Nature Podcast

In this episode: On Monday, reporter Alexandra Witze was in the heart of the Artemis II mission’s science operations. She tells us about the experience and what NASA’s researchers have learnt from the mission so far. Nature: I was with Artemis II’s scientists during the Moon fly-by. Here’s what I saw Nature: First photos from Artemis II: see stunning ‘Earthset’ and more Nature: Historic Artemis II Moon fly-by — Nature’s live coverage as it happened Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:41 Exosome therapies could deliver drugs to hard to reach placesNature: Eye drops made from pig semen deliver cancer treatment to mice 5:08 The impact of parenthood on women’s academic careersNature: Motherhood derails women’s academic careers — these data reveal how and why 10:34 The unusual suction that lets Sunbirds drinkScience: These birds suck—literally Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we'll talk about NASA's Artemis II launch, which has ushered in a new era of lunar exploration. Nature: Lift off! Artemis II mission sends humans to the Moon — opening a new era of exploration Nature: Artemis II mission is about to fly humans to the Moon — here’s the science they’ll do Nature: Humanity is heading back to the Moon — why aren’t more scientists thrilled? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Collecting contrails at 30,000 feetResearch Article: Voigt et al. 11:23 Research HighlightsNature: Sunken Soviet nuclear submarine’s radioactive release Nature: History of ‘forever’ chemicals is written in Antarctic snow 13:34 Fakery in scienceApril Fakes Day Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nature staff discuss some of the week's top science news. 00:18 ‘Zombie cells’ revived with genome transplantNature: ‘Zombie cells’ return from the dead — after a genome transplant 05:27 A limit to cloning, in miceNature: Can a mouse be cloned indefinitely? Decades-long experiment has answers Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:44 Why insects aren’t massiveResearch Article : Snelling et al. 11:39 Research HighlightsNature: Faster ticking of ‘biological clock’ predicts shorter lifespan Nature: Mighty mini-magnet is low in cost and light on energy use 14:05 CRISPR creates CAR-T cancer therapy inside miceResearch Article: Nyberg et al. News & Views: A gene-editing method generates immunotherapeutic CAR T cells in the body Nature: CRISPR makes enhanced cancer-fighting immune cells inside mice Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:22 Exploring how gut microorganisms contribute to ageingNature: Memory loss is fuelled by gut microbes in ageing mice 04:30 How good jokes are in short supply during academic conferencesNature: Knock knock, no one’s there. Study finds scientists’ jokes mostly fall flat Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Piecing together a biochemical puzzleResearch Article : Lombe et al. 12:26 Research HighlightsNature: Electric-vehicle batteries toughen up to beat the heat Nature: Live parrots were carried across the Andes before the Incas’ rise Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:26 Why researchers keep using Doom in their researchNature: How the classic computer game Doom became a tool for science Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A study reveals how the asexual Amazon molly defies evolutionary expectations — plus, evidence of what may be powering superluminous supernovae. In this episode: 00:46 Unravelling the genetics of an asexual fish that should be extinctResearch Article: Ricemeyer et al. News and Views: How an all-female fish species defies evolutionary expectations 10:19 Research HighlightsNature: ​​​​​​​Jam-packed star system is most compact of its kind ever found Nature: ​​​​​​​Peanut-processing microbes ward off dangerous allergic shock 11:31 How a superluminous supernova got so brightResearch Article : ​​​​​​​Farah et al. News and Views: ​​​​​​​Ultra-bright supernova wobbles like a spinning top Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday: https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:25 How paediatricians’ antibodies could treat serious viral infectionsNew Scientist: Paediatricians’ blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds 04:22 Galileo’s annotations in an ancient textScience: Galileo’s handwritten notes found in ancient astronomy text Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Injectable fluid safely fills area in which blood clots can form, in animal trials — plus, strong evidence that an elusive form of diamond has been made in the lab. 00:47 A magnetic seal to stop clots forming in the heartResearch Article : Wang et al. News and Views: Magnetic fluid offers better seal in heart-plugging medical procedure Video: Magnetic gel injected into the heart could stop strokes 07:02 Research HighlightsNature: Sewage systems secretly waft pollution into the air Nature: This ant species is composed of only queens — no workers or males 11:31 Making hexagonal diamondResearch Article: Lai et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an audio version of our Feature: Many people have no mental imagery. What’s going on in their brains? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:15 How Pokémon inspired fields as diverse as evolution, biodiversity and research integrity Nature: Pokémon turns 30 — how the fictional pocket monsters shaped science Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

High-speed footage reveals shoe squeaks can start with a tiny bolt of lightning — plus, evidence that a debated brain phenomenon exists in humans. 00:44 The science of squeaky shoesResearch Article : Djellouli et al. Basketball sound effects via Bradley Kanaris/Getty. 09:05 Research HighlightsNature: Runaway black hole leaves a trail of stars Nature: Super-sticky feet help a robot to climb the walls 11:31 Evidence of hippocampal neurogenesisResearch Article: Disouky et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:25 How brains differ by sex and ageNature: Brain differences between sexes get more pronounced from puberty 07:14 Bumblebees ‘fan themselves’ during flight to keep coolScience: How do busy bees avoid overheating from flying? Video: Birds gliding through bubbles reveal aerodynamic trick Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Data stored in glassNature: Microsoft Research Project Silica Team Nature: Microsoft team creates 'revolutionary' data storage system that lasts for millennia 08:09 Research HighlightsNature: Parasitic wasps use tamed virus to castrate caterpillars Nature: Flexible joints: robot morphs into a range of cyborg species 10:10 An mRNA vaccine for Triple-Negative Breast CancerNature: Sahin et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:26 Moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk, study suggestsNature: Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people 04:15 Using AI to work out the rules of a long-forgotten board gameScientific American: Rules of mysterious ancient Roman board game decoded by AI Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 The immune cells that eat waste fats from fruit flies’ brainsNature: Cho et al. 10:21 Research HighlightsNature: Beetle is locked into an eternal dance ― with an ant Nature: Super-sniffer aeroplane finds oil fields’ hidden emissions 12:41 Ancient DNA evidence reveals a nuanced story of the Bell Beaker ExpansionNature: Olalde et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:42 External, artificial-lung system keeps patient alive for transplantNature: 48 hours without lungs: artificial organ kept man alive until transplant 06:22 How lung cancer in mice hijacks neurons to outwit the immune systemNature: How tumours trick the brain into shutting down cancer-fighting cells Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Understanding how rete ridges form in the skinNature: Thompson et al. 09:32 Research HighlightsNature: Genetically engineered ‘stinkweed’ comes up roses for making seed oil Nature: Largest galaxy survey yet confirms that the Universe is not clumpy enough 11:52 The open-source AI that performs scientific literature reviewsNature: Asai et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:36 Study probes genetics of extreme longevityNature: Still working at 107: supercentenarian study probes genetics of extreme longevity 05:32 Controlling fluorescent proteins’ brightness with magnetsNature: ‘Remote controlled’ proteins illuminate living cells Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Why completing difficult tasks feels rewardingNature: Touponse et al. 11:34 Research HighlightsNature: Disappearing ‘planet’ reveals a solar system’s turbulent times Nature: Getting to the (square) root of stock-market swings 13:43 How extreme weather events could threaten malaria elimination effortsNature: Symons et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an audio version of our Feature: ‘I rarely get outside’: scientists ditch fieldwork in the age of AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:24 How babies share their gut microbesNature: Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiome 05:25 First evidence of tool use in cattleScience: No bull: This Austrian cow has learned to use tools Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Protein-sized superposition surpasses previous experimentsNature: Pedalino et al. News: Schrödinger's cat just