hard
Diamonds are famed for their hardness, but they are not so resistant to fracture. Now, researchers have toughened up diamonds, which could open up new industrial applications. Research Article: Yue et al.
06:07 Research Highlights
A spacecraft helps physicists work out the lifespan of a neutron, and the icy hideaway of an endangered whale. Research Highlight: The vanishing-neutron mystery might be cracked by a robot in outer space; Research Highlight: A secluded icy fortress shelters rare whales
08:33 Ancient inbreeding
Analysis of the genomes of humans buried in an ancient Irish tomb has uncovered many surprises, including evidence of incest amongst the elite. Research Article: Cassidy et al.; News and Views: Incest uncovered at the elite prehistoric Newgrange monument in Ireland
21:13 #ShutdownSTEM
Nature reporter Nidhi Subbaraman joins us to talk about the #ShutdownSTEM movement, and anti-black racism in academia. Editorial: Note from the editors: Nature joins #ShutDownSTEM; News: Grieving and frustrated: Black scientists call out racism in the wake of police killings; News: Thousands of scientists worldwide to go on strike for Black lives; News: How #BlackInTheIvory put a spotlight on racism in academia
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An instrument on the International Space Station is providing new insights into some of the Universe’s most baffling objects.
Neutron stars have puzzled scientists for decades. It’s known that these ultra-dense objects are born from the remnants of supernovae, yet what’s under their surface, and what processes that go on within them, remain a mystery.
Now, an instrument called the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer is providing new information to help answer these questions, ushering in a new era of research into these strange stars.
This is an audio version of our feature: The golden age of neutron-star physics has arrived
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In this episode:
00:52 Testing disparities
As testing capacities increase, it is clear that not everyone has equal access. But grassroots organisations are trying to correct this inequity. We hear about one researcher’s fight to get testing to those below the poverty line in California.
09:04 The hydroxychloroquine saga continues
As a high profile study in the Lancet is retracted, the first data from clinical trials is coming in and it is not encouraging. We discuss the murky future of hydroxychloroquine as a COVID drug.
News: High-profile coronavirus retractions raise concerns about data oversight
12:31 Will the Surgisphere scandal erode trust in science?
A questionable dataset from a mysterious company has forced high-profile retractions and thrown doubt over drug trials and public health policies. What will the fallout be and can researchers weather the storm?
23:23 Back in the lab
As lockdowns ease, researchers are starting to go back to the lab. But with various restrictions in place, what does science look like in the new normal?
News: Return to the lab: scientists face shiftwork, masks and distancing as coronavirus lockdowns ease
Careers: Coronavirus diaries: back to the lab again
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This week, the spaceborne lab that allows investigation of quantum states, and the debate surrounding how mountain height is maintained.
Shutdown Stem
On the tenth of June, Nature joined #ShutdownStem #strike4blacklives.
Podcast: #ShutDownSTEM and the Nature Podcast
Editorial: Systemic racism: science must listen, learn and change
News: Thousands of scientists worldwide to go on strike for Black lives
In this episode:
01:18 Space lab
Scientists have built a lab on the international space station, allowing them to remotely investigate quantum phenomena in microgravity. Research Article: Aveline et al.; News and Views: Quantum matter orbits Earth
08:37 Research Highlights
Trackable ‘barcode’ bacteria, and physicists simulate near light speed cycling. Research Highlight: ‘Barcode’ microbes could help to trace goods — from lettuce to loafers; Research Highlight: What Einstein’s theory means for a cyclist moving at almost light speed
10:48 Maintaining mountain height
For a long time many researchers have thought that mainly erosion controls the height of mountains, but new research suggests that tectonic forces play a bigger role. Research Article: Dielforder et al.; News and Views: Mountain height might be controlled by tectonic force, rather than erosion
16:12 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including how sleep deprivation kills, and a monumental Maya structure hidden in plain sight. Quanta Magazine: Why Sleep Deprivation Kills; National... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On the tenth of June, Nature will be joining #ShutdownStem #strike4blacklives. We will be educating ourselves and defining actions we can take to help eradicate anti-Black racism in academia and STEM . Please join us.
Editorial: Systemic racism: science must listen, learn and change
News: Thousands of scientists worldwide to go on strike for Black lives
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In this episode:
00:45 Black Lives Matter
The killing of George Floyd, a black man, by police in Minnesota has sent a shockwave of anger around the globe. As unrest continues, we discuss the protests in Washington DC and ask how scientists are reacting.
04:01 The outsized toll of covid-19 on people of colour
Reports from around the globe are showing that ethnic minorities are at much higher risk of infection and death from the coronavirus. But why might that be? And what can be done about it?
News: How to address the coronavirus’s outsized toll on people of colour
World View: How environmental racism is fuelling the coronavirus pandemic
16:27 Food for thought
Richard Van Noorden suggests some inspirational listening to learn and reflect in difficult times.
Podcast: George the poet
18:27 Lessons from past pandemics
The coronavirus pandemic is just the latest of hundreds throughout history. Nick Howe interviews author Frank M Snowden about how disease has shaped society.
Books and Arts: How pandemics shape social evolution
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This week, a new method to grow hairy skin in a dish, and new research takes aim at the RNA world hypothesis.
In this episode:
00:45 Hairy Skin
Researchers may have developed a way to make skin that can grow hair in the lab, paving the way for treatment of a variety of skin disorders, and perhaps even baldness. Research Article: Lee et al.; News and Views: Regenerative medicine could pave the way to treating baldness
08:56 Research Highlights
How mercury moved during the ‘Great Dying’, and the link between mobile phones and gender equality. Research Highlight: Giant eruptions belched toxic metal during the ‘Great Dying’; Research Article: Rotondi et al.
11:21 Does DNA predate life?
The RNA world hypothesis posits that RNA formed spontaneously leading eventually to life. Now new research suggests that RNA and DNA formed together, before life. Research Article: Xu et al.; News and Views: How DNA and RNA subunits might have formed to make the first genetic alphabet
19:25 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the recent SpaceX launch, and the earliest fossil of a land animal. CBC: Scientists find oldest fossil of a land animal; Nature News: SpaceX to launch astronauts — and a new era of private human spaceflight
Other links
Video:We test a home antibody kit for tracking Covid-19 transmission
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00:59 Chloroquine on rocky ground
President Trump's preferred coronavirus treatment is the focus of a new study suggesting it could cause more harm than good, but not everybody agrees. We discuss the fallout as trials around the world are paused and countries diverge over policy advice.
News: India expands use of controversial coronavirus drug amid safety concerns
News: Safety fears over hyped drug hydroxychloroquine spark global confusion
12:12 Are we rushing science?
Coronavirus papers are being published extremely quickly, while normally healthy scientific debate is being blown up in the world’s press. Is there a balancing act between timely research and accurate messaging?
18:49 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including hedgerow brews and a trip into the past using AI.
Recipe: Elderflower 'Champagne'
Video: Denis Shiryaev restores historic footage with AI
22:30 The latest coronavirus research papers
Noah Baker takes a look through some of the key coronavirus papers of the last few weeks.
News: Coronavirus research updates
medRxiv: Full genome viral sequences inform patterns of SARS-CoV-2 spread into and within Israel
Harvard Library: Reductions in commuting mobility predict geographic differences in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in New York City
Science: DNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques
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This week, perfecting catalysts that split water using light, and the mystery of missing matter in the Universe.
In this episode:
00:44 Water splitting
After decades of research scientists have managed to achieve near perfect efficiency using a light-activated catalyst to separate hydrogen from water for fuel. Research Article: Takata et al.; News and Views: An almost perfectly efficient light-activated catalyst for producing hydrogen from water
05:37 Research Highlights
The hidden water inside the earth’s core, and how working memory ‘works’ in children. Research Highlight: Our planet’s heart is watery; Research Highlight: A child’s memory prowess is revealed by brain patterns
07:53 Measuring matter
Estimations of baryonic matter in the Universe have conflicted with observations, but now researchers have reconciled these differences. Research Article: Macquart et al.
13:42 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the possibility of a black hole in our solar system, and the biting bees that force plants to bloom. Physics World: If ‘Planet Nine’ is a primordial black hole, could we detect it with a fleet of tiny spacecraft?; Scientific American: Bumblebees Bite Plants to Force Them to Flower (Seriously)
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01:38 Trump vs the WHO
President Trump has given the WHO an ultimatum in a tweet, threatening to pull out of the organisation within 30 days unless unclear demands are met. We discuss what this means for the pandemic, the USA and the future of international health cooperation.
12:06 Where are we with vaccines?
The first results from vaccine trials are in and they are encouraging, but scientists are still urging caution. We hear the lowdown on the types of vaccines being developed and what hope there is of rolling them out any time soon.
News: Coronavirus vaccine trials have delivered their first results — but their promise is still unclear
News: The race for coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guide
News: If a coronavirus vaccine arrives, can the world make enough?
25:20 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including hopeful antibody research, at-home sketch comedy and printable board games.
News: Potent human antibodies could inspire a vaccine
Video: Whiskers R we - SNL
Video:The wild affordable world of 1 Player Print’n’Play Games
Video:MORE of the Very Best Solitaire Print'n'Play Games
Video: Marble run league
Video: BBC goals at home (Only available in the UK)
30:04 The latest coronavirus research papers
Noah Baker takes a look through some of the key coronavirus papers of the last few weeks.
News: Coronavirus research updates
medRxiv: Saliva is more sensitive for SARS-CoV-2 detection in COVID-19 patients than nasopharangel swabs
Nature: Effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain COVID-19 in China
Science: Changes in contact patterns shape the dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak in China
New England Journal of Medicine:
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This week, crafting an artificial eye with the benefits of a human's, and understanding how disk-galaxies formed by peering back in time.
In this episode:
00:45 Biomimetic eye
Researchers fabricate an artificial eye complete with a human-like retina. Research Article: Gu et al.; News and Views: Artificial eye boosted by hemispherical retina
09:27 Research Highlights
Dazzling elephant seals to avoid predation, and helping blind people ‘see’ through brain stimulation. Research Highlight: Mighty seals humbled by prey that flickers and flashes; Research Highlight: Blind people ‘read’ letters traced on their brains with electricity
11:36 Early disk-galaxy
There’s an open question about how disk-galaxies form, but now new observations are pointing to an answer, from the very early Universe. Research Article: Neeleman et al.; News and Views: Galaxy disk observed to have formed shortly after the Big Bang
17:47 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including a HIV ‘vaccine’, and incredibly hardy bacteria. Science: Long-acting injectable drug prevents HIV infections; Quanta Magazine: Inside Deep Undersea Rocks, Life Thrives Without the Sun
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With questionable coronavirus content flooding airwaves and online channels, what’s being done to limit its impact?
In this episode:
00:57 The epidemiology of misinformation
As the pandemic spreads, so does a tidal wave of misinformation and conspiracy theories. We discuss how researchers' are tracking the spread of questionable content, and ways to limit its impact.
News: Anti-vaccine movement could undermine efforts to end coronavirus pandemic, researchers warn
Nature Video: Infodemic: Coronavirus and the fake news pandemic
17:55 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including walks in new places, an update on the Isolation Choir, and a very long music playlist.
Video: The Isolation Choir sing What a Wonderful World
Spotify: Beastie Boys Book Complete Songs
22:30 Funding fears for researchers
Scientists around the world are concerned about the impacts that the pandemic will have on their funding and research projects. We hear from two who face uncertainty, and get an update on the plans put in place by funding organisations to support their researchers.
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This week, Elisabeth Bik tells us about her work uncovering potential image manipulation, and a new route for particulate pollution formation.
In this episode:
00:45 Seeing double
Elisabeth Bik spends her days identifying duplicated images in science papers. She tells us about her efforts, and why they’re important. Feature: Meet this super-spotter of duplicated images in science papers; News: Publishers launch joint effort to tackle altered images in research papers
08:11 Research Highlights
New insights on the mysterious Tully Monster, and how football fans can stoke air pollution. Research Highlight: Unmasking the Tully Monster: fossils help to tackle a decades-old mystery; Research Highlight: The meaty link between a city’s football matches and its foul air
10:29 Understanding air pollution
Particulate pollution is a serious threat to human health, but the way that new particles form is poorly understood. This week, new research suggests a new mechanism for it to happen. Research article: Wang et al.; News and Views: Airborne particles might grow fast in cities
15:09 Pick of the Briefing
We pick some highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the closest discovered black hole to Earth, and how wriggly worms are helping physicists model microscopic processes. National Geographic: Closest black hole to Earth found 'hiding in plain sight'; Physics: Worm Viscosity
Other links:
Our latest video - Infodemic: Coronavirus and the fake news pandemic
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Outbreaks among those unable to isolate are spreading under the radar. We hear about the researchers scrambling to get a handle on the situation.
In this episode:
01:02 How is coronavirus spreading in group settings?
In order to successfully stop the coronavirus pandemic, researchers have to understand how the virus is spreading among groups unable to isolate. We hear about efforts to uncover levels of infection among homeless populations in the US, and the challenges associated with doing so.
News: Ignoring outbreaks in homeless shelters is proving perilous
16:49 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including a virtual tour of the world, dark humour, and experimental cocktails.
Rijksmuseum Masterpieces Up Close
20:04 Fears rise at US drug-abuse research institute
Nora Volkow is director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She tells us about her concerns for people living with substance-use disorders during the pandemic, and the damaging effect of lockdowns on NIDA’s research.
News: The psychiatrist at the centre of the opioid crisis
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This week, a new way to study elusive subatomic particles - pions, and the story of Galileo remains relevant in a time of modern science denialism.
In this episode:
00:46 Probing pions
Pions are incredibly unstable and difficult-to-study subatomic particles. Now researchers have come up with a clever way to examine them - by sticking them into helium atoms. Research Article: Hori et al.
08:28 Research Highlights
A colourful way to cool buildings, and the rapid expansion of cities. Research Highlight: A rainbow of layered paints could help buildings to keep their cool; Research Highlight: Urban sprawl overspreads Earth at an unprecedented speed
10:46 The life of Galileo
A new biography of Galileo Galilei examines some of the myths about his life and draws parallels with problems facing scientists today. Books and Arts: Galileo’s story is always relevant
16:42 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including botanical graffiti, and rock-eating bacteria. The Guardian: 'Not just weeds': how rebel botanists are using graffiti to name forgotten flora; Scientific American: Scientists Waited Two and a Half Years to See whether Bacteria Can Eat Rock
Other links
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The Coronapod team pick through the latest news, plus we hear from the researchers making lemonade out of lockdown lemons.
In this episode:
01:10 Can contact-tracing apps help?
Governments around the world are banking on smartphone apps to help end the spread of the coronavirus. But how effective might these apps might be? What are the risks? And how should they fit into wider public health strategies?
Editorial: Show evidence that apps for COVID-19 contact-tracing are secure and effective
13:30 Antiviral remdesivir shows promise
Early results from a US trial of the antiviral drug remdesivir suggest it shortens recovery time for patients with COVID-19. We unpick the findings.
News: Hopes rise for coronavirus drug remdesivir
16:52 One good thing
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including blooming trust in scientists, cooking experiments, and a neighbourhood coming together to clap for healthcare workers.
21:34 Unexpected opportunities
We hear from three researchers making the most of lockdown, studying tiny earthquakes, building balcony-based citizen science projects, or enlisting gamers to fight the coronavirus.
Fold-it, the protein-folding computer game
Vote for us in the 2020 Webby awards!
Nature Podcast: Callused feet, and protein-based archaeology
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This week, how the ‘sniff-response’ can help clinicians determine a patient's state of consciousness, and how vaccines could help drive down antibiotic use.
In this episode:
00:45 Sniffing out consciousness
Researchers have found that the sniff reflex can indicate whether a patient is in a vegetative state, and even the likelihood that they will recover consciousness. Research Article: Arzi et al.
08:37 Research Highlights
The stupefying effect of carbon dioxide, and a chameleon gemstone that tricks your eyes. Research Highlight: Rising carbon dioxide levels will make us stupider; Research Highlight: How a chameleon gemstone changes from red to green
11:12 Vaccination and antibiotic usage
Looking at data from low- and middle-income countries, researchers have determined that vaccination could prevent millions of infections currently treated by antibiotics. Research Article: Lewnard et al.
16:49 Pick of the Briefing
We pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the forgotten mother of climate change science, and a new global study on insect declines. Chemistry World: Eunice Foote: the mother of climate change; Science: Meta-analysis reveals declines in terrestrial but increases in freshwater insect abundances
Other links
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the role of antibody tests in controlling the pandemic, and how public-health spending could curtail an economic crisis. Also on the show, the open hardware community's efforts to produce medical equipment.
In this episode:
02:08 Betting on antibodies
Antibody tests could play a key role in understanding how the virus has spread through populations, and in ending lockdowns. We discuss concerns over their reliability, how they could be used, and the tantalising possibility of immunity.
News: The researchers taking a gamble with antibody tests for coronavirus
10:25 Economy vs public health, a false dichotomy
Jim Yong Kim, former president of the World Bank, argues that strong investment in public health is crucial to halt the ongoing pandemic and to prevent a global financial crisis. We discuss his work with US governors to massively increase contact tracing, and his thoughts on how researchers can help steer political thinking.
News Q&A: Why the World Bank ex-chief is on a mission to end coronavirus transmission
19:00 One good thing this week
Our hosts talk about staying positive, and pick a few things that have made them smile in the last 7 days, including a tiny addition to the team, a newspaper produced by children in lockdown, and a gardening update.
Six Feet of Separation, the newspaper staffed by kids
22:51 Open hardware
Researchers are stepping up efforts to design and produce ventilators and personal protective equipment for frontline medical staff. We hear how the open hardware movement is aiding these efforts, and the regulations that teams need to consider if their designs are to make it into use.
Technology Feature: Open science takes on the coronavirus pandemic
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This week, evidence of ancient hominin DNA in modern human genomes, and the origin of a snowman-shaped object at the edge of the solar system.
In this episode:
00:45 Intermixing of ancient hominins
By combing through the DNA of over 27,000 modern day Icelanders, researchers have uncovered new insights about the ancient hominin species who interbred with Homo sapiens. Research Article: Skov et al.
08:05 Research Highlights
The scent of lemur love, a hidden Viking trade route, and ‘gargantuan’ hail. Research Highlight: Lemurs’ love language is fragrance; Research Highlight: Vikings’ lost possessions mark a long-hidden early trade route; Research Highlight: Enormous hailstones inspire a new scientific size category: ‘gargantuan’
11:44 The origin of Arrokoth
In 2019, the New Horizon Spacecraft took images of Arrokoth - an unusual, bi-lobal object found in the Kuiper belt. Now, researchers believe they’ve figured out how it formed. Research Article: Grishin et al.
17:29 Pick of the Briefing
We pick some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This week we discuss why the Universe may be lopsided, and why water could actually be two different liquid states. Scientific American: Do We Live in a Lopsided Universe?; Chemistry World: The weirdness of water
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss Trump withholding funds from the WHO, and how COVID-19 kills. We also hear about controlling misinformation while communicating risk.
In this episode:
01:15 Understanding bottlenecks
After listening to last week's episode of Coronapod, researchers in the USA were inspired to start collecting data about the challenges facing labs carrying out testing. After more than 4,000 responses to their online survey, we discuss their goals.
03:08 A hole in the WHO’s funding
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to withhold funding for the WHO, pending a review of the organization’s handling of the pandemic. We discuss the decision and ask what it means for the global response to COVID-19.
News: Nature's rolling coronavirus news blog
05:55 Responding to the immune system
We investigate the role of the immune system in the death of COVID-19 patients and what this could mean for treatments. Could some therapeutics actually be undermining the body’s ability to fight the virus?
News: How does COVID-19 kill? Uncertainty is hampering doctors’ ability to choose treatments
13:54 One good thing this week
Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last 7 days, including seasonal memories from Sierra Leone, a trip to the supermarket, and the 99-year old war veteran who has raised millions for charity.
BBC News: Coronavirus: Capt Tom Moore's NHS fundraiser hits £17m
18:33 Communicating complex data
Clearly communicating risks and evidence is key for governments and other organisations if they are to best inform the public during the pandemic. But what is the best way to do it? We hear the methods that communications experts and behavioural scientists recommend to keep the public informed, and keep misinformation at bay.
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the labs struggling to get involved in diagnostic testing, and should you be wearing a mask?
In this episode:
02:07 A drive to diagnose
Many research labs are pivoting from their normal work to offer diagnostic testing for COVID-19. We discuss how to go about retooling a lab, the hurdles researchers are facing and why, in some cases, tests are not being taken up.
News: Thousands of coronavirus tests are going unused in US labs
14:18 Masking the issue?
There has been conflicting advice on whether people should wear masks to protect themselves during the pandemic. We look at some of the take home messages from the debate.
Research article: Leung et al.
News: Is the coronavirus airborne? Experts can’t agree
18:36 One good thing this week
Our hosts pick out things they’ve seen that have made them smile in the last 7 days, including a local superhero, and a caring choir who have release their first song.
Reuters: Spider-Man to the rescue! Superhero jogger cheers kids in England
Video: The Isolation Choir sing Wild Mountain Thyme
22:08 Accelerating vaccine development
Around the world, research groups are rushing to create a vaccine against the coronavirus. We hear about one group’s effort, and how vaccine development is being sped up, without sacrificing safety steps.
News: If a coronavirus vaccine arrives, can the world make enough?
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This week, a new enzyme speeds up the breakdown of plastic bottles, and a method to cool molecules to a fraction above absolute zero.
In this episode:
01:18 A PET recycling enzyme
Researchers have engineered an enzyme that effectively breaks down the plastic PET into its constituent monomers. This could allow for more complete recycling of bottles and clothes. Research Article: Tournier et al.
06:41 Research Highlights
The shocking lengths humans will go to to satisfy their curiosity, and the reasons for elevated methane emissions at Oktoberfest. Research Highlight: Humans opt to brave electric shock to satisfy their curiosity; Research Highlight: Munich’s Oktoberfest is a real gas
09:15 Supercool molecules
Researchers have used a technique called ‘collision cooling’ to chill molecules to a few millionths of a degree above absolute zero, which could allow observations of difficult-to-study quantum mechanics. Research Article: Son et al.
14:46 Research Highlights
Neither supermassive, nor super small, the mystery of the elusive intermediate sized black-hole has been solved. Research Highlight: Elusive middle-weight black hole is caught shredding a star
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the latest on the British response, and what low- and middle-income countries have done to prepare for the pandemic.
In this episode:
01:33 Testing in the UK
This week, the UK health secretary announced plans to further ramp up testing for COVID-19, with the aim of preforming 100,000 tests a day in England by the end of April. We discuss these plans and why testing remains a key weapon in the fight against the virus.
11:37 Pandemic preparation in poorer countries
COVID-19 cases have started to be reported in many low- and middle-income countries. We hear how a few of these nations are preparing and what might happen if these efforts fail.
News article: How poorer countries are scrambling to prevent a coronavirus disaster
26:43 One good thing this week
As our hosts end another week of working from home, they pick out things they’ve seen that have made them smile in the last 7 days.
Video: Samuel L. Jackson reads Stay the F*** at home
Evening Standard: Medical fetish site says it's giving scrubs to NHS hospital amid coronavirus crisis
NPR: U.K. Family's Lockdown-Themed Rendition Of 'Les Mis' Is A Delight
Twitter: Patrick Stewart reads one of Shakespeare’s sonnets each day
28:54 The effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on research animals
With stay-at-home orders in effect in many parts of the world, scientists are making difficult decisions to safeguard the welfare of their lab animals. We hear from one researcher who plans to care for his fruit flies at home, and another who has had to euthanize many of the mouse colonies used in his institution’s research.
News: Cull, release or bring them home: Coronavirus crisis forces hard decisions for labs with animals
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This week, reassessing the age of the ‘Broken Hill skull’, and unearthing evidence of an ancient forest near the South Pole.
In this episode:
01:25 A skull’s place in history
After nearly a century scientists believe they’ve finally pinned down an age for the ‘Broken Hill skull’ hominid specimen. Research Article: Grun et al.
07:44 Research Highlights
A simple way to detect early signs of cancer, and 3D printed soft brain implants. Research Highlight: A blood test finds deadly cancers before symptoms start; Research Article: Yuk et al.
09:51 Ancient Antarctic rainforest
Digging deep below the sea-floor, researchers have uncovered evidence of a verdant forest that existed on Antarctica around 90 million years ago. Research Article: Klages et al.
15:47 Research Highlights
Walking more, regardless of the intensity, may improve health. Research Highlight: More steps a day might keep the doctor away
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Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss efforts to develop treatments for COVID-19.
In this episode:
02:00 A push for plasma
In New York, hospitals are preparing to infuse patients with the antibody-rich blood plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19. This approach has been used during disease outbreaks for over a century and we discuss how it works, and how effective is might be.
We also talk about how drug trials for potential treatments are progressing, how scientists are pulling together, and what COVID-19 outbreaks on cruise ships are telling epidemiologists.
News article: How blood from coronavirus survivors might save lives; News article: What the cruise-ship outbreaks reveal about COVID-19
18:44 Switching focus
In the wake of the outbreak, academics are coming together to meet the challenge of the pandemic. We speak to an immunologist and a bioengineer who have changed their research focus and are putting their expertise into action.
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This week, a speedy, yet simple switch, and a video-based AI helps assess heart health.
In this episode:
01:57 Speedy switches
Researchers have developed an ultra-fast electrical switch that they hope can be used in communication and imaging applications. Research Article: Nikoo et al.