got bigger: quantum physicists create largest ever 'superposition' 11:46 Research HighlightsNature: Ancient pottery reveals early evidence of mathematical thinking Nature: Gifted dogs learn new words by overhearing humans 14:11 How Trump’s second term has impacted researchNature: US science after a year of Trump Nature: US science in 2026: five themes that will dominate Trump’s second year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:40 The rock samples destined to remain on MarsNature: NASA won’t bring Mars samples back to Earth: this is the science that will be lost 05:24 The genetics of dogs’ droopy earsNature: Do their ears hang low? The genetics of dogs’ adorable floppy ears Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:47 AI can boost research productivity — at what cost?Research article: Hao et al. 10:10 Research HighlightsNature: Ancient ‘snowball’ Earth had frigidly briny seas Nature: Putting immune cells into ‘night mode’ reduces heart-attack damage 12:41 JWST images are full of red dots, what are they?Nature: Rusakov et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:54 Turning an undersea cable into a seismic detectorResearchers have shown that they can piggyback a signal on a 4,400-kilometer-long telecom cable that runs from California to Hawaii, allowing it to act like 44,000 separate seismic-activity detectors. Their method takes advantage of impurities found in glass fibre-optic cables, which reflect light differently when they are stretched and distorted by the pressure of seismic waves. Science: Seafloor telecom cable transformed into giant earthquake detector 04:17 The origin of an ancient boatChemical analysis of the caulking found on the wood an ancient boat has helped researchers identify the origins of the vessel, that sank off the coast of Denmark 2,400 years ago. The team’s analysis suggests it voyaged from much farther away that had been thought — perhaps coming from the Baltic Sea region. The team also found a fingerprint left in the caulk, although who it belonged to is unknown. LiveScience: Fingerprint of ancient seaborne raider found on Scandinavia's oldest plank boat 08:29 How heating up helps some plants pollinateSome plants called cycads (Zamia spp.) heat up to attract the beetles that pollinate them. These beetles have heat-seeking sensors in their antennae, which they use locate the plants. Male cycads warm up around 3 hours before females, meaning that beetles head to them before first carrying pollen over to the females. Science: Heat-seeking beetles drawn to plants that glow in infrared 13:08 The exoplanet shaped like a lemonThe discovery of exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b reveals how unusual other worlds can be. This exoplanet takes just 7.8 hours to orbit an ultra-dense pulsar whose intense gravity pulls PSR J2322-2650b into a lemon shape. New Scientist: Strange lemon-shaped exoplanet defies the rules of planet formation Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2026. We’ll hear about: small-scale AI models that could outcompete Large Language Models in reasoning, clinical trials of gene editing to treat rare human disorders, a sample collection mission from Phobos, and how changes to US policy by the Trump team are expected to impact science. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anecdotal stories suggesting that weight-loss drugs can help people shake long-standing addictions have been spreading fast in the past few years, through online forums, weight-loss clinics and news headlines. And now, clinical data are starting to back them up. Over a dozen randomized clinical studies testing whether GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic can suppress addiction are now under way, and neuroscientists are working out how these weight-loss drugs act on brain regions that control craving, reward and motivation. Scientists warn that the research is still in its early stages, but some researchers and physicians are excited, as no truly new class of addiction medicine has won approval from regulators in decades. This is an audio version of our Feature: Will blockbuster obesity drugs revolutionize addiction treatment? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:40 What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spudResearchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato’s complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant’s genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the team to combine sequences, allowing them to look for subtle differences in between varieties. Nature Podcast: 16 April 2025 Research Article: Sun et al. 10:28 Hundreds of physicists on a remote island: we visit the ultimate quantum partyAccording to legend, physicist Werner Heisenberg formulated the mathematics behind quantum mechanics in 1925 while on a restorative trip to the remote North Sea island of Heligoland. To celebrate the centenary of this event, several hundred researchers have descended on the island to take part in a conference on all things quantum physics. Nature reporter Lizzie Gibney was also in attendance, and joined us to give an inside track on the meeting. Nature Podcast: ​​​​​​​13 June 2025 19:54 Research HighlightsA minuscule robot that can manipulate liquid droplets, and the discovery of ancient puppets on the remains of a large pyramid offers a glimpse into rituals in Mesoamerica. Research Highlight: This tiny robot moves mini-droplets with ease Research Highlight: Ancient puppets that smile or scowl hint at shared rituals 23:03 These malaria drugs treat the mosquitoes — not the peopleResearchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based malaria-control measures, which are losing efficacy in the face of increased resistance. Nature Podcast: ​​​​​​​21 May 2025 Research article: ​​​​​​​Probst et al. 33:49 Briefing ChatThe first skeletal evidence that Roman gladiators fought lions. BBC News: Bites on gladiator bones prove combat with lion Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nature: Asteroids, antibiotics and ants: a year of remarkable science In this episode: 1:58 Evidence of ancient brine on an asteroidSamples taken from the asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft suggest the parent body it originated from is likely to have contained salty, subsurface water. This finding provides insights into the chemistry of the early Solar System, and suggests that brines might have been an important place where pre-biotic molecules were formed. News & Views: Asteroid Bennu contains salts from ancient brine Nature Podcast: Asteroid Bennu contains building blocks of life 08:01 How gene expression doesn't always reflect a cell's functionCells are often grouped into categories according to the RNA molecules they produce. However a study of zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains revealed that cells can be functionally diverse even if they appear molecularly similar. This finding adds more nuance to how a cell's ‘type’ is ultimately defined. News & Views: Does a cell’s gene expression always reflect its function? 12:01 The disproportionate mortality risks of extreme rainfallAn assessment of death rates in India’s coastal megacity of Mumbai revealed that the impact of extreme rainfall events will be highest for women, young children and residents of informal settlements. This situation is likely to become more pronounced as a result of climate change. News & Views: Extreme rainfall poses the biggest risk to Mumbai’s most vulnerable people 14:46 An AI-designed underwater glueInspired by animals like barnacles and aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. To demonstrate its properties, researchers applied it to a rubber duck, which stuck firmly to a rock on a beach despite being battered by the sea. News & Views: AI learns from nature to design super-adhesive gels that work underwater Nature Podcast: Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 The gifts that sparked a love of scienceNature put a call out for readers to tell us about memorable presents that first got them interested in science, or mementos of their life in research. These include telescopes, yeast-themed wedding rings, and... cows’ eyes. Nature: The gift that shaped my career in science 08:12 “I am the Very Model of a Miniature Tyrannosaur”In the first of our annual festive songs celebrating the science of the past year, we tell the story of a diminutive dinosaur that turned out to be its own species. Nature Podcast: Meet the ‘Wee-rex’. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own species Nature Video: Hotly debated dinosaur is not a tiny T. rex after all 11:43 A very scientific quizAn all-star cast competes for the glory or being the winner of the Nature Podcast’s 2025 festive quiz. Nature: Meet the ‘Wee-rex’. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own species Nature: This company claimed to ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves. Then the fighting started Nature Podcast: 3D-printed fake wasps help explain bad animal mimicry Nature Video: ‘Aqua tweezers’ manipulate particles with water waves Nature Podcast: Sapphire anvils squeeze metals atomically-thin Nature Video: Vesuvius volcano turned this brain to glass Nature Podcast: Ancient viral DNA helps human embryos develop Nature Video: Magnetic fibres give this robot a soft grip Nature: These contact lenses give people infrared vision — even with their eyes shut Nature Video: Is this really the world's largest mirror? Researchers put it to the test Nature Podcast: World’s tiniest pacemaker could revolutionize heart surgery Nature Podcast: Earth’s deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the sea Nature Podcast: Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz Nature Podcast: Apocalypse then: how cataclysms shaped human societies Nature Podcast: Honey, I ate the kids: how hunger and hormones make mice aggressive 25:21 “Hard the Hydrogel is Stuck”Our second festive song is an ode to a rubber duck that was stuck to a rock, thanks to a newly designed, super-adhesive hydrogel. Nature Podcast: Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test Nature Video: Why did researchers stick a duck to a rock? To show off their super glue 28:42 Nature’s 10Each year, Nature’s 10 highlights some of the people who have helped shape science over the past 12 months. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2025 list, including: a civil servant who stood up for evidence-based public-health policy; the science sleuth who revealed a retraction crisis at Indian universities; and the baby whose life was saved by the first personalized CRISPR therapy. Nature: Nature’s 10 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Evidence of the earliest fire Baked soil, ancient tools, and materials that could be used to start fires show that Neanderthals were making fire in the UK 400,000 years ago — the earliest evidence of this skill found so far. Ancient humans are known to have used naturally occurring fires, but evidence of deliberate fire-starting has been hard to come by. A new suite of evidence pushes back the date of fire mastery by 350,000 years. The team behind the finding believe it helps create a more nuanced picture of Neanderthals, who perhaps gathered round fires and told stories in ancient Europe.  Research Article: Davis et al. News and Views: Oldest known evidence of the controlled ignition of fire 11:31 Research HighlightsMachine-learning algorithms can help to identify traces of life in ancient rocks — plus, why paintings containing a vivid green pigment lose their lustre over time.  Research Highlight: AI finds signs of life in ancient rocks Research Highlight: The mystery of emerald green — cracked 13:55 How AI chatbots can sway voters with ease Research suggests that artificial-intelligence chatbots can influence voters’ political views and have a bigger effect than conventional campaigning and advertising. One study found that chatbot conversations swung participants’ candidate preferences by up to 15 percentage points, while another revealed that the chatbots’ effectiveness stems from their ability to synthesize a lot of information in a conversational way.   Nature: AI chatbots can sway voters with remarkable ease — is it time to worry?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How satellite mega-constellations could ruin space-based astronomyThe ability of space-based telescopes to image the distant Universe could be in peril, according to new research investigating the impacts of light-pollution from future satellites. Streaks of reflected light from satellites currently in low-Earth orbit are already seen in telescope images, and planned launches could raise the number of satellites from around 15,000 to over half-a-million. Computer modelling revealed that this drastic increase would result in images taken by instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope becoming unusable by astronomers. The team propose a series of strategies to help mitigate these impacts, preventing this future becoming reality. Research Article: Borlaff et al. Nature: Satellite swarms set to photobomb more than 95% of some telescopes’ images 11:08 Research HighlightsHow researchers have sped up the trapping of antimatter atoms — plus, how hydrogen fuel emission benefits vary considerably from sector to sector. Research Highlight: Laser cooling traps more antimatter atoms than ever before Research Highlight: Hydrogen fuel isn’t always the green choice 13:41 The negative consequences of video call glitchesGlitches in video calls are an annoying feature of everyday life, but these brief interruptions could have serious real-world impacts, according to analysis from a team of researchers. In one experiment, the team found that video calls with glitches decreased the likelihood of someone being hired for a job. Analysis of other data suggested glitchy calls were associated with lower chances of individuals being granted parole. The team behind the work think that these visual errors break the illusion that a video call is a real face-to-face conversation, potentially impairing judgements about the quality of the information discussed. Research article: Brucks et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CRISPR-based gene editing has revolutionized modern biology, but these tools are unable to access the DNA that resides inside mitochondria. Researchers are eager to access and edit this DNA to understand more about the energy production and the mutations that can cause incurable mitochondrial diseases. Because CRISPR can’t help with these problems, researchers have been looking for other ways to precisely edit the mitochrondrial genome. And the past few years have brought some success — if researchers can make editing safe and accurate enough, it could eventually be used to treat, and even cure, these genetic conditions. This is an audio version of our Feature: Faulty mitochondria cause deadly diseases — fixing them is about to get a lot easier Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Martian ‘micro-lightning’The sounds of ‘micro-lightning’ have been recorded by NASA’s Perseverance rover, ending a long search for the phenomenon on Mars. A lack of suitable equipment has made it difficult to gather evidence of lightning on the red planet, but a team of researchers realized that a microphone on Perseverance should be able to pick up the characteristic sounds of electrical discharges. In total they found 55 such examples, along with signs of electrostatic interference indicative of the phenomenon. They dubbed the electric bursts ‘micro-lightning’, as they are far smaller than the lighting seen on Earth, due to the thin Martian atmosphere. The team believe this finding could help better understand Martian chemistry and how best to design equipment to explore the planet’s surface. Research Article: Chide et al. News and Views: Is there lightning on Mars? 11:03 Research HighlightsHow the biology of male seahorses’ brood pouches appears similar to mammalian pregnancy— plus, why Neanderthals’ jaws were so beefy. Research Highlight: The origin of male seahorses’ brood pouch Research Highlight: Neanderthal DNA reveals how human faces form 13:36 The key takeaways from COP30The UN’s climate conference, COP30, came to a close last week in Brazil. Nature reporter Jeff Tollefson tells us what was and wasn’t agreed during the final negotiations. Nature: What happened at COP30? 4 science take-homes from the climate summit 22:27 Why women may retract less than menA new analysis suggests that female authors retract fewer medical science papers than their male counterparts. Women are known to be underrepresented in the medical sciences, but even accounting for this an AI-tool revealed that female authors featured on far fewer retracted research articles. Reporter Jenna Ahart has been investigating and told us why this might be, and what it means for research more broadly. Nature: Women seem to retract fewer papers than men — but why? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A molecule that delivers insulin through the skinResearchers have developed a skin-permeable polymer that can deliver insulin into the body, which they say could one day offer an alternative to injections for diabetes management. The skin’s structure presents a formidable barrier to the delivery of large drugs but in this work a team show that their polymer can penetrate though the different layers without causing damage. Insulin attached to this polymer was able to reduce blood glucose levels in animal models for diabetes at a comparable speed to injected insulin. While further research is required on the long-term safety of this strategy, the team hope it could offer a way to non-invasively deliver other large-molecule drugs into the body. Research Article: Wei et al. 09:23 Research HighlightsHow extreme drought may be humanity’s biggest challenge after a huge volcanic eruption — plus, turning a bacterium into a factory for a colour-changing pigment Research Highlight: Volcano mega-eruptions lead to parched times Research Highlight: Dye or die: bacterium forced to make pigment to stay alive 11:42 How language lights up the brain, whatever the tongueThe human brain responds in a similar way to both familiar and unfamiliar languages, but there are some key differences, according to new research — a finding that may explain why learning a language can be difficult. A study looking involving 34 people showed that listening to an unfamiliar language triggers similar neural activity to listening to their native tongue. The finding implies that human speech triggers a common reaction in the brain regardless of understanding. However, there were subtle differences when listening to a known language that may help explain how people actually understand words. Research Article: Bhaya-Grossman et al. Neuron: Zhang et al Sounds used under CC BY 4.0 27:18 Briefing ChatSigns that greenhouse-gas emissions may peak around 2030 — plus, evidence of dog breeding by ancient humans. Nature: Global greenhouse-gas emissions are still rising: when will they peak? Nature: How ancient humans bred and traded the first domestic dogs Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yoshua Bengio, considered by many to be one of the godfathers of AI, has long been at the forefront of machine-learning research . However, his opinions on the technology have shifted in recent years — he joins us to talk about ways to address the risks posed by AI, and his efforts to develop an AI with safety built in from the start.  