08:14 Research Highlights
Using sound to estimate glacial retreat, and building a dodgier drone. Research Highlight: Underwater microphones listen as as glacier retreats; Research article: Falanga et al.
10:32 Algorithmic heart diagnosis
Scientists have developed a new algorithm which calculates the amount of blood pumped by the heart beat by beat. Research Article: Ouyang et al.; News and Views: AI tracks a beating heart’s function over time
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In the first of our new podcast series, Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the epidemiology needed to control the Covid-19 outbreak.
In this episode:
03:57 Testing times
Case numbers of Covid-19 have leapt around the world in recent days, but how many undetected cases are out there? We talk about the urgent need to deploy two of the cornerstones of effective epidemiology – testing and contact tracing – and discuss why these measures aren’t being rolled out worldwide.
News article: Scientists exposed to coronavirus wonder: why weren’t we notified?; News article: South Korea is reporting intimate details of COVID-19 cases: has it helped?; News explainer: What China’s coronavirus response can teach the rest of the world
14:23 Global governance in the wake of Covid-19
The International Health Regulations (IHR) were set up to help countries prepare for, and respond to, public-health emergencies. Rebecca Katz, a health security researcher specialising in emerging infectious diseases, tells us how the IHR are holding up during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Worldview: Pandemic policy can learn from arms control
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This week, we speak to Rosamund Pike about her experience portraying Marie Skłodowska Curie, and we find out how science in Russia is changing after years of decline.
In this episode:
01:43 Radioactive
British actor Rosamund Pike tells us about her new film, and her experience of portraying double Nobel-Laureate Marie Curie. Arts Review: Marie Curie biopic should have trusted pioneer’s passion
10:17 Research Highlights
The neural circuitry involved in stopping, and a jelly-like substance that cleans paintings. Research Highlight: A neural highway to human motor control; Research article: Mastrangelo et al.
12:27 Russian science
Decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian science may be having a revival. News Feature: Russia aims to revive science after era of stagnation; Editorial: The price of Russia–China research collaborations
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In this Podcast Extra, we hear from epidemiologists, genomicists and social scientists about how they're working to tackle the coronavirus and what they've learned so far.
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Research in the 1960s and 1970s suggested that emotional expressions – smiling when happy, scowling when angry, and so on – were universal. This idea stood unchallenged for a generation.
But a new cohort of psychologists and cognitive scientists are revisiting the data. Many researchers now think that the picture is a lot more complicated, and that facial expressions vary widely between contexts and cultures.
This is an audio version of our feature: Why faces don’t always tell the truth about feelings, written by Douglas Heaven and read by Kerri Smith.
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This week, a newly discovered bird species from the time of the dinosaurs, and microbes hundreds of metres below the ocean floor.
In this episode:
00:44 A tiny, toothy, ancient bird
Researchers have found a perfectly preserved bird fossil trapped in amber, with some rather unusual features.
The paper covered in this podcast has been retracted. New evidence suggests that the specimen might actually be a lizard, and not a bird-like dinosaur.
Read more in this article. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02214-7
The retracted paper can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2068-4
08:09 Research Highlights
Dental hygiene in the time of the Vikings, and wildebeest bones feed an African ecosystem. Research Article: Bertilsson et al; Research Article: Subalusky et al.
10:21 Deep sea life
Scientists have uncovered traces of life 750m below the ocean’s surface. Research article: Li et al.
17:31 News Chat
Updates on the Coronavirus outbreak, and peer review in predatory journals. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: Labs rush to study coronavirus in transgenic animals — some are in short supply
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This week, improving computers’ image identification, and a new method for growing crystals.
00:44 Upgrading computer sight
Researchers have designed a sensor that allows machines to assess images in nanoseconds. Research Article: Mennel et al.; News and Views: In-sensor computing for machine vision
06:51 Research Highlights
Calorie restriction’s effects on rat cells, and the dwindling of sandy seashores. Research Highlight: Old age’s hallmarks are delayed in dieting rats; Research Highlight: Sandy beaches are endangered worldwide as the climate changes
08:53 Crafting crystals
To understand the structure of materials, researchers often have to grow them in crystal form. A new method aims to speed up this process. Research article: Sun et al.
14:48 News Chat
Coronavirus outbreak updates, and climate change’s role in the Australian bush fires. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: Climate change made Australia's 'unprecedented' bushfires 30% more likely
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In this edition of Backchat we take a deep dive into Nature's coverage of coronavirus. As cases climb, what are some of the challenges involved in reporting on the virus?
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This week, the brain pathways of egg laying in fruit flies, and preventing fractures in metallic glass.
In this episode:
00:46 Working out the wiring behind fruit fly behaviour
Researchers have identified a neural circuit linking mating and egg laying in female fruit flies. Research Article: Wang et al.
06:01 Research Highlights
Ancient, cave-dwelling cockroaches, and hairy moths dampen sound. Research Highlight: Cockroaches preserved in amber are the world’s oldest cave dwellers; Research Highlight: Stealth flyers: moths’ fuzz is superior acoustic camouflage
07:57 Making better metallic glass
Metallic glasses have many desirable properties, but these materials are prone to fracturing. Now, a new manufacturing process may have overcome this issue. Research article: Pan et al.; News and Views: Metallic glasses rejuvenated to harden under strain
13:47 News Chat
Coronavirus outbreak updates, a survey shows Indian bird numbers are in decline, and the genomes of New York rats. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: Hundreds of bird species in India are declining; News: Genomes reveal how New York City’s rats thrive in the urban jungle
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In recent days, the number of coronavirus cases have surged in South Korea.
In this Podcast Extra Nick Howe speaks to Bartosz Gryzbowski, a researcher based in the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, which is just 60km away from epicentre of the South Korean outbreak. He explains how the outbreak has affected his research and what the atmosphere is like there at the moment.
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This week, machine learning helps batteries charge faster, and using bacterial nanowires to generate electricity from thin air.
In this episode:
00:46 Better battery charging
A machine learning algorithm reveals how to quickly charge batteries without damaging them. Research Article: Attia et al.
07:12 Research Highlights
Deciphering mouse chit-chat, and strengthening soy glue. Research Highlight: The ‘silent’ language of mice is decoded at last; Research Article: Gu et al.
09:21 Harnessing humidity
A new device produces electricity using water in the air. Research Article: Liu et al.
16:30 News Chat
Coronavirus outbreak updates, the global push to conserve biodiversity, and radar reveals secrets in an ancient Egyptian tomb. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: China takes centre stage in global biodiversity push; News: Is this Nefertiti’s tomb? Radar clues reignite debate over hidden chambers
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This week, uncovering the structure of materials with useful properties, and quantum entanglement over long distances.
In this episode:
00:45 Analysing Prussian blues
Analogues of the paint pigment Prussian blue are used in a variety of chemical processes. Now, researchers have uncovered their atomic structure. Research Article: Simonov et al.; News and Views: Ordered absences observed in porous framework materials
08:17 Research Highlights
Teenagers’ natural sleep cycles impact on academic performance, and an extinct, giant rodent with a surprisingly tiny brain. Research Highlight: A teenager’s body clock can ring in school success; Research Highlight: Giant extinct rodent was all brawn and little brain
10:49 Distant entanglement
Researchers have demonstrated quantum entanglement between two points separated by 50 km of fibre optic cables. Research Article: Yu et al.
17:17 News Chat
The latest on the coronavirus outbreak, and gene editing gets an upgrade. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: Super-precise CRISPR tool enhanced by enzyme engineering
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This week, how setting an out-of-office email could help promote a kinder academic culture.
In this episode:
00:47 Being truly out of office
Last year, a viral tweet about emails sparked a deeper conversation about academics’ work-life-balance. Could email etiquette help tip the balance? Careers Article: Out of office replies and what they can say about you
09:35 Research Highlights
Finding the ‘greenest’ oranges, and the benefits of ‘baby talk’. Research Article: Bell and Horvath; Research Highlight: Babies benefit when Mum and Dad are fluent in ‘baby talk’
12:06 News Chat
Updates on the novel coronavirus, assessing Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and the potential impacts of Brexit on UK research. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: How quickly can Iran make a nuclear bomb?; News: Brexit is happening: what does it mean for science?
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This week, establishing the role of climate change in Australian bushfires, and revisiting Isaac Asimov’s ethical rules for robots.
In this episode:
00:46 Behind the bushfires
Researchers are working to establish the role that climate change is playing in the bushfires that are raging across Australia. News Feature: The race to decipher how climate change influenced Australia’s record fires; Editorial: Australia: show the world what climate action looks like
10:02 Research Highlights
The debate around how Vesuvius claimed its victims, and an ancient mummy speaks. Research Highlight: Vitrified brains and baked bones tell the story of Vesuvius deaths; Research Article: Howard et al.
12:21 Asimov’s legacy
This year marks the centenary of Isaac Asimov’s birth. We reflect on the impact of his writing on the field of robotics. Essay: Isaac Asimov: centenary of the great explainer
21:00 News Chat
The latest on a new virus from Wuhan in China, and social scientists' battle with bots. News: Coronavirus: latest news on spreading infection; News: Social scientists battle bots to glean insights from online chatter
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This week, why stress makes mice turn grey, and how to think about climate change.
In this episode:
00:45 Going grey
Anecdotal evidence has long suggested stressas a cause of grey hair. Now, a team of researchers have showed experimental evidence to suggest this is the case. Research Article: Zhang et al.; News & Views: How the stress of fight or flight turns hair white
08:39 Research Highlights
Ancient bones suggest that giant ground sloths moved in herds,plus an atomic way to check for whiskey fakes. Research Highlight: A bone bed reveals mass death of herd of giant ground sloths; Research Highlight: Nuclear-bomb carbon unmasks fraudulent luxury whisky
10:40 Climate optimism
To tackle climate change, the former UN secretary for climate change argues that the biggest change needs to be mindset. Comment: Paris taught me how to do what is necessary to combat climate change
18:09 News Chat
The latest on a new virus from Wuhan in China, and insights from ancient African genomes. News: China virus latest: first US case confirmed; Research Article: Lipson et al.
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In this episode:
00:45 Observing the centre of the galaxy
Researchers have uncovered a population of dust-enshrouded objects orbiting the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy.
Research Article: Ciurlo et al.
06:34 Research Highlights
A London landmark’s height lends itself to a physics experiment, and generous behaviour in parrots. Research Highlight: An iconic structure in London moonlights as a scientific tool; Research Highlight: Parrots give each other gifts without promise of reward
09:00 The human ‘screenome’ project
To understand the effects of online media consumption, researchers argue that the way it’s measured needs to change. Comment: Time for the Human Screenome Project
17:26 News Chat
A decline in human body temperature, and a new report on research culture. News: Not so hot: US data suggests human bodies are cooling down; News: Stressful, aggressive, damaging: huge survey reveals toils of scientists’ working lives
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In this episode of the podcast, Nature reporter Davide Castelvecchi joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2020.
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In this special round-up episode of the Nature Podcast, our reporters choose their favourite podcast piece of 2019.
In this episode:
00:33 A sole sensation
A study of people who do and don't wear shoes looks into whether calluses make feet less sensitive. Nature Podcast: 26 June 2019; Research article: Holowka et al.; News and Views: Your sensitive sole
08:56 The make up of the far side of the Moon
Initial observations from the first lander to touch down on the far side of the Moon. Nature Podcast: 15 May 2019; Research article: Li et al.
15:43 Growth Mindset
How a one hour course could improve academic achievement. Nature Podcast: 07 August 2019; Research article: Yeager et al.
27:44 ‘Manferences’
Nature investigates the prevalence of conferences where most of the speakers are male. Nature Podcast: 11 September 2019; News Feature: How to banish manels and manferences from scientific meetings
34:02 Q&A with Nobel Prize winner John Goodenough
We talk to John Goodenough, who was jointly awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his role in the development of the lithium-ion battery. Podcast Extra: 09 October 2019
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
In this episode, we’re heading back to the early twentieth century, when physicists had become deeply entangled in the implications of the quantum theory. At its smallest scales was the world continuous? Or built of discrete units? It all began with Max Planck. His Nobel Prize was the subject of a Nature news article in 1920.
This episode was first broadcast in December 2013.
From the archive
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2019 will likely go down as a pivotal year for public discourse on climate change. It was the year of Greta Thunberg, the climate school strikes, and Extinction Rebellion. The global activist movement has gained support from a range of influential people, including renowned environmental lawyer Farhana Yamin.
In this Podcast Extra, Nature's Chief Opinion Editor Sara Abdulla meets with Farhana to discuss why she ditched resolutions in favour of activism. This is an extended version of an interview originally broadcast in September.
Comment: Why I broke the law for climate change
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As part of Nature's 150th anniversary celebrations, Nick Howe dives into the topic of epigenetics.
Since its origin in 1942, the term 'epigenetics' has been repeatedly defined and redefined. There's always been hype around the field, but what actually is epigenetics and how much does it influence our genes?
In this Podcast Extra, Nick Howe speaks to Edith Heard, Director General of the EMBL, and Giacomo Cavalli, from the Institute of Human Genetics, to guide us through these questions and find out about the history and future of epigenetics.
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We’ve launched our 2019 listener survey. We want to know what you think of the show to help us make a great podcast. You can find the survey here. Thanks!
This week, a solution to a centuries-old physics problem, and holiday shenanigans.
In this episode:
00:51 Disentangling three bodies
Researchers have been working to unpick a problem that has stumped scientists since the 1600s. Research Article: Stone and Leigh
08:50 Frosty the Snowman
The first of our festive science songs, about how a certain snowman is faring under climate change. Scroll to the transcript section below for the lyrics.
11:00 Festive quiz show
Our reporters battle it out to be crowned as this year’s quiz champion. Can they describe some of the top news headlines without saying certain important words? We find out.
19:21 Carol of M87
Our second song is about the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration’s imaging of the supermassive black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy. Scroll to the transcript section below for the lyrics.
20:33 News Chat
We hear about some of the people on Nature’s 10 this year. Feature: Nature’s 10: Ten people who mattered this year
30:00 Rockin’ Around Supremacy
For our final song, we hark back to October, when Google claimed to have achieved quantum supremacy. Scroll to the transcript section below for the lyrics.
TRANSCRIPT
Frosty the Snowman lyrics:
Frosty the Snowman was a jolly, happy soul
But the smile wore off as the globe got hot
‘Cause the world used too much coal.
Frosty the Snowman is a fairy tale they say
He was made of snow
But the kids won’t know ‘cause it’s them who have to pay.
Gonna’ need some magic to
Convince the world to stop
‘Cause now we’re running out of time
And he’s feeling mighty hot.
Oh, Frosty the Snowman, is endangered as could be
And the children say they wish he’d stay,
But they don’t trust you and me.
He led them down the streets of town
Right to the climate COP.
They gathered there, and Greta stared
And together hollered “STOP”.
Frosty the Snowman, had to hurry on his way
But he said we should do all that we could
For to change our dirty ways.
Frosty the Snowman, knew the time to act was now
So the girls and boys said make some noise
And we’ll get a change somehow
Carol of M87 lyrics:
Hark at the sound
Photons abound
Radio waves
All seem to say
Out in the dark
This glowing spark
We find our goal
See a black hole.
(M) M Eight-se’en
(Eight) As it was then
(tee) eons ago
(se’en) See it aglow
Data from these
Observatries
Processed to give
The first image
One seems to see
With EHT
Fire in a ring
Light circling
Einstein was right,
Warped is the light,
See the lensing
Bending the ring.
Now-we see-a supermassive black hole. (M – eigh-ty- se’en)
How-we see-a supermassive black hole. (M – eigh-ty-se’en)
(M) Space time is bent
(Eight) See this event
(tee) Horizon burn
(ee) So...
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Research groups around the world are exploring new ways of protecting coral reefs from climate change.
This is an audio version of our feature: These corals could survive climate change — and help save the world’s reefs, written by Amber Dance and read by Kerri Smith.
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We recently launched our 2019 listener survey. We want to hear your views on the show to help us make it even better, so please help us by filling in the survey, thanks!
In this episode:
00:45 What’s next for social priming?
How might a branch of psychological research move forward in the face of replication failures? News Feature: What’s next for psychology’s embattled field of social priming
08:55 Research Highlights
Killer-whale grandmothers help their grandchildren survive, and the failed voyage of a reproduced ancient raft. Research Highlight: Why female orcas make killer grandmas; Research Highlight: On a model ancient raft, seafarers are up the current without a paddle
11:12 The sounds of science
We hear the latest updates from the Acoustical Society of America's recent conference.
18:44 News Chat
Reassessing when civilisations moved to modernity, and understanding exoplanets. News: When did societies become modern? ‘Big history’ dashes popular idea of Axial Age; News: European space telescope to launch new era of exoplanet science
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We recently launched our 2019 listener survey. We want to hear your views on the show to help us make it even better. You can find the survey here. Thanks!
In this episode:
00:45 The GenomeAsia 100k project
Researchers have released the first data from an ambitious project to sequence the genomes of 100,000 people from populations across Asia. Research Article: GenomeAsia100K Consortium
08:56 Research Highlights
Bare riverbanks make meanders move, and human activity affects picky penguins. Research Highlight: The meandering rivers that speed across barren landscapes; Research Highlight: Climate change splits two penguin species into winners and losers
11:18 Curbing the rise in genetic surveillance
Concerns are growing around the use of commercial DNA databases for state-level surveillance. Comment: Crack down on genomic surveillance
20:02 News Chat
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has sent back the most detailed information yet about the birthplace of solar wind. News: Sun-bombing spacecraft uncovers secrets of the solar wind
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
In this episode, we’re heading back to 4 November 1869, when Nature’s story began. The first issue of the journal looked very different from the way it does now and, to the dismay of the editor, it was not immediately popular. In this podcast, we hear how Nature began, and how it became the journal it is today.
From the archive
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This week, delving into the results of the latest graduate student survey, and assessing ageism in science fiction literature.
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This week, an antibiotic that targets hard-to-treat bacteria, and a roundup of the latest science news.
In this episode:
00:49 Discovering darobactin
Researchers looked inside nematode guts and have identified a new antibiotic with some useful properties. Research Article: Imai et al.
05:45 Research Highlights
Using urine as a health metric, and sniffing out book decay with an electronic nose. Research Article: Miller et al.; Research Article: Veríssimo et al.
07:54 News Chat
Adding an element of chance to grant funding, a continental butterfly-sequencing project, and tracking endangered animals via traces of their DNA. News: Science funders gamble on grant lotteries; News: Every butterfly in the United States and Canada now has a genome sequence; News: Rare bird’s detection highlights promise of ‘environmental DNA’
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This week, a new 3D printer allows quick shifting between many materials, and understanding the link between gut microbes and liver disease.
00:46 A new dimension for 3D printers
A new nozzle lets a 3D printer switch between materials at a rapid rate, opening the door to a range of applications. Research Article: Skylar-Scott et al.; News and Views: How to print multi-material devices in one go
08:07 Research Highlights
The slippery secrets of ice, and cells wrapping up their nuclei. Research Highlight: Viscous water holds the secret to an ice skater’s smooth glide; Research Highlight: Super-thin layer of ‘bubble wrap’ cushions a cell’s nucleus
10:17 Linking bacteria to liver disease
Researchers have isolated a bacterial strain that appears to play an important role in alcoholic liver disease. Research paper: Duan et al.; News and Views: Microbial clues to a liver disease
17:10 News Chat
‘Megaconstellations’ of satellites concern astronomers, and a report on the gender gap in chemistry. News: SpaceX launch highlights threat to astronomy from ‘megaconstellations’; News: Huge study documents gender gap in chemistry publishing
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This week marks 150 years since the first issue of Nature was published, on 4 November 1869. In this anniversary edition of Backchat, the panel take a look back at how the journal has evolved in this time, and discuss the role that Nature can play in today's society. The panel also pick a few of their favourite research papers that Nature has published, and think about where science might be headed in the next 150 years.
Collection: 150 years of Nature
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This week, insights into the evolution of walking upright, how science needs to change in the next 150 years, and the unfinished agenda for vaccines.
In this episode:
00:50 Early ape locomotion
The discovery of a fossil of a new species of ape gives new insights on how bipedalism may have evolved. Research Article: Böhme et al.; News and Views: Fossil ape hints at how walking on two feet evolved; News: Fossil ape offers clues to evolution of walking on two feet
07:24 Research Highlights
Women lacking olfactory bulbs can somehow still smell, and telling whiskies apart through evaporation patterns. Research Highlight: The women who lack an odour-related brain area — and can still smell a rose; Research Highlight: Bourbon or Scotch? A droplet’s dynamics reveal the truth
09:44 How should science evolve?
This year is Nature’s 150th anniversary. Science has made huge strides during this time, but what needs to change to continue this progress for the next 150 years? Comment: Science must move with the times
17:52 The state of vaccination in 2019
Researchers assess the differences in immunization levels worldwide and identify the bottlenecks in developing new vaccines. Research article: Piot et al.
23:54 News Chat
An AI figures out the sun’s place in the Solar System, and reassessing the size of the proton. News article: AI Copernicus: Neural network ‘discovers’ that Earth orbits the Sun; News: Puzzle over size of proton leaps closer to resolution
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
In the early 1990s, a team of astrophysicists led by Carl Sagan looked at data from the Galileo spacecraft and saw the signatures of life on a planet in our galaxy. Historian of science David Kaiser and astrobiologists Charles Cockell and Frank Drake discuss how we can tell if there is life beyond the Earth – and how optimism, as well as science, is necessary for such a venture.
This episode was first broadcast in October 2013.
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This week, a computer beats the best human players in StarCraft II, and a huge study of insects and other arthropods.
In this episode:
00:45 Learning to play
By studying and experimenting, an AI has reached Grandmaster level at the video game Starcraft II.
Research Article: Vinyals et al.; News Article: Google AI beats experienced human players at real-time strategy game StarCraft II
10:08 Research Highlights
A record-breaking lightning bolt, and identifying our grey matter’s favourite tunes
Research Highlight: Here come the lightning ‘megaflashes’; Research Highlight: Why some songs delight the human brain
12:24 Arthropods in decline
Researchers have surveyed how land-use change has affected arthropod diversity.
Research article: Seibold et al.
18:30 News Chat
Young Canadians file a lawsuit against their government, an Alzheimer’s drug gets a second chance, and South Korean efforts to curb a viral epidemic in pigs.
News: Canadian kids sue government over climate change; News: Fresh push for ‘failed’ Alzheimer’s drug; News: South Korea deploys snipers and drones to fend off deadly pig virus
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As part of Nature's 150th anniversary celebrations, we look back at an important moment in the history of science.
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This week, a milestone in quantum computing, and rethinking early mammals.
In this episode:
00:43 A quantum computing milestone
A quantum computer is reported to have achieved ‘quantum supremacy’ – performing an operation that’s essentially impossible for classical computers.
Research Article: Arute et al.; News and Views: Quantum computing takes flight; Editorial: A precarious milestone for quantum computing; News: Hello quantum world! Google publishes landmark quantum supremacy claim
08:24 Research Highlights
The world’s speediest ants, and the world’s loudest birdsong.
Research Highlight: A land-speed record for ants set in Saharan dunes; Research Highlight: A bird’s ear-splitting shriek smashes the record for loudest song
10:19 The mammals that lived with the dinosaurs
Paleontologists are shifting their view of the Mesozoic era mammals.
News Feature: How the earliest mammals thrived alongside dinosaurs
18:00 News Chat
A Russian researcher’s plans to edit human embryos, and ‘prime editing’ - a more accurate gene editing system.
News: Russian ‘CRISPR-baby’ scientist has started editing genes in human eggs with goal of altering deaf gene; News: Super-precise new CRISPR tool could tackle a plethora of genetic diseases
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This week, investigating child mortality rates at a local level, and building genes from non-coding DNA.
In this episode:
00:43 A regional view of childhood mortality
Researchers map countries' progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Developmental Goals.
Research Article: Burstein et al.; World View: Data on child deaths are a call for justice; Editorial: Protect the census
07:22 Research Highlights
Astronomers identify a second visitor from beyond the solar system, and extreme snowfall stifles animal breeding in Greenland.
Research Highlight: The comet that came in from interstellar space; Research Highlight: Extreme winter leads to an Arctic reproductive collapse
09:22 Evolving genes from the ground up
Natural selection's creative way to evolve new genes.
News Feature: How evolution builds genes from scratch
15:43 News Chat
A spate of vaping-related deaths in the US, and Japan’s import of the Ebola virus.
News: Scientists chase cause of mysterious vaping illness as death toll rises; News: Why Japan imported Ebola ahead of the 2020 Olympics
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This week, a method for predicting follow-up earthquakes, and the issues with deep learning systems in AI.
In this episode:
00:47 Which is the big quake?
A new technique could allow seismologists to better predict if a larger earthquake will follow an initial tremor.
Research Article: Real-time discrimination of earthquake foreshocks and aftershocks; News and Views: Predicting if the worst earthquake has passed
07:46 Research Highlights
Vampire bats transmitting rabies in Costa Rica, and why are some octopuses warty?
Research Article: Streicker et al.; Research Article: Voight et al.
10:03 Problems for pattern-recognition
Deep-learning allows AIs to better understand the world, but the technique is not without its issues.
News Feature: Why deep-learning AIs are so easy to fool
16:31 News Chat
We roundup the 2019 Nobel Prizes for science.
News: Biologists who decoded how cells sense oxygen win medicine Nobel; News: Physics Nobel goes to exoplanet and cosmology pioneers; News: Chemistry Nobel honours world-changing batteries
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In this Podcast Extra, we speak to John B Goodenough, from the University of Texas at Austin, in the US. Today, John was announced as one of the joint winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Reporter Benjamin Thompson went along to the Royal Society in London to chat with him.