Nature: ‘It keeps me awake at night’: machine-learning pioneer on AI’s threat to humanity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A coronal mass ejection from a distant starResearchers have detected what they say is the strongest evidence yet of a coronal mass ejection (CME) coming from a star other than our Sun. CMEs are massive bursts of fast-moving plasma that can be detected thanks to the characteristic radio signal they produce. However, despite decades of searching, these signals have only been identified from the Sun. Now a team has identified a similar signal coming from a distant star in the Milky Way. They hope their discovery will lead to better understanding of the impact these colossal events might have on the atmospheres of exoplanets, and their chances of being habitable. Research Article: Callingham et al. 12:28 Research HighlightsVideo footage of a devastating earthquake provides a first-of-its-kind glimpse of a dramatic ground rupture — plus, a flock of comets seen outside our Solar System. Research Highlight: Single video camera tells the story of deadly Myanmar quake Research Highlight: A host of ‘exocomets’ swarms a distant star 14:29 The rare genetic variants that may increase the risk of ADHDAttention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects around 1 in 20 young people, but its underlying causes are not fully understood. Now, a team of researchers show that three rare genetic variants are implicated in an increased risk of ADHD, which may play a role in the neurons involved in dopamine signalling. While this work provides a better understanding of the complex genetics at play, the authors caution more research is needed to unpick the complex interplay other factors involved in ADHD. Research Article: Demontis et al. 18:41 Briefing ChatA high-resolution digital map for Roman roads, and how speaking more than one language could slow brain ageing. Nature: ‘Google Maps’ for Roman roads reveals vast extent of ancient network Nature: Want a younger brain? Learn another language Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 The debate around NanotyrannusA hotly debated species of dinosaur, assumed by many to be a juvenile T. rex, is actually a separate species, according to new research. Nanotyrannus was a dinosaur anatomically similar to T. rex, but about a tenth of the size, leading many to argue it was a young version of the iconic species. However, examination of the limb bones of a well-preserved Nanotyrannus fossil suggests it was close to finishing its growth and so would never become as large as a T. rex, leading the authors to argue that it is, in fact, a different species. Research Article: Zanno and Napoli News and Views: T. rex debate settled: contested fossils are smaller rival species, not juveniles News: ‘Teenage T. rex’ fossil is actually a different species Video: Hotly debated dinosaur is not a tiny T. rex after all 08:46 Research HighlightsAn artificial ‘neuron’ could pave the way to build a brain-inspired computer — plus, how bats buck the trend by hunting prey their own size. Research Highlight: Artificial brains with less drain Research Highlight: By the time you hear these bats, it’s too late 11:19 A less invasive way to prevent breast cancerAn ‘anti-hormone’ therapy has shown promise in halting the onset of hallmarks associated with breast cancer, in a small trial. Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women worldwide, but preventative measures, such as mastectomies, are invasive. A new study examined the efficacy of a treatment that blocks progesterone, a hormone thought to play an important role in breast cancer progression. The therapy reduced both specific clinical markers of breast cancer and the number of cells that can become cancerous. Larger, longer trials are needed to show that this treatment could ultimately become part of a breast cancer prevention strategy, but the team think that this work shows the promise of this approach. Research Article: Simões et al. 18:41 Briefing ChatA new approach to speed up CRIPSR therapies reaching clinical trials, and how vocal cords could be healed using a tiny 3D printer. Nature: Personalized gene editing helped one baby: can it be rolled out widely? Nature: World’s smallest 3D bioprinter could rebuild tissue during surgery Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 How bowhead whales live so longResearchers have uncovered a protein that enhances DNA repair and may explain how bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. The protein, cold-induced RNA-binding protein, was shown to enhance repair of double stranded DNA breaks, a particularly troublesome kind of damage. The team showed that this protein could also extend the lives of Drosophila flies and enhance repair in human cells. More needs to be understood about how this protein works, but the researchers hope that it could, one day, help prevent cancer and ageing in humans. Research Article: Firsanov et al. News: This whale lives for centuries: its secret could help to extend human lifespan 11:22 Research HighlightsA precise way to grow crystals, with lasers — plus, the specialist organ that allows stinkbugs to protect their eggs from wasps. Research Highlight: How to grow crystals when and where you want them Research Highlight: Stinkbug ‘ear’ actually hosts parasite-fighting fungi 13:31 An antivenom against a broad range of snakebitesResearchers have used ‘nanobodies’ to create an antivenom that works against 17 snake species’ venom. Snakebites kill millions each year, so getting the right antivenom can be life or death. But they are difficult to produce and often are very specific. Now, using nanobodies from llamas, researchers created an antivenom against a broad range of snake species’ venom. The new antivenom can now even be produced without the llamas, and the team hope it will pave the way for a more universal antivenom. Research Article: Ahmadi et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Advice on how to get good sleep is everywhere, with the market for sleep aids worth more than US$100 billion annually. However, scientists warn that online hacks and pricey tools aren’t always effective, and suggest that lessons learnt about the workings of a network of biological clocks found in the human body could ultimately lead to improved sleep. This is an audio version of our Feature: How to get the best night’s sleep: what the science says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 How hunger, hormones and aggression interact in mouse brainsResearchers have uncovered the neural mechanisms that underlie an aggressive behaviour in mice prompted by hunger and hormonal state. Virgin female mice can become aggressive towards mouse pups when they are food deprived, but it seems that the relevant amounts of pregnancy hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, also played a role. By investigating the neurons involved, neuroscientists showed how hunger and hormones are integrated by the brain to lead to aggressive behaviour. This could help researchers understand more about how multiple stimuli are interpreted by the brain, something much harder to study than single stimulus effects. Research Article: Cao et al. 09:35 Research HighlightsThe overlooked environmental costs of wastewater treatment facilities — plus, an ancient communal hunting system that lasted well into the eighteenth century. Research Highlight: Wastewater treatment produces surprising amounts of greenhouse gases Research Highlight: Andean peoples hunted and gathered long after they embraced farming 11:53 What generative AI could mean for higher educationAround the world, universities and students are scrambling to adapt to the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. And while there is optimism that these tools could improve education, there are also concerns about the ways they could stifle independent, critical thought. We hear about the studies trying to unpick the potential impact of this new technology. News Feature: Universities are embracing AI: will students get smarter or stop thinking? 21:26 Briefing ChatA blood test for Alzheimer’s, and what should be the next ‘test’ for AI after the Turing test? Nature: Blood tests are now approved for Alzheimer’s: how accurate are they? Nature: AI language models killed the Turing test: do we even need a replacement? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 A multi-variant avian flu vaccine that could enhance pandemic preparednessA vaccine capable of protecting against multiple strains of avian influenza virus might be a step closer, according to new research. The H5 subtype of avian influenza viruses has spilled over into mammals and is particularly concerning to researchers because of the risk that one of its variants may evolve to cause a pandemic. But because there are multiple variants of these viruses, it has been hard to pre-prepare vaccines. Now, a team has used information on how H5 viruses changed over time to design a vaccine that in animal studies provided protection against different H5 variants. They hope their approach could be applied to create stockpiles of a vaccine that could be used in the event of a pandemic, regardless of the variant that causes it. Research Article: Kok et al. 10:53 Research HighlightsMaking muon beams without a huge particle accelerator — plus, the bats hunting migrating birds in mid-air. Research Highlight: Portable muon beam could accelerate archaeology scans Research Highlight: European bats capture migrating birds and eat them on the wing 13:34 Briefing ChatA new search engine that can sift through the staggering volumes of biological data, and the multiple failings revealed by an assessment of 25 years of carbon offsetting data. Nature: ‘Google for DNA’ brings order to biology’s big data The Guardian: Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says​​​​​​​ Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 The stereotypes hidden in Internet imagesStereotyped assumptions about women’s ages and their perceived job suitability are enhanced by Internet imagery, according to new research. A study of hundreds of thousands of online images shows that women appear younger than men. This stereotype extends to the jobs that people perceive women do, with men being associated with roles such as CEO or head of research, while women were linked to occupations like cook or nurse. The research shows that these biases have been embedded into the training data for AI models and could affect future hiring. The researchers caution that society is at risk of creating a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ where these stereotypes shape the real world. Research Article: Guilbeault et al. News and Views: Distorted representations of age and gender are reflected in AI models 13:24 Research HighlightsA very hungry planet — plus, how climate change is leading to larger trees in the Amazon. Research Highlight: ‘Rogue’ planet is fastest-growing ever observed Research Highlight: Trees of the Amazon are becoming even mightier 15:49 Astronomers name their favourite exoplanetThirty years ago, astronomers announced the discovery of the first exoplanet around a Sun-like star, sparking a renewed passion into spotting these planets that lie beyond our Solar System. In celebration, Nature asked researchers to tell us about their favourites. News: These alien planets are astronomers’ favourites: here’s why Hear the music of a distant planetary system 25:51 Nobel newsFlora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year’s science Nobel prizes. Nature: Medicine Nobel goes to scientists who revealed secrets of immune system ‘regulation’ Nature: Groundbreaking quantum-tunnelling experiments win physics Nobel Nature: Chemistry Nobel for scientists who developed massively porous ‘super sponge’ materials Nature: Will AI ever win its own Nobel? Some predict a prize-worthy science discovery soon Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:50 How ancient viruses drive modern human developmentResearch suggests that ancient viral-DNA embedded in the human genome is playing a key role in early embryo development. Around 8% of our genome consists of endogenous retrovirus DNA — the remnants of ancient infections, but knowledge of their activity is limited. Now, a team show that these sequences are required for the correct development of lab-derived embryo analogues, and for the switching on of human-specific genes. Research Article: Fueyo et al. News and Views: Ancient viral DNA in the human genome shapes early development 10:39 Research HighlightsLonger whale mothers are more likely to give birth to daughters — plus, how the stink of the corpse flower waxes and wanes to attract pollinators. Research Highlight: Big mother whales have more daughters than sons Research Highlight: Corpse flowers waft out stinky compounds as fast as landfills do 13:05 How heat can fuel DNA computersResearchers have developed a way to use heat to recharge DNA-based computer circuits, which could help overcome one of the stumbling blocks preventing this technology from being scaled up. Although DNA strands have been used to perform computational tasks for some time, current methods can run out of energy or build up waste products, preventing their continued use. Now, using just heat a team have demonstrated a reuseable neural network based on DNA. They hope that ultimately this could be a step in the development of bigger and more powerful DNA computers that could be used to power targeted clinical therapies. Research Article: Song & Qian 22:20 Briefing ChatA one-time gene therapy for Huntington’s disease show promise at slowing the brain disorder’s progression — plus, how mitochondria throw out ‘tainted’ DNA. Nature: Huntington’s disease treated for first time using gene therapy Nature: Mitochondria expel tainted DNA — spurring age-related inflammation Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In April, Robert F. Kennedy Jr held a press conference about rising diagnoses of autism, and said he would soon be announcing a study to find the responsible agent. Although Kennedy said that environmental factors are the main cause of autism, research has shown that genetics plays a bigger part. Also, the rise in prevalence, many researchers say, is predominantly caused by an increase in diagnoses rather than a true rise in the underlying symptoms and traits. Although the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a US$50 million to fund studies on the causes of autism, many researchers were dismayed that these developments seemed to ignore decades of work on the well-documented rise in diagnoses and on causes of the developmental condition. This is an audio version of our Feature: Autism is on the rise — what’s really behind the increase? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 New insights into tick-borne encephalitisResearchers have identified a key protein that helps tick-borne encephalitis virus enter the brain. In rare cases an infection can lead to serious neurological symptoms, but little was known about how the virus interacts with human cells. Now, a team show that a protein found on the outside of cells plays an important role in infection. In mouse experiments, they show that blocking the ability of the virus to bind to this protein protected the mice from disease. Currently no treatments exist, but the team hopes that this research will ultimately lead to a viable drug for this disease. Research Article: Mittler et al. 08:47 Research HighlightsThe squirming robot that speeds up the insertion of an emergency breathing tube — plus, the 10,000-year-old remains that could be the oldest intentionally preserved mummies Research Highlight: Soft robot steers itself down the human airway Research Highlight: Smoke-dried mummies pre-date Egypt’s embalmed bodies 11:21 How might cancelled NIH grants affect the future of US science?To assess the potential impact of cuts to funding by the Trump administration, Nature trained a machine-learning bot to try and reproduce the NIH’s method of cancelling grants and applied it to science that was successfully funded around ten years ago. This thought experiment shows that highly impactful science and medical research might have been at risk had a similar process been followed a decade ago, revealing the potentially broad-reaching consequences of these actions today. Nature Index: What research might be lost after the NIH’s cuts? Nature trained a bot to find out News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature 20:54 Briefing ChatWhat researchers understand about chatbot-induced psychosis, and the AI designed viruses capable of killing E. coli bacteria. Nature: Can AI chatbots trigger psychosis? What the science says Nature: World’s first AI-designed viruses a step towards AI-generated life Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science journalist Lizzie Wade’s first book, Apocalypse: A Transformative Exploration of Humanity's Resilience Through Cataclysmic Events explores some of the cataclysmic events that humans have faced through history. Lizzie joined us to discuss what modern archaeology has revealed about these events, and the role these they’ve have played in shaping societies around the world. Apocalypse: A Transformative Exploration of Humanity's Resilience Through Cataclysmic Events Lizzie Wade Harper (2025) Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:50 The AI tool that predicts disease riskResearchers have developed an AI tool that can calculate a person’s risk of developing over 1,000 different diseases, sometimes years in advance. The system, called Delphi-2M, was trained to identify patterns of disease progression using 400,000 people's health records from data repository the UK Biobank. This training allowed it to predict someone’s future disease risks, based on their current medical record. While AI health prediction systems do exist, they typically only estimate risks for a single disease — the authors