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In this Podcast Extra, we speak to physicist Didier Queloz, who was announced today as one of the joint winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics. Shortly after the winners were announced, Didier took part in a press conference to talk about his award. Reporter Benjamin Thompson went along to chat with him.
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This week, how new species may form by sexual imprinting, and a previously unknown way for mosquitoes to migrate.
In this episode:
00:43 New species by sexual imprinting?
A Central American frog chooses mates resembling its parents, a possible route for new species to form.
Research Article: Yang et al.; News and Views: Leapfrog to speciation boosted by mother’s influence
09:58 Research Highlights
A light-based pacemaker, and the mathematics of the best place to park.
Research Article: Mei et al.; Research Highlight: Maths tackles an eternal question: where to park?
11:43 Gone with the wind
Researchers show that malaria mosquitoes may travel hundreds of kilometres using wind currents.
Research Article: Huestis et al.; News and Views: Malaria mosquitoes go with the flow
19:28 News Chat
Eradication of Guinea Worm pushed back, and researchers report ‘pressure to cite’.
News: Exclusive: Battle to wipe out debilitating Guinea worm parasite hits 10 year delay; News: Two-thirds of researchers report ‘pressure to cite’ in Nature poll
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, the formation of mountains; we understand all these phenomena in terms of plate tectonics (large-scale movements of the Earth’s crust). But when a German geologist first suggested that continents move, in the 1910s, people dismissed it as a wild idea. In this podcast, we hear how a ‘wild idea’ became the unifying theory of Earth sciences. In the 1960s, data showed that the sea floor was spreading, pushing continents apart. Fred Vine recalls the reaction when he published these findings in Nature.
This episode was first broadcast in September 2013.
From the archive
Magnetic Anomalies Over Oceanic Ridges, by Vine & Matthews
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This week, diamond-containing rocks may help uncover secrets of the Earth’s mantle, and a reflection on science since the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was published.
In this episode:
00:46 Earth’s Evolution
Explosive eruptions have allowed researchers to study Earth’s mysterious mantle.
Research Article: Woodhead et al.; News and Views: Enigmatic origin of diamond-bearing rocks revealed
06:08 Research Highlights
Supersonic cork popping, and the timing of vaccines.
Research Highlight: An uncorked champagne bottle imitates a fighter jet; Research Highlight: Why midday might be a golden hour for vaccinations
07:53 Don’t Panic
40 years since the publication of the ‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ we reflect on how far science has come.
15:22 News Chat
A huge telescope with exquisite sensitivity is opening in China, and gene-editing to save bananas. News: Gigantic Chinese telescope opens to astronomers worldwide; News: CRISPR might be the banana’s only hope against a deadly fungus
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In this episode:
00:44 A global media collaboration
This week, Nature is taking part in the Covering Climate Now project. What is it, and why has Nature joined? Editorial: Act now and avert a climate crisis
05:49 ‘Climate change’ vs ‘climate emergency’
In early 2019, The Guardian changed the wording they use when covering climate stories. Our panel discusses the importance of phrasing, and how it evolves. The Guardian: Why the Guardian is changing the language it uses about the environment
13:40 Choosing climate images
What makes a good image for a climate change story? What do they add to a written news story?
This episode of the Backchat is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 media outlets to highlight the issue of climate change.
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This week, absurd advice from XKCD’s Randall Munroe, and a conversation with climate lawyer turned activist Farhana Yamin.
In this episode:
00:46 How to do things (badly)
Cartoonist Randall Munroe tell us about his new book: How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems.
08:21 Research Highlights
How insemination makes honeybee queens lose their way, and ‘toe maps’ in the brain. Research Highlight: Sex clouds queen bees’ vision;Research Highlight: ‘Toe maps’ in the brain guide painters born without hands
10:31 From climate lawyer to climate activist
After three decades of climate advocacy, renowned IPCC lawyer Farhana Yamin decided to join Extinction Rebellion – she tells us why. Comment: Why I broke the law for climate change
17:48 News Chat
How nations are progressing towards limiting greenhouse-gas emissions, and climate cash flow. News Feature: The hard truths of climate change — by the numbers; News Feature: Where climate cash is flowing and why it’s not enough
This episode of the Nature Podcast is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 media outlets to highlight the issue of climate change.
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This week, modelling embryonic development, and an analysis of male dominated conferences.
In this episode:
00:44 Imitating implantation
Researchers have created a system that uses stem cells to model the early stages of pregnancy.
Research article: Zheng et al.; News and Views: Human embryo implantation modelled in microfluidic channels
08:03 Research Highlights
Traces of baby turtle tracks, and Titan’s explosive past.
Research Highlight: A baby sea turtle’s ancient trek is captured in a fossil; Research Highlight: Giant explosions sculpted a moon’s peculiar scenery
09:36 ‘Manferences’
Nature investigates the prevalence of conferences where most of the speakers are male.
News Feature: How to banish manels and manferences from scientific meetings
15:41 News Chat
An update on India’s latest moon mission, drugs that may reverse biological age, and this year’s Breakthrough Prize winners.
News: India loses contact with its Moon lander minutes before touchdown; News: First hint that body’s ‘biological age’ can be reversed; News: First-ever picture of a black hole scoops US$3-million prize
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This week, Salmonella spreading antibiotic resistance, and the drivers of urban heat islands.
In this episode:
00:46 Antibiotic resistance reservoirs
Researchers have identified how Salmonella ‘persister’ cells can spread antibiotic resistance genes in mice intestines.
Research article: Bakkeren et al.
08:12 Research Highlights
Bright barn owls stun prey, and the evolution of dog brains.
Research Highlight: Zip-lining owls reveal what really scares their prey; Research Highlight: A dog’s breed is a window onto its brain
10:13 Urban heating
Cities are generally hotter than their surroundings, but what are the causes of these ‘heat islands’?
Research Article: Manoli et al.
16:54 News Chat
A cryptic Russian radiation spike, and India’s moon mission gets closer to touchdown.
News: How nuclear scientists are decoding Russia’s mystery explosion; News: ‘The most terrifying moments’: India counts down to risky Moon landing
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
They’re found in home-testing kits for pregnancy, hospital tests for MRSA, and in six out of ten of the best-selling drugs today. But monoclonal antibodies have kept a surprisingly low profile since their debut in a Nature paper in 1975. This podcast follows them from that time through patent wars, promising drug trials and finally to blockbuster status today.
This episode was first broadcast in August 2013.
From the archive:
Continuous cultures of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity, by Köhler & Milstein
Margaret Thatcher speech clips courtesy of the Margaret Thatcher Foundation.
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This week, a computer chip based on carbon nanotubes, and the potential pitfalls of sequencing ancient-human remains.
In this episode:
00:45 A nanotube microprocessor
Scientists are looking beyond silicon, by constructing a computer chip using carbon nanotubes.
Research article: Shulaker et al. News and Views: Nanotube computer scaled up
08:38 Research Highlights
Weighing neutrinos, and discovering a hidden Zika epidemic.
Research Highlight: Lightest neutrino is at least 6 million times lighter than an electron; Research Highlight: Cuba’s untold Zika outbreak uncovered
10:29 Using ancient-human remains conscientiously
While genetic sequencing of ancient-human remains is providing more information than ever, these remains must be safeguarded, warn researchers. Comment Article: Use ancient remains more wisely
17:21 News Chat
The discovery of a 3.8-million-year-old hominin skull, and using CRISPR to make ‘smart’ materials.
News: Rare 3.8-million-year-old skull recasts origins of iconic ‘Lucy’ fossil News: CRISPR cuts turn gels into biological watchdogs
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This week, the resilience of internet hate groups, and searching for early life.
In this episode:
00:46 Tackling internet hate
Researchers have been modelling how hate groups interact online, and have come up with suggestions to combat this activity.
Research article: Johnson et al.; News and Views: Strategies for combating online hate
08:55 Research Highlights
Gallstone growth, and the reproductive strategies of hitchhiking stick insects.
Research Highlight: The ‘net’ that leads to excruciating stones in the belly; Research Highlight: The insect that lost its homeland — and its sex life
11:23 Hunting for early life
Finding fossil evidence of Earth’s earliest life is fraught with difficulty.
Research Article: Javaux
18:43 News Chat
Chemists create a ring made only of carbon atoms, and inoculating newborns with their mothers’ microbes.
News: Chemists make first-ever ring of pure carbon; News: Do C-section babies need mum’s microbes? Trials tackle controversial idea
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This week, spilling nuclear secrets, and a mysterious period in the Universe’s history.
In this episode:
00:46 "The most dangerous spy in history"
We hear the story of Klaus Fuchs, who gave away the details of building an atomic bomb.
Books and Arts: The scientist-spy who spilt secrets of the bomb
08:00 Research Highlights
Environmental impacts of electric scooters, and the Goliath frog engineers.
Research Highlight: Trendy e-scooters might not be as green as they seem; Research Highlight: Enormous frogs heave rocks to build tadpole ‘nests’
10:33 Signals from the ancient Universe
Researchers hope that radio signals from ancient hydrogen will further their understanding of galaxy formation
News Feature: The quest to unlock the secrets of the baby Universe
18:17 News Chat
Changes to the US Endangered Species Act, and what a microbe might tell us about the evolution of complex life.
News: Trump administration weakens Endangered Species Act; News: Scientists glimpse oddball microbe that could help explain rise of complex life
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This week, a mindset to improve school performance, and the complex story of how mercury accumulates in fish.
In this episode:
00:46 Growth Mindset
How a one hour course could improve academic achievement.
Research article: Yeager et al.
11:47 Research Highlights
An extinct giant parrot, and hacking Manhattan’s traffic.
Research Highlight: Polly wants many crackers: fossils reveal first known giant parrot; Research Article: Vivek et al.
13:42 Toxic Tuna
Methylmercury levels in fish may increase due to climate change and overfishing, despite declines in emissions.
Research Article: Schartup et al.
19:15 News Chat
India’s proposed protections for fossils, and trust of scientists in the United States.
News: India’s geologists champion law to protect fossil treasures; News: US trust in scientists is now on par with the military
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This week, whether the placenta is lacking microbes, and new hardware for artificial intelligence.
In this episode:
00:43 Microbe-free placentas?
New research suggests that the placenta is sterile.
Research article: de Goffau et al.; News and Views: No bacteria found in healthy placentas
07:12 Research Highlights
Antacids and allergies, and the source of unexplained radioactivity.
Research Article: Jordakieva et al.; Research Article: Masson et al.
09:13 AI hardware
Making technology for AI can be challenging, so scientists try a new solution.
Research Article: Pei et al.
15:54 News Chat
A worrying spike in HIV drug resistance, and approval of research into human-animal hybrids.
News: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered; News: Japan approves first human-animal embryo experiments
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This episode was first broadcast in July 2013.
This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
During the Second World War, scientists worked on secret projects such as the development of radar. Their efforts were hinted at in the pages of Nature but the details, of course, couldn't be published. In this episode, historian Jon Agar explains how war work gave physicists a new outlook and led to new branches of science. We also hear from the late John Westcott, whose wartime job was to design radar systems.
From the archive
Nature Volume 150 Issue 3794, 18 July 1942
Sound effects courtesy of daveincamas, piet.candeel@pandora.be, guitarguy1985 and acclivity at freesound.org
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This week, how the climate has changed throughout history, and why enforcing vaccination should be done with care.
In this episode:
00:39 Climate through time
Researchers have modelled how climate has changed throughout the past 2000 years.
Research article: Neukom et al.; Research article:Neukom et al.; News and Views: The aberrant global synchrony of present-day warming
06:45 Research Highlights
Making a self-propelling liquid, and the benefit of laugh tracks.
Research Highlight: How to make water flow uphill; Research Highlight: To make lame jokes funnier, cue the laugh track
08:35 Make vaccines mandatory?
Scientists have warned that enforcing vaccinations could backfire, so should be done carefully.
Comment: Mandate vaccination with care
14:15 News Chat
The UK’s new prime-minister, and the launch of an Indian moon mission.
News: What Boris Johnson’s leadership could mean for science; News:India launches ambitious second Moon mission
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In this episode:
01:01 Breaking News
The first image of a black hole took the world by storm, but what was it like reporting such a quickly developing story?
News: Black hole pictured for first time — in spectacular detail; Video: The first image of a black hole: A three minute guide; Video: How scientists reacted to the first-ever image of a black hole
09:01 Digital Journalism
When a new research paper came to light about pig brains being revived, we asked our audience what they wanted to know, and got a big response. Could this be the future of journalism?
News: Pig brains kept alive outside body for hours after death; News Explainer: Disembodied pig brains revived: Your questions answered
15:09 The Future of gene editing
With yet more stories emerging of the editing of human embryos, we discuss the ethical implications and what should happen next?
News Feature: CRISPR babies: when will the world be ready?; News: Russian biologist plans more CRISPR-edited babies
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This week, a new advance in silicon based quantum computing and experiences of how to recover when disaster strikes.
In this episode:
00:45 Quantum logic
A fast and accurate two-qubit logic gate has been designed in silicon.
Research article: Simmons et al.
07:52 Research Highlights
Teaching a computer to solve a Rubik’s cube and immigration in Chichén Itzá.
Research Highlight: AI solves the Rubik’s cube; Research Highlight: Death as a human sacrifice awaited some travellers to a Mayan city
10:43 Coping with calamity
Researchers share how they are recovering from catastrophe.
Career Feature: Explosions, floods and hurricanes: dealing with a lab disaster; News Feature: The battle to rebuild centuries of science after an epic inferno
19:04 News Chat
A campaign to open up the world’s research, and dinosaur egg-laying clubs.
News: The plan to mine the world’s research papers; News: Ancient Mongolian nests show that dinosaurs protected their eggs
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This week, an extended chat about all things lunar with Alex Witze.
Instead of a regular edition of the Nature Podcast, this week we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of humans walking on the Moon. Nick Howe catches up with planetary science reporter, Alex Witze. They discuss the latest US plans to land people on the moon by 2024, the history of the Apollo missions, and what’s next for the lunar exploration.
News: Can NASA really return people to the Moon by 2024?
Books and Arts: Propulsive reading: books on the Moon
News Feature: These young scientists will shape the next 50 years of Moon research
Video: Three generations of space experts react to the Moon landings
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This week, using an algorithm to find properties in materials science, and the global consequences of sand-mining.
In this episode:
00:47 Predicting properties
A word-association algorithm is reading millions of abstracts to discover new properties of materials.
Research article: Tshitoyan et al.; News and Views: Text mining facilitates materials discovery
08:28 Research Highlights
Tiny robot-jellyfish, and genome mutation hot-spots.
Research Article:Multi-functional soft-bodied jellyfish-like swimming; Research Highlight:How DNA ‘hotspots’ snarl the search for cancer genes
10:48 Sand under strain
Researchers warn that the mining of sand is unsustainable.
Comment:Time is running out for sand
15:44 News Chat
The results of a bullying survey, and the spread of microbial disease through opioid use.
News: Germany’s prestigious Max Planck Society conducts huge bullying survey; News: The US opioid epidemic is driving a spike in infectious diseases
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
According to the fables of early explorers, the gorilla was a terrible, man-eating monster. It was also thought to be man’s closest relative in the animal kingdom. Naturally, scientists and the public alike wanted to see these fierce beasts for themselves. But in the mid-nineteenth century, as the evolution debate heated up, getting a live gorilla to Europe from Africa was extremely difficult. In 1876, the pages of Nature report the arrival in England of a young specimen.
This episode was first broadcast in June 2013.
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This week, how going barefoot affects what your feet can feel, and uncovering history with ancient proteins.
In this episode:
00:44 A sole sensation
A study of people who do and don't wear shoes looks into whether calluses make feet less sensitive. Research article: Holowka et al.; News and Views: Your sensitive sole
08:50 Research Highlights
Magma moving quickly, and twice-transforming 4D materials. Research Highlight: Volcano’s magma hit top speed; Research Article: Wang et al.
11:09 Dating fossils with proteins
Archaeologists turn to proteins to answer questions DNA cannot. News Feature: Move over, DNA: ancient proteins are starting to reveal humanity’s history
19:38 News Chat
A special report from the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the ongoing Ebola crisis. News: The doctor who beat Ebola — and inspires other survivors to care for the sick; News: Meet the Ebola workers battling a virus in a war zone; News: World Health Organization resists declaring Ebola emergency — for third time
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This week, what makes birds invasive, and a robotic fish powered by a blood-like battery.
In this episode:
00:44 How do alien bird species establish themselves?
Researchers have been looking at how bird species settle in non-native locations. Research article: Redding et al.
08:22 Research Highlights
Crafting the perfect crêpe, and anti-fungal wasp eggs. Research Highlight: Physicists tackle a delicate challenge: making the ideal crêpe; Research article: Strohm et al.
10:09 Robot blood
Multipurpose battery fluid both moves and powers a robot fish. Research article: Aubin et al.; News: Robo-fish powered by battery ‘blood’
16:30 News Chat
Researchers reviewing misconduct investigations, and redefining pressure. News: What universities can learn from one of science’s biggest frauds
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This week, a record-breaking magnetic field, and aerosols’ potential effects on the atmosphere.
In this episode:
00:45 Making massive magnets
Researchers have created the world’s strongest direct current magnetic field.
Research article: S. Hahn et al.
08:38 Research Highlights
Macaques’ musicality and human consumption of microplastics.
Research Article: Divergence in the functional organization of human and macaque auditory cortex revealed by fMRI responses to harmonic tones;
Research Highlight: What a bottled-water habit means for intake of ‘microplastics’
10:55 Aerosols’ impacts on the climate
There’s a still a lot to learn about how aerosols affect the climate.
Comment: Soot, sulfate, dust and the climate — three ways through the fog
17:03 News Chat
The launch of an X-ray space telescope, and a Russian researcher’s plans to CRISPR-edit human embryos. News:Space telescope to chart first map of the Universe in high-energy X-rays; News: Russian biologist plans more CRISPR-edited babies
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This week, how gut microbes might be affecting drugs, and a new theory on the beginning of plate tectonics.
In this episode:
00:45 Microbes metabolising drugs
Researchers are investigating whether the gut microbiota can alter the activity of medicinal drugs.
Research article: Zimmermann et al.
06:40 Research Highlights
Elephants counting with smell, and audio activity monitoring.
Research Highlight: Elephants have a nose for portion size
Research Highlight: Deep learning monitors human activity based on sound alone
08:57 The origin of plate tectonics?
A new theory suggests that sediment may have lubricated the Earth’s tectonic plates, allowing them to move.
Research article: Sobolev and Brown
News and Views: Earth’s evolution explored
14:14 News Chat
Scientists protest in Hungary, and a trial of a new post-review process to test reproducibility.
News: Hungarians protest against proposed government takeover of science
News: Reproducibility trial publishes two conclusions for one paper
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
The discovery of the ozone hole in the mid-1980s was a shock. Scientists suspected that man-made gases called CFCs were damaging the ozone layer, but they didn’t expect to see such a dramatic decline. Nor did they expect the discovery to be made by a small group of British scientists in Antarctica. In this podcast, we hear from the ‘little voice’ in the background whose persistence led to the reporting of the reduced ozone in Nature in May 1985. But how did it become known as the ‘ozone hole’? And what lessons are there for climate change scientists today?
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This week, looking back at cold fusion, a ranking of gender balance in universities, and measuring the impact of wildfires.
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This week, how climate change has affected plankton, the future of European science, and evidence of an ancient fungus.
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This week, rewriting the script of life, and a trip to the far side of the Moon.
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This week, body mass increases around the world, and river connections in decline.
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This week, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and translating brain patterns into speech.
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science.
Over 60 years ago, James Watson and Francis Crick published their famous paper proposing a structure for DNA. Everyone knows that story – but fewer people know that there were actually three papers about DNA in that issue of Nature. In this podcast, first broadcast in April 2013, we uncover the evidence that brought Watson and Crick to their conclusion, discuss how the papers were received at the time, and hear from one scientist who was actually there: co-author of one of the DNA papers, the late Raymond Gosling.
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This week we’ve got an extended News Chat between presenter Benjamin Thompson and Nature's European Bureau Chief Nisha Gaind. They discuss a new way to identify tiny earthquakes, new insights into the heritability of height, and how political tensions between the US and China are affecting scientists and research.
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This week, restoring function in dead pig brains, spring science books, and the structure of lightning.
If you have any questions about the partly-revived brains study, then the reporters at Nature are keen to answer them. You can submit them at the bottom of the article, here: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01216-4
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This week, researchers released the first image of a black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy. In this special News Chat, Nature reporter Davide Castelvecchi, who was at a press conference in Brussels where the image was announced, tells Benjamin Thompson about the image and what scientists are saying about it.
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This week, a new mouse model for heart failure and characterising energy fluctuations in empty space.
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This week, why MDMA could make social interactions more rewarding, and how your skin keeps itself youthful.
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In this month’s roundtable, our reporters discuss calls to pause heritable genome-editing research, and how science journalism has changed in the past 20 years.
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This week, how humans are affecting Kilimanjaro's ecosystems, differences in pain based on biological sex, and refrigerating with crystals.
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This week, a plan to spray antibiotics onto orange trees, and is it time to retire statistical significance?
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This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our Pastcast series, bringing to life key moments in the history of science.
As the First World War draws to an end, astronomer Arthur Eddington sets out on a challenging mission: to prove Einstein’s new theory of general relativity by measuring a total eclipse. The experiment became a defining example of how science should be done.
This episode was first broadcast in March 2014.
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Instead of a regular edition of the Nature Podcast, this week we’ve got an extended News Chat between Benjamin Thompson and Amy Maxmen. They discuss the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC, an injectable treatment for HIV, and how the proposed US 2020 budget could affect science.
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This week, wetlands' ability to store carbon, mobile health, and the story of Mileva Marić.
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This week, the parenting strategies of a tropical cuckoo, increasing the number of topological materials, and growing cannabinoids in yeast.
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This week, mapping every cell in a mouse embryo and the benefits of cataloguing all the viruses on Earth.
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This week, the links between atherosclerosis and sleep-deprivation, and how team size affects research outputs.
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This week, virtual drug discovery, and a new addition to the CRISPR toolkit.
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This week, the female chemists who helped build the periodic table, and harnessing the extra energy in Wi-Fi signals.
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This week, the effects of recessions on public health, and simulating supermassive black holes.
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This week, investigating introns’ roles, and reanimating a fossil.
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Nick Sireau’s sons have a rare genetic disease called alkaptonuria, which can lead to body tissues becoming brittle, causing life long health issues.
In this Podcast Extra, Geoff Marsh speaks to Nick and to the physician Dr Lakshminarayan Ranganath about their search for a treatment for alkaptonuria.
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This week, detecting intergalactic radio bursts, and seeing what’s in store for science in 2019.
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In this special round-up episode of the Nature Podcast, a few of our regular reporters choose their favourite podcast piece of 2018, and explain why they enjoyed making it.
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The Nature Podcast’s 2018 end of year special, including songs, books, our annual quiz, and more!
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New research suggests that a key protein involved in the neurodegenerative disease can be transferred between brains.
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This week, ‘performing’ experiments, and making mirrored molecules.
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This week, improving heart xenotransplants, and soil bacteria versus phages.
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This week, measuring gravity’s strength with clocks, and worries over wind farms’ wakes.
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This week, a solid-state plane engine with no moving parts, and ‘mosaicism’ in brain cells.
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This week, evidence of a nearby exoplanet, and clinical trials in a social media world.
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This week, building a cell from the bottom up, and a Breakthough Prize winner
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This week, the role that mood forecasting technology may play in suicide prevention, and a 'crisis' in dark matter research.
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This week, how science can help Canadian cannabis growers and a potted history of the Sun.
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This week, what life is like when you've just won a Nobel prize, and how a vestigial organ helps ants get organised.
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This week, targeting latent HIV, the breeding behaviour of bold birds, and an update on a near-Earth asteroid mission.
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This week, an ultra-thin, wearable biosensor and a multi-shape, mechanical metamaterial.
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This week, the ethics of sucking carbon-dioxide out of the atmosphere and bee swarms under strain.
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This week, the oldest drawing ever found, and the hidden energy costs of data.
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This week, keeping an eye on space junk, and how a physicist changed our understanding of life.
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This week, an early mammal relative’s babies, and new attempts to pin down the strength of gravity.
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In this month’s roundtable, audio vs print reporting, returning to Brexit, and finding out about our audience.
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This week, colony size and labour division in ants, and simulating a quantum system on a quantum computer.
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This week, more worries for bees, modelling the opioid crisis, and rough weather for seas.
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This week, shaping the gut microbiota, geoengineering’s effect on farming, and the genetics of fox aggression.
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This week, how a bird sees colour, potential problems with terraforming Mars, and linking extreme weather to our changing climate.
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This week, automata through the ages, problems with pet DNA tests, and a conservation conundrum.
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This week, tougher DNA nanostructures, climate-altering permafrost microbes, and using a robot to discover chemical reactions.
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This week, rats and coral reefs, charting successful careers streaks, and Cape Town’s water crisis.
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This week, investigating the koala genome, the issues facing LGBTQ+ researchers, and a DNA-based neural network.
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In this month’s roundtable, we discuss lab health, email briefings, and how science stories can affect the stock market.
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This week, the relationship between air pollution and infant death in Africa, stressed brains, and diagnosing sick plants from afar.
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This week, pancreatic cancer-related weight loss, tiny silica cages, and bias in Artificial Intelligence algorithms.