hope that their system could one day save healthcare professionals time and be used to calculate disease burdens at a population level. Research Article: Shmatko et al. News: What diseases will you have in 20 years? This AI makes predictions 11:01 Research HighlightsEvidence that refugees hosted by local families integrate better into their adoptive country — plus, the squidgy shirt that can keep wearers cool. Research Highlight: How to help refugees thrive: have local families host them Research Highlight: Jelly-filled garment keeps wearers cool when heat and humidity soar 13:50 Give an AI a task and it may cheat for youUsing AI tools may make you more likely to cheat at tasks like tax reporting, according to a new study. Using a well-studied test of honesty, researchers looked to see if people were more likely to engage in unethical behaviour if given the option of delegating it to an AI. Including AIs seemed to increase the chance that someone would be dishonest, which raises concerns about the impacts of these tools on ethics. Research Article: Köbis et al News and Views: People are more likely to cheat when they delegate tasks to AI 24:54 Briefing ChatEurope has a new supercomputer, JUPITER, that could boost its AI ambitions, and a catalogue of octopus movement. Nature: World's most energy-efficient AI supercomputer comes online New York Times: Building an Octopus Dictionary, One Arm Movement at a Time Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) facilities in the US directly detected ripples in space-time, known as gravitational waves. These waves were produced by the final spiral of two orbiting black holes that smashed into each other, sending ripples across the Universe.     In this podcast, Benjamin Thompson speaks to Cole Miller from the University of Maryland about the quest to detect gravitational waves, which were first hypothesised by Albert Einstein back in 1916.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Attributing extreme heat events to major energy producersMajor energy producers increased the likelihood and intensity of heatwaves, according to research published in Nature. Using data from an international disaster database, a team developed a methodology to investigate how much anthropogenic climate change had influenced heatwaves. They conclude that many of these events would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change, and that nearly a quarter of the heatwaves recorded from 2000 to 2023 can be directly linked to the greenhouse-gas emissions from individual energy giants. Research Article: Juvé et al. News and Views Forum: Heatwaves linked to emissions of individual fossil-fuel and cement producers News: Dozens of heatwaves linked to carbon emissions from specific companies 10:47 Research HighlightsHow shifting coastal tides may have spurred the rise of the world’s oldest civilization — plus, the liquid crystal lenses that can refocus in a flash. Research Highlight: Changing tides ushered in the world’s first civilization Research Highlight: Liquid-crystal specs refocus with the push of a button 12:40 The growing resistance to the US war on scienceScience in the United States is facing an increasing crisis, in the face of swinging cuts and President Donald Trump’s ongoing attack on anything with a connection to diversity, equity and inclusion. In the face of this crisis, many researchers are fighting back — we hear about some of their efforts, and what they think about their chances of success. News Feature: Scientists take on Trump: the researchers fighting back 27:28 Briefing ChatHow CRISPR-edited pancreas cells could offer new hope for those with type 1 diabetes, and what brain scans reveal about how we process colour. Nature: Hope for diabetes: CRISPR-edited cells pump out insulin in a person — and evade immune detection Nature: My blue is your blue: different people’s brains process colours in the same way Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2016, Brian Wansink wrote a blog post that prompted scientific sleuths to investigate his work. They found evidence of data manipulation, and, after several news articles and two investigations by his institution, he would found to have committed misconduct, as defined by Cornell University. His work had been used to inform US policy around food, much of which has now been thrown into question. Cases like this are rare, but science is not immune to misconduct. The rise in 'paper mills' — organisations that produce questionable or fake papers that they sell authorships on — has led some to worry that misconduct is on the rise and that a proportion of the scientific literature cannot be trusted. In episode two of Self Correction, we explore how researchers are responding to the problem of research misconduct. We discuss how difficult it is to determine the prevalence of misconduct, and how sleuths, journalists and research integrity institutions are fighting back. This episode was written and produced by Nick Petrić Howe. Dan Fox was the editor. The music was provided by Triple Scoop Music. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raising mosquitoes to tackle disease might sound like an odd concept, but that’s what a facility in Brazil is aiming to do. Millions of mosquitoes are produced there every week, but these insects carry harmless Wolbachia bacteria that curbs their ability to spread deadly human viruses. Nature reporter Mariana Lenharo visited the facility and told us all about her experience in this Podcast Extra. News: This is the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’: its goal is to stop dengue Video: Inside a mosquito factory Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 The ant queen that can produce two different speciesResearchers have made an unusual observation that appears at odds with biology: an ant, known as the Iberian Harvester Ant can produce offspring of two completely different species. Many ants need to mate with other species to produce workers that are a genetic mix of the two, known as hybrids. But in Sicily, a team found hybrid worker ants but no trace of the father. They suggest that the one species present, Messor ibericus, is able to lay its own eggs, but also eggs of another species, Messor structor. These offspring can then mate to produce the hybrid workers. This strategy conflicts with several conventional definitions of what a species is, which may prompt a rethink of these already blurry concepts. Research Article: Juvé et al. News and Views: Ant queens produce sons of two distinct species News: ‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother 09:33 Research HighlightsHumans are living longer but a life expectancy of a hundred appears out of reach — plus, how light pollution is making birds sing for longer. Research Highlight: When will life expectancy reach 100? No time soon Research Highlight: Bright city lights make birds around the world sing longer 11:42 How to keep bridges standingResearchers have discovered that steel truss bridges possess a number of mechanisms that make them resilient to collapse, even after damage. Steel truss bridges are a common kind of bridge, but many are ageing and under increased pressure due to climate change and increased vehicle loads. To understand how damage affects these bridges a team of engineers built a scale replica of a bridge section and monitored how it coped when different sections were cut. They found six distinct resistance mechanisms that allowed the bridge to continue carrying heavy loads even with the damaged sections. They hope these data will help fortify existing bridges and inform the design of future bridges to help prevent catastrophic collapse. Research Article: Reyes-Suárez et al. 18:37 Briefing ChatThe chemistry underlying why beer drinkers fall into two taste camps, and how a deep-sea worm uses arsenic to survive its toxic environment.. Nature: Beer lovers fall into two flavour camps — which one are you in? Science: Deep-sea worms fight poison with poison to survive in hydrothermal vents Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The search for signs of consciousness has expanded, thanks to advanced neuroimaging techniques. These tools allow researchers to detect consciousness in unresponsive humans, and now researchers are looking to develop tests that work in animals and perhaps even artificial intelligence systems of the future.  