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This week, the mysterious death of African baobab trees, Antarctica’s past, present, and future, and how zebrafish protect their stem cells.
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This week, making enzymes work better in the cold, short-term memory production in mice, and magnetic detection in animals.
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This week, boosting diversity in physics graduate programs, and life’s recovery after a massive asteroid impact.
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This week, estimating the economic cost of climate change, a new solution to the Minimum Fleet Problem, and the flourishing field of muography.
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This week, peering inside the proton, identifying the pitfalls of research misconduct, and identifying what bacterial genes of unknown function actually do.
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This week, artificial intelligence recreates our sense of place, liquid crystals deliver cargo, and experiencing depression in academia.
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This week, constructing early embryos, how mice react to danger, and what an ancient butchered rhino is telling us about hominin migration.
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This week, the ethical questions raised by model minds, and an updated view on an enzyme that keeps chromosomes protected.
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In this month’s roundtable, we discuss celebrity scientists, sexual harassment in research, and the science behind a social media scandal.
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This week, tiny sea creatures with potentially big effects, the science of a supernova, and a roundup of spring books.
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This week, looking for glitchy signals from neutron stars, and using remote sensing in research.
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This week, dissecting human influence on the Mississippi's floods, and getting 'dirty' mice into the lab.
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This week, testing a neural network's chemistry skills, and what the physics of droplets is teaching us about the biology of cells.
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This week, glucose metabolism in Mexican cavefish, the effect of non-antibiotic drugs on gut microbes, and a wearable brain scanner.
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This week, geoengineering glaciers to prevent sea level rise, and using diamonds to improve NMR’s resolution.
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This week, graphene’s latest superpower, and a retrospective of a sci-fi classic.
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This week, the landscape of childhood cancers, physicists find a fingerprint from the early Universe, and brain waves cause a splash.
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Our reporters discuss the role of serendipity in science, how to cover the iterative nature of research, and what the quantum internet might become.
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This week, a teenage special: defining adolescence; high school researchers; and the science of teen risk taking.
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This week, refocusing ageing research, a transportable optical clock, and researching during pregnancy.
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This week, crayfish clones in Madagascar, the social smarts of magpies, and building tougher wood.
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This week, reframing humans' arrival in India, and the many hazards facing coral reefs.
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This week, a mini all-terrain robot, 3D painting with light, and a new maze for rats.
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This week, pinning down the climate's carbon dioxide sensitivity, and the battle over babies' first bacteria.
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This week, tabletop physics, what a memory looks like, and conflict's toll on wildlife.
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Backchat’s back, with discussions of Donald Trump, papers with zero citations, and the perils of writing about physics.
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This week, our end of year special, featuring Earth science AI, a news story quiz, and science fiction in the modern era.
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This week, electric eel inspired batteries, virus inspired protein shells, and modelling magma viscosity.
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This week, exoplanet geology and a dual-terrain, duck-like dinosaur.
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This week, reading unnatural DNA, and young worm mothers explain a wriggly riddle.
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This week, lightning gamma rays, the Internet that wasn’t, and the science of sleep deprivation.
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This week, a bacterial communication system, and ancient houses illuminate inequality.
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This week, a potential stem cell treatment for a genetic skin condition, and the disappearing axolotl.
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This week, squishy sea creatures, evolving verbs, and Earth's microbiome.
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This week, undead cells, the strain of PhDs, and the traces of Antarctic instability.
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This week, neutron stars that are making waves in the physics world, and taking a look at the past to understand the future of work.
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This week, a dwarf planet with a ring, 40 years of Sanger DNA sequencing, and the grieving families contributing to a huge genetics projects.
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To celebrate our 500th episode, the Nature Podcast asked 8 presenters – past and present – to recommend their favourite contributions to the show.
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This week, floating cities, malaria-free mosquitos, and using evolution to inspire aircraft design.
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This week, Sherlock Holmes the scientist; and investigating the nanotubes between cells.
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This week, writing quantum software, and predicting the loss of Asia's glaciers.
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Protecting red haired people from cancer, machine learning and gravitational distortions, and peeking inside predatory journals.
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The creeping danger of slow landslides, and what worms can teach us about the wriggly problem of reproducibility.
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This week, preventing genetic diseases in China, a red supergiant star's mystery, and the algal boom.
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This week, ancient mammal relatives, complex brain maps, and a 19th century solar eclipse.
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This week, a brain-inspired computer, the brain's control of ageing, and Al Gore the climate communicator.
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This week, getting a handle on topology, and working out why the fastest animals are medium sized.
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This week, a new kind of quantum bit, the single-cell revolution, and exploring Antarctica’s past to understand sea level rise.
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To combat global warming, the world needs to change where it gets its energy from. Three energy experts discuss the challenges of transitioning to low carbon energy, and what advances are needed to make the journey possible. This is the final episode in the Grand Challenges podcast series.
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Sometimes people can become trapped in the grey zone between conscious and unconscious states. Kerri Smith talks to neuroscientist Adrian Owen about communicating with patients in vegetative states.
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This week, treating infection without antibiotics, wireless charging, and making sense of music.
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This week, early Homo sapiens in Morocco, mathematicians trying to stop gerrymandering, and going beyond the standard model.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from May, 'Life, hacked' by Krystal Claxton.
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This month the team are chatting scientific data, scientific papers and... religion.
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This week, E. coli with colour vision, tracing the Zika virus outbreak, and a roadmap for medical microbots.
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This week, wonky vehicle emissions tests, error-prone bots help humans, and animals that lack a microbiome.
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This week, fake antibodies scupper research, the diversity of cells in a tumour, and what happened before tectonic plates? SURVEY: https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/RmZVDI
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This week, the secret life of the thalamus, how to talks about antibiotic resistance, and dangerous research. Survey link: https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/RmZVDI
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Ageing is inevitable, but that doesn't mean we're ready for it - as individuals, or as a society. A geneticist, a psychiatrist and an economist pick apart our knowledge of the ageing process and the major challenges to be solved so we can live healthily and well.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from March, 'Cold comforts' by Graham Robert Scott.
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Science fans everywhere will take to the streets this weekend in the March for Science. Plus, biases in artificial intelligence and how scientific papers are getting harder to read.
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This week, politician scientists, human genetic ‘knockouts’ and East Antarctica’s instability.
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This week, easing the pressure on fisheries, protein structure surprises, and your reading list for 2017 so far.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from March, 'Green boughs will cover thee' by Sarah L Byrne.
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As the First World War draws to an end, astronomer Arthur Eddington sets out on a challenging mission: to prove Einstein’s new theory of general relativity by measuring a total eclipse. The experiment became a defining example of how science should be done.
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This week, the earliest known life, Neanderthal self-medication, and data storage in a single atom.
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This week, a migration special: a researcher seeks refuge; smart borders; and climate migration.
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AI generated images, reporting with reluctant sources and space missions with out an end game.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell and Richard Hodson read you their favourite from February, 'Fermi's zookeepers' by David Gullen.
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This week, highlights from AAAS, the new epigenetics, and a new way to conduct biomedical research
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This week, Winston Churchill’s thoughts on alien life, how cells build walls, and paradoxical materials.
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Paleontologist Raymond Dart had newly arrived in South Africa when he came across a fossil that would change his life and his science. It was the face, jaw and brain cast of an extinct primate – not quite ape and not quite human. The paleontology community shunned the find, and proving that the creature was a human relative took decades. [Originally aired 26/02/2014]
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This week, free-floating DNA in cancers, an ancient relative of molluscs and can the Arctic’s ice be regrown?
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Bird beaks show how evolution shifts gear, getting to Proxima b, and have physicists made metallic hydrogen?
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you their favourite from January, 'The last robot' by S. L. Huang.
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Moonshots, frameworks, catapults – how best to name your science project? Plus, the implications for science of Trump’s first days in office, and the perils of trying to reproduce others’ work.
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This week, outer space law, predictive policing and enhancing the wisdom of the crowds.
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This week, communication between viruses, reproducing cancer studies, and explaining ‘fairy circles’.
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Physics in the late nineteenth century was increasingly concerned with things that couldn't be seen. From these invisible realms shot x-rays, discovered by accident by the German scientist William Röntgen.
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This week, ridding New Zealand of rats, making choices in the grocery store, and what to expect in 2017.
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It’s our bumper end-of-year show, with a 2016 round-up, holiday reading picks, science carols, word games and more.
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This week, a spray that boosts plant growth and resilience, 3-million-year old hominin footprints, and the seahorse genome.
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In the early twentieth century physicists had become deeply entangled in the implications of the quantum theory. Was the world at its smallest scales continuous, or built of discrete units? It all began with Max Planck. His Nobel Prize was the subject of a Nature news article in 1920. Originally aired 19/12/2013.
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This week, the benefits of randomness, correcting brain waves soothes Alzheimer’s, and the DNA of liberated slaves.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Adam Levy reads you his favourite from November, ’Melissa' by Troy Stieglitz.
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This week, CRISPR’s rival stumbles, Pluto’s icy heart, and is mitochondrial replacement ready for the clinic?
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Tracking whale shark DNA in seawater, the human computers behind early astronomy, building materials with a microscope, and a new synchrotron starts up in the Middle East.
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Donald Trump’s impact on research and climate action, and how Nature should discuss politics.
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This week, your brain on cannabis, testing CRISPR in a human, and what it might be like to live on Mars.
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The first issue of Nature looked very different from today's magazine. It opened with poetry and was written for a general audience. We hear how Nature began, and how it became the iconic science journal it is today.
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This week, CERN for the brain, modelling the effects of a climate tax on food, a brain-spine interface helps paralysed monkeys walk, and what Trump's win might mean for science.
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This week, the earliest humans to roam Australia, Werner Herzog’s new film about volcanoes, and are astronomers turning a blind eye to competing theories?
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from October, ’The sixth circle' by J. W. Armstrong.
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This week, the challenges facing young scientists, pseudo-pseudo genes, and the history of HIV in the US.
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Europe’s Mars probe loses touch, UK government proposes research funding shake-up, and science’s most bothersome buzzwords.
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This week, making egg cells in a dish, super-bright flares in nearby galaxies, trying to predict the election, and the scientists voting for Trump.
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In the early 1990s, a team of astrophysicists saw signs of life on a planet in our galaxy. Astronomy experts tell the story, and discuss how we can tell if there is life beyond the Earth. Originally aired 16/10/2013.
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This week, refugee mental health, better neural nets, and changing attitudes to female genital cutting.
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Science gets glitzy in October each year as the Nobel Prizes are awarded. Find out who took home the prizes for Medicine or Physiology, Physics and Chemistry.
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This week, a limit to lifespan, AI's black box problem, and ageing stem cells.
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The challenges of getting into science, getting a decent salary once you’re in, and getting funding through philanthropy.
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This week, the chemistry of life’s origins, two million years of temperatures, and studying the heaviest elements.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Miranda Keeling reads you our favourite from September, ’Try Catch Throw’ by Andrew Neil Gray.
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This week, a sea of viruses, defining social class, the human journey out of Africa and human remains found on Antikythera shipwreck.
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When a German geologist first suggested that continents move, people dismissed it as a wild idea. In this podcast, we hear how a 'wild idea' became plate tectonics, the unifying theory of earth sciences.
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This week, the ideal office environment, synthesising speech, and embryo epigenetics.
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This week, solving ethical dilemmas Star Trek style, farming festivals boost yield, and three scientists on their sci-fi inspirations.
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This week, famous hominin Lucy may have died when she fell from a tree, and an antibody-based drug shows promise in Alzheimer’s
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Kerri Smith reads you her favourite from August, 'Interdimensional trade benefits' by Brian Trent.
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A nearby Earth-like planet, preprint servers proliferate, and the scientific legacy that Obama leaves behind.
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This week, an Earth-like planet on our doorstep, dietary restriction combats ageing syndrome, and drugs for neglected diseases.
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Six out of ten of the world's best-selling drugs are based on molecules called monoclonal antibodies. But their high impact comes with a low profile. This is a story of how basic science quietly became blockbuster medicine. Originally aired 14/08/13.
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This week, how fins became limbs, a giant gene database cracks clinical cases, and making better opioids.
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This week, the migration route of the first Americans, the bandwidth crisis, clever conductors, and the next CRISPR.
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This week, parenting tips from science, quenching a question about thirst, and a programmable quantum computer.
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Scientists were put to good use during the Second World War. John Westcott's secret project was to design radars. His work not only helped the war effort – it also led to new branches of science. Originally aired 19/07/2013.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Adam Levy reads you his favourite from July, 'Revision theory' by Blaize M. Kaye.
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This week, how we time our breathing, working with indigenous peoples, and using yeast genetics to build better beer.
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What’s it like having an endless supply of Brexit stories? Why do space missions always get so much attention? And why are rhinos being airlifted to Australia?
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This week, the perils of tech in health, tumour fighting bacteria, and the science of what sounds good.
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This week, a special issue on conflict. The psychological toll of war, how to count the dead, and predicting conflict in the 21st century.
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This week, nature and landscape, the Hitomi satellite’s swan song, and reforming peer review.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. The Nature Podcast team read you their favourite from June, ‘The Memory Ward’ by Wendy Nikel.
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This week, Dolly the sheep’s legacy, the trials of funding interdisciplinary research, and an ‘IPCC’ for social science.
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This week, transmissible cancer, organising the hadron menagerie, and the latest gravitational wave result and what physicists want to know next.
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What could Brexit mean for EU research and researchers? How should reporters cover the US elections when nobody says anything about science? Plus a dramatic and dangerous Antarctic rescue.
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This week, pimping proteins, adapting enzymes, and conserving coral reefs.
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In the late 1800s, Europe was gripped by 'gorilla fever'. Were these beasts man's closest relative in the animal kingdom? Getting a gorilla to Europe was a rare event, and in 1876 Nature heralds the arrival of a young specimen.
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This week, researcher rehab, the hobbit’s ancestry, and Google’s quantum plans.
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This week, the genetics behind a textbook case of evolution, Earth’s core conundrum, and Pluto’s polygonal surface.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from May, ‘Project Earth is leaving beta’ by J. W. Alden.
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This week, how clouds form, a Neanderthal construction project, and comparing the meerkats.
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This week, treasures from sunken cities, new antibiotics made from scratch, and experimenting with history.
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The endless quest to make fusion energy, virtual reality in the lab, and the biggest story of the month: a boat gets given a name.
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This week, the Zika virus and birth defects, colliding quasi-particles, and combatting sprawling networks of spam.
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Jonathan Shanklin was sifting through a backlog of data when he made the startling discovery of a hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. In this podcast, he and others recall events in the mid-1980s and discuss how the 'ozone hole' became the poster child for environmentalism. Originally aired 17/05/2013.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Adam Levy and Shamini Bundell read you their favourite from April, ‘Choices, in sequential order’ by Karlo Yeager Rodríguez.
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This week, the value of failed experiments, ketamine without side effects, and our brains’ energy demands.
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This week, a language map of the brain, listening for landslides a year after the Nepal quake, and the Soviet internet that never was.
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The fuss over editing human embryos dies down, the quantum expertise of Canada’s Prime Minister, and what it’s like to report for 24 hours straight.
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This week, the psychology of climate change, the 1.5 degree temperature target, and what to do when climate change ruins your research.
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This week, a computer game helps build a quantum computer, the brain’s built-in backup, and the history and science of hearing voices.
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Everyone knows that Watson and Crick published a seminal paper on the structure of DNA. But fewer know that two other papers on DNA were published in the same issue of Nature. Learn more in the first of a new podcast series: the Nature PastCast. Originally aired 18/04/2013.
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This week, apps that claim to treat mental health issues, ritual human sacrifice, and supernova debris on Earth.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from March, 'Adjenia’ by Natalia Theodoridou.
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This week, Antarctic-sized uncertainty, making gamers more polite, and a pocket gravity meter.
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This week, toggling brain activity with radio waves, how to build stuff that lasts, and making thrillseekers into care-takers.
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Misused statistics, the latest gossip on Google’s Go-playing AI, and watching mathematicians win prizes.
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This week, retrieving lost memories, nailing down China’s emissions, and is Alzheimer’s disease transmissible?
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This week, the frontiers of CRISPR, chewing raw goat for science, and using the eye’s own stem cells to fix it.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from February, ‘Duck, duck, duck' by Samantha Murray.
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This week, more fast radio bursts spotted, how do you know where you are when you’re not moving, and listening in on a whale banquet.
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A month of manipulation, as we look at a re-run of a famously manipulative psychology study, learn how to manipulate our own brains and minds, and nudge our societies towards better collective action.
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This week, a special episode about the future. How can we future-proof our world, or fight our natural bias against planning for the future? And what does the science of today mean for the health of tomorrow?
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This week, making shipping greener, AAAS conference highlights and human genes in a Neanderthal.
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Einstein's prediction was right: gravitational waves do exist. Scientists at the LIGO collaboration reported their discovery yesterday in Washington, DC. Reporters Adam Levy and Alexandra Witze take stock.
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This week, the end of Moore’s law, religion and cooperation, and shareholders’ duty to manage climate risks.
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This week, killing off old cells lengthens life, brain-tickling comedy, and new forests make good carbon sinks.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads ‘Beyond 550 astronomical units' by Mike Brotherton.
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The putative Planet X, gravitational wave rumours and how to report them, and The Selfish Gene 40 years on.
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This week, the computer that can play Go, a general ‘ageing’ factor, and the stolen library of John Dee.
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This week, a brain sensor that melts away after use, a 10,000 year old murder mystery, and what happens when chickens go wild.
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This week, our gut bugs’ love of fibre, squeezing quantum states, and studying boredom.
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This week, science predictions for 2016, the effect of extreme weather on crops, and a new phase of hydrogen for the new year.
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What can the world of Star Wars tell us about psychology? Travis Langley explains all in this Podcast Extra, using examples from his new book ‘Star Wars Psychology: Dark Side of the Mind’.
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This week, in our final show of 2015 – we’re wrapping up the highlights of the year, catching up on the climate meeting in Paris, looking forward to psyching out the characters in Star Wars, busting some scientific myths, and playing an evolution-themed board game.
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This week, the dwarf planet Ceres gets a close-up, using fetal tissue in science, and the wasting condition that worsens outcomes for cancer patients.
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This week, the origins of mysterious radio bursts, fixing the PhD system, and tracking down the universe’s missing matter.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Kerri Smith reads you her favourite from November, 'One slow step for man' by S R Algernon.
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Einstein’s theory of general relativity turns 100 years old. Will there ever be another theory like it, or another scientist like Einstein? Plus, we discuss International Years as news pegs.
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This week, super-high-res ultrasound, the amazing world of soils, and five classic books about sustainability.
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This week, a nursery for big baby planets, meddling with taste perception, China’s mega water transfer plan, and the 100th anniversary of general relativity.
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This week, storms on Twitter over sexism in science, porous liquids, and the long relationship between humans and bees.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from October, 'Staff meeting, as seen by the spam filter' by Alex Shvartsman.
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This week, spontaneously jumping droplets, growing an economy without trashing the environment, and dealing with an onslaught of data as all our gadgets become internet-enabled.
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This week, how cancers spread, the hallmarks of bipolar disorder in the brain, and making carbon dioxide useful.
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Astronomer quits over sexual harassment investigation, reporting on the abstract world of mathematics, and science in fashion.
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This week, a dying solar system just like ours, the effect of temperature on the economy, and electricity-eating bacteria.
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This week, ancient human teeth found in China, cooperating in climate negotiations, and a humble worm surprises scientists.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell and Geoff Marsh read you their favourite from September, Time Flies, by Carie Juettner.
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This week, an impenetrable mathematical proof, toggling REM sleep on and off, and the latest results from the Rosetta mission.
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This week, the future of digital currency; a new lead for antibiotics; and 25 years of cataloguing the human genome.
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This week, looking back at malaria interventions, using private data for research, and how to twist a travelling neutron.
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Promising results from the LHC, reproducing psychology studies, and unpicking interdisciplinarity.
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This week, camouflaging nanoparticles to deliver drugs, science meets theatre, and getting a global picture of air pollution.
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Steve Silberman's new book, Neurotribes, gives a detailed history of autism spectrum disorder. In this Podcast Extra, Geoff Marsh hears from Steve about how we, as a society, should embrace those who think differently.
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This week, thinking differently about autism, plankton poop in the clouds, and hack-proofing our data.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from August, The Shoulder of Orion, by Eric Garside
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This week, weather forecasting, rethinking the water cycle, and a special segment to celebrate the podcast’s 400th episode.
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In his new book, historian David Wootton takes us back to the scientific revolution around the turn of the 17th Century, and asks: was this really when modern science was born?
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This week, a new look at the scientific revolution, accelerating positrons on a plasma wave, and squashing the unsquashable.
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Japan’s nuclear restart, summer quiet descends in the newsroom, and our special guest Geoff Brumfiel compares science reporting at Nature and NPR.
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This week, China’s emissions are lower than we thought, lessons from Hurricane Katrina 10 years on, and inheriting genes… sideways.
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This week, making chemists’ lives easier, updating a centuries-old sunspot record, and anti-GM activists get their hands on scientists’ inboxes.
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This week, lessons to learn from the Ebola epidemic, the reproductive habits of ancient organisms, and how the nuclear bomb changed the stories we tell about scientists.
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This week, the ancient art of kirigami – paper cutting – applied to graphene. Plus, mini organs in dishes, and how mitochondria power our muscles.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Shamini Bundell reads you her favourite from July, Outpatient, by Dan Stout
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Pluto in pictures, ways to revamp science teaching, NASA’s underwater space-training mission, and listening for aliens.
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This week, eyedrops could replace surgery for cataracts, the twists and turns of RNA, and a strain of rice that could feed more people and ease climate change.
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This week, organic molecules in space, treating traumatic brain injury, and training schoolchildren to think like scientists.
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Is our universe beautiful? Do the fundamental laws that describe nature appeal to our aesthetic tastes? In this Podcast Extra, Frank Wilczek – theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate - discusses his latest book, which tackles this beautiful question.
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This week, the geologists on quake alert, stopping HIV in its tracks, and a volcano that wreaked havoc on the climate 1500 years ago.
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This week, lizards change sex in the heat, a complex eye in a single celled creature, and teaching robots to be ethical
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Geoff Marsh reads you his favourite from June, Heart worm, by J. J. Roth
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This week, Antarctica’s surprising biodiversity, trends in heatwaves and coldsnaps, and a new way to diagnose cancer early
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Three of Nature’s biggest paleontology fans sink their teeth into Jurassic World, which premiered this month. The team also discuss the importance of ‘dinomenclature’: why species names matter and how they are devised. Plus, DNA from an ancient human found in Washington State in the 1990s throws up questions of heritage.
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This week, positive memories help fight depression, plant intelligence and measuring the mass of exoplanets
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This week, the US military’s biology arm, a clutch of Bronze Age genomes, and protection from a deadly disease in a community in Papua New Guinea
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This week, how the immune system deals with the brain, the latest in gene editing, and the mystery of Greenland’s disappearing lakes.
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Robots that can recover from injury by themselves, naughty scientists faking or baking their data, and the weirdest places to look for much-needed new antibiotics.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Geoff Marsh reads you his favourite story from May, Tempus omnia revelat, by Tian Li.
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This week, the ethics of killer robots, laser weapons become a reality, and the subtleties of temperature.
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Are the sounds of the past lost forever? In the 1960s, an American engineer proposed that sound could be recorded into clay pots and paintings as they were created. This episode explores the science behind resurrecting the sounds of the past.
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The oldest stone tools yet found, making opiates from yeast and sugar, and the perks of sex… for beetles.
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This week, the latest result from the Large Hadron Collider, a memoir from neurologist and adventurer Oliver Sacks, and India’s scientific landscape.
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This week, brain-inspired computers, scientists soldiering on past retirement age, and the origins of complex cells deduced from deep-sea samples.
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This week, a tiny bat-like dinosaur, a competitor for graphene, and the best new science books this spring.
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Will we ever be able to talk to animals? In this episode, Geoff Marsh meets a variety of researchers and animals who persevere at the communication barrier in the name of science.
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This week, a new treatment for Ebola, the making of the Tibetan plateau, and could bees be addicted to pesticides?
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The periodic table’s fuzzy edges, the nuances of reporting on animal research, and Richard gets charged up about some overhyped coverage of a new battery.
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This week, how oxytocin affects the brain, self- experimentation in science, and the wedding rings that went to Hubble.
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This week, the Moon and her sister, the Sun and its personality, and the latest wonder material to hit the big-time.
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This week, improving walking, pushing the boundary between quantum and classical, and the need for more social science on climate change.
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This week, the role of black holes in growing galaxies, Dragon’s Den for scientists, and ice inside our bodies.
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Where will NASA’s next planetary mission go? Plus, a gene editing technique comes under fire, and the American editors’ biggest language gripes.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Noah Baker reads you his favourite from February, Good for something by Deborah Walker.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Geoff Marsh reads you his favourite from January, The Descent of Man, by Christoph Weber.
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What do Nature's reporters really think about the science they cover? Find out in Backchat. In this episode, Nobel Prize excitement (and frustrations), and the world’s oldest cave art.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Noah Baker reads you his favourite from September, The tiger waiting on the shore, by Paul Currion.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Lizzie Gibney reads you her favourite from July, Benjy’s Birthday, by John Grant.
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Futures is Nature's weekly science fiction slot. Now its sister title Nature Physics has followed suit, publishing a sci-fi story each month. Kerri Smith reads you this month’s tale, The stuff we don’t do, by Marissa Lingen.
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