This is an audio version of our Feature: How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 How the 18th-Century 'Great Fear’ spread across rural FranceIn the late 1700s, rural France was beset with rapidly spreading rumours of aristocratic plots to suppress revolutionary ideas. But how, and why, these rumours were able to spread so quickly has puzzled historians. Now, using modern epidemiological modelling, a team suggests that a combination of high wheat prices, income and literacy level drove this period of French history known as the Great Fear. Research Article: Zapperi et al. News: An abiding mystery of the French Revolution is solved — by epidemiology 12:40 Research HighlightsAn unorthodox explanation for dark energy — plus, and how a tiny marsupial predator overcame near extinction. Research Highlight: Does dark energy spawn from black holes? Could be a bright idea Research Highlight: Tiny Australian predator defies drought to recover from near-extinction 15:13 The quantum interpretation quizPhysicists differ widely in their interpretations of quantum mechanics, and so do Nature readers, according to our Cosmo-inspired quiz. The quantum world is notoriously difficult to explain, with interpretations of the mathematical foundations ranging from the epistemic, which only describes information, to the realist, where equations map onto the real world. The quiz suggests that many readers prefer the realist, even if that is difficult to mesh with the physics itself. Feature: Physicists disagree wildly on what quantum mechanics says about reality, Nature survey show Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Electrochemical fusionResearchers have used electrochemistry to increase the rates of nuclear fusion reactions in a desktop reactor. Fusion energy promises abundant clean energy, but fusion events are rare, hindering progress. Now, inspired by the controversial claim of cold fusion, researchers used electrochemistry to get palladium to absorb more deuterium ions, that are used in fusion. When a beam of deuterium was fired at the deuterium-filled palladium, they saw a 15% increase in fusion events. They did not get more energy than they put in, but the authors believe this is a step towards enhancing fusion energy and shows the promise of electrochemical techniques. Research Article: Chen et al. News and Views: Low-energy nuclear fusion boosted by electrochemistry 10:06 Research HighlightsDo ants hold the key to better teamwork? — plus, the coins that hint at extensive hidden trade networks in southeast Asia. Research Highlight: Super-efficient teamwork is possible — if you’re an ant Research Highlight: Ancient coins unveil web of trade across southeast Asia 12:31 The microbial taste of chocolateChocolate gets its best tastes from microbes, according to a new study. Fermentation of cocoa beans helps create chocolate tastes but not much has been known about the process. Now, the temperature, pH and microbes involved have been identified and the researchers showed how it would be possible to manipulate these to produce premium chocolate flavours. News: Why chocolate tastes so good: microbes that fine-tune its flavour Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we discuss a report released by the US Department of Energy, which concluded that global warming is “less damaging economically than commonly believed”. However, many researchers say that the report misrepresents decades of climate science. We discuss how scientists are trying to coordinate a unified response amidst concerns that this report will be used in attempts to repeal a 2009 government ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public welfare. News: Outrage over Trump team’s climate report spurs researchers to fight back News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Tiny solar flyerResearchers have used a phenomenon known as thermal transpiration to create a solar-powered flying device that can stay aloft without any moving parts. The diminutive device, just one centimetre across, consists of two thin, perforated membranes that allow air to flow through the device, generating lift. Although only a proof-of-concept, the team hope that a scaled-up version of the device could be used to measure conditions in the mesosphere, a particularly hard-to-study part of the Earth’s atmosphere, or even on Mars. Research Article: Schafer et al. News and Views: Levitating platform could ride sunlight into the ‘ignorosphere’ News: These tiny flyers levitate on the Sun's heat alone 07:57 Research HighlightsA 3D scan of body art on a 2,000-year-old mummy reveals the techniques used by ancient tattooists — plus, the bacterial cause of a devastating sea-star disease. Research Highlight: Intricate origins of ice mummy’s ink revealed Research Highlight: Mystery of billions of sea-star deaths solved at last 10:22 Quantum gravity goes to the labDespite being one of the most successful scientific frameworks in history, there is one thing that quantum physics can’t explain: gravity. Whether gravity is quantum in nature is something that has had physicists vexed, but now a slew of experiments are being planned to try and answer this question. We hear how these experiments will work, and what their results might mean for physicists’ understanding of the universe. News Feature: Is gravity quantum? Experiments could finally probe one of physics’ biggest questions 20:26 Briefing ChatHow genes can have different effects depend on the parent they come from, and how lithium shows promise in treating Alzheimer’s disease in mice studies. Nature: These genes can have the opposite effects depending on which parent they came from Nature: New hope for Alzheimer’s: lithium supplement reverses memory loss in mice Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Researchers develop a new glue and test it on a rubber duckAided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. Inspired by animals like barnacles, the team developed a new kind of a material called a hydrogel. The material is capable of securely fastening objects together even when immersed in salty water— a challenge for existing adhesives. To show off its properties the researchers applied it to a rubber duck, which stuck firmly to a rock on a beach despite being battered by waves. Research Article: Liao et al. News and Views: AI learns from nature to design super-adhesive gels that work underwater 07:37 Research HighlightsThe tomato-infused origins of the modern potato — plus, a specific group of stem cells that may help to drive osteoarthritis. Research Highlight: Potato, tomato: the roots of the modern tater Research Highlight: Ageing stem cells in the knees drive arthritis damage 09:46 The diversity of microbes within living treesBy taking samples from over 150 trees in a forest in the US, researchers have revealed a previously unknown community of microorganisms living there. While the microbiomes of animals have been well explored, studies looking at the microbes living inside trees are limited. In this work the team show distinct populations of microbes living within different parts of a tree, and huge diversity in populations between trees. The team behind the work hope these findings will lead to a greater understanding of tree physiology and the role these microbes play in broader ecosystems. Research Article: Arnold et al. 18:46 The ‘de-extinction’ debateBack in April, the company Colossal Biosciences claimed to have de-extincted dire wolves, a large-bodied wolf species that once roamed North America. We discuss the science behind this technology, and the debates within the research community surrounding Colossal’s announcement. News Feature: This company claimed to ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves. Then the fighting started. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 The deepest ecosystem ever discoveredResearchers have dived down to more than 9,000 metres below the surface of the Pacific and discovered surprisingly complex communities of life living in deep ocean trenches. The new research shows an array of animal life that appears to be using methane as a source of energy. The researchers are planning more dives to learn more about this mysterious ecosystem and how these animals can thrive despite the extreme pressure they face. Research Article: Peng et al 09:36 Research HighlightsA fossilized leg bone reveals an 11-million-year-old fight between a terror bird and a caiman, plus the anti-ageing secret of ‘immortal’ stars. Research Highlight: Rumble in the Miocene: terror bird versus caiman Research Highlight: ‘Immortal’ stars have an elixir of youth: dark matter 11:45 How infections could awaken dormant cancerNew research reveals that infection by a respiratory virus has the potential to awaken dormant cancer cells. In mice studies, a team showed that inflammation caused by infection with influenza or SARS-CoV-2 could initiate the awakening of breast cancer cells that had metastasized to the lungs. Observational studies using human health data also showed that a COVID-19 infection was associated with increased risk of lung metastasis and cancer death. While the precise mechanisms are unknown, the team say that understanding the process could help mitigate any risks of cancer progression caused by a viral infection. Research Article: Chia et al. News and Views: Inflammation during viral infection can rouse dormant cancer cells 21:45 Will physicists ever agree on quantum mechanics?A survey of more than 1,100 physicists has revealed that there are widely different interpretations of what quantum mechanics means for our understanding or reality. Reporter Lizzie Gibney takes us through the different ideas physicists have and asks if such disagreements even matter. Nature: Physicists disagree wildly on what quantum mechanics says about reality, Nature survey shows Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How hot can solid gold get?A new study suggests that gold can be superheated far beyond its melting point without it becoming a liquid. Using an intense burst from a laser, a team heated a gold foil to 14 times its melting point, far beyond a theoretical limit put forward in previous studies. The team suggest that the speed at which they heated the gold allowed them to shoot past this limit, but there is scepticism about whether the team actually achieved the level of heating they report. Research Article: White et al. News and Views: Solid gold superheated to 14 times its melting temperature News: Superheated gold stays solid well past its predicted melting point 10:05 Research HighlightsHow island life led to huge wingspans for flying foxes, and how a sugary diet ‘rewires’ a mouse’s brain. Research Highlight: How the world’s biggest bats got their enormous wingspans Research Highlight: How sugar overload in early life affects the brain later 12:30 Researchers warn about the threat of nuclear warWith increasing political polarisation and more nuclear-armed nations, researchers are warning about the threat of nuclear war. Reporter Alex Witze has been speaking to scientists, and she told us about their chief concerns and how to avoid a conflict in an era of AI and misinformation. News Feature: How to avoid nuclear war in an era of AI and misinformation 23:22 Briefing ChatWhat a new AI model from China means for science, and why some dolphins use sponges to hunt. Nature: ‘Another DeepSeek moment’: Chinese AI model Kimi K2 stirs excitement Associated Press: Some Australian dolphins use sponges to hunt fish, but it’s harder than it looks Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A simple methodological error meant that for years researchers considered drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to be healthy. Now plenty of evidence suggests that isn't the case, but errors like this still plague the scientific literature. So, how can the scientific literature become more error-free? In the first episode of this two-part series, to determine what steps can be taken to help clean up science we explore peer review, replications, AI and even paying people to detect errors. This episode was written and produced by Nick Petrić Howe. Dan Fox was the editor. The Swiss horn music came from DangerLaef on Freesound. All other sound effects and music were provided by Triple Scoop Music. Correction 25 July 2025: a previous version of this podcast incorrectly stated that one in five papers are retracted, when it should have been one in 500. This has now been updated. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:48 The ancient mega-predator with a ‘stealth mode’The extinct marine mega-predator Temnodontosaurus had specialised adaptations to stealthily hunt its prey, suggests an analysis of a fossil flipper. Although Temnodontosaurus was a member of a well-studied group of marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs, its lifestyle has been a mystery due to a lack of preserved soft tissue. Now, a team have studied the fossil remains of a fore-fin, revealing several anatomical details that likely reduced low-frequency noise as the animal swam. It’s thought that these adaptations helped Temnodontosaurus stalk other ichthyosaurs and squid-like creatures that made up its prey. Research Article: Lindgren et al. 09:46 Research HighlightsResearch shows that future space probes could navigate using two stars as reference points, and how objects are more memorable when people encounter them while feeling positive emotions. Research Highlight: Lonely spacecraft can navigate the stars Research Highlight: Memory gets a boost from positive emotion 12:11 ‘Leaky’ mitochondria could be the root cause of sleepCumulative damage to mitochondria during waking hours could be a key driver for the need to sleep, according to new research. In fruit fly experiments, a team showed that being awake caused damage to mitochondria found in a specific set of neurons. Once this damage reaches a threshold it kicks off a process that ultimately leads to sleep. Although it’s unclear if this process occurs in humans, the researchers think this need for sleep may be an ancient process that coincided with the evolution of organisms with power-hungry nervous systems. Research Article: Sarnataro et al. 23:04 The secret messages used to trick peer-review AIResearchers have been sneaking text into their papers designed to trick AI tools into giving them a positive peer-review report. Multiple instances of these prompts have been found, which are typically hidden using white text or an extremely small font invisible to humans. We discuss the rise in this practice and what is being done to tackle it. Video: Could hidden AI prompts game peer review? Nature: Scientists hide messages in papers to game AI peer review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vianet Djenguet is an award-winning wildlife film-maker and camera operator whose work has featured in a number of major nature documentaries. In this podcast, Vianet joins us to talk about his career, how wildlife film-making have changed, and his experiences working with local researchers to capture footage of endangered animals on the new television series The Wild Ones. The Wild Ones Apple TV+ (2025) Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 The past 35,000 years of diseaseAncient DNA evidence shows that the advent of agriculture led to more infectious disease among humans, with pathogens from animals only showing up 6,500 years ago. The DNA, extracted from human teeth, shows the history of diseases present in Eurasia over tens of thousands of years. The approach used could be a powerful way to understand how illness has shaped humanity, but it is unable to detect some bacteria that enter the bloodstream at low concentrations or some viruses, so future work could seek to fill that gap. Research Article: Sikora et al. News: Animal diseases leapt to humans when we started keeping livestock 10:58 Research HighlightsDNA studies confirm that sardines were a major ingredient of the Roman Empire’s favourite fish sauce, and how analysis of animal manure identified global hotspots for antibiotic-resistance genes. Research Highlight: Ancient DNA helps trace stinky Roman fish sauce to its source Research Highlight: Poo of farm animals teems with drug-resistance genes 13:17 Using whale poo to study toxic algae in the ArcticA 19-year experiment sampling bowhead whale faeces reveals a link between warming Arctic waters and increasing levels of toxic algae, researchers say. While climate change is expected to drive increases in the prevalence of harmful algal blooms, long-term data is lacking. To address this, a team worked with indigenous communities to collect and sample whale poo, showing that increases in algal toxins in the Arctic food chain are linked to rising ocean temperatures. The researchers suggest levels of these toxins need to be closely monitored to protect Arctic communities that depend on marine resources for food. Research Article: Lefebvre et al. 24:06 Briefing ChatAn object from beyond our solar system has been spotted zipping past Jupiter, and evidence that Neanderthals created ‘fat factories’ to extract vital nutrients from animal bones. Nature: Neanderthals boiled bones in ‘fat factories’ to enrich their lean diet Nature: Rare find: interstellar visitor seen blazing through our Solar System Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Questions and doubts about vaccines are on the rise worldwide and public-health specialists worry that these trends could worsen. But while the shift in public attitudes towards immunizations can leave scientists, physicians and many others feeling disheartened, a surge of research on vaccine hesitancy is starting to offer ways to address the issue. This is an audio version of our Feature How to speak to a vaccine sceptic: research reveals what works Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Why animals evolve to be imperfect mimicsMany harmless animals mimic dangerous ones to avoid being eaten, but often this fakery is inaccurate. To help explain why evolution sometimes favours imperfect mimicry, a team 3D printed a range of imaginary insects. The novel creatures were designed to mimic wasps with varying degrees of accuracy and the team then presented these models to different predators. They showed that while birds were hard to fool, invertebrate predators were less able to discern between the mimics and accurate wasp models. The results suggest that predator perception plays a key role in the level of accuracy needed to fool them and may help explain the existence of inaccurate mimics in nature. Research article: Taylor et al. News and Views: 3D printing offers a way to study mimicry by insects 12:53 Research HighlightsRitual ‘retirement’ rather than family feud may explain broken statues of a female pharaoh, and how kelp ‘loofahs’ made by killer whales might be the first example of toolmaking by a marine mammal. Research Highlight: The shattered statues of Queen Hatshepsut: the reasons for the wreckage Research Highlight: Killer whales exfoliate each other with home-made scrubbers 15:02 Briefing ChatThe sea slugs that steal chloroplasts to snack on, and the researchers re-enacting a Stone Age sea-voyage. Nature: ‘Wildest thing’: solar-powered slug steals chloroplasts and stores them for emergencies Nature: These scientists re-enacted Stone Age voyage to Japan’s remote islands Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 Is AI-research being co-opted to keep track of people?A significant amount of research in the AI field of computer vision is being used to analyse humans in ways that support the development of surveillance technologies, according to new research. By analysing the contents of thousands of research papers, the team behind the work showed that 90% of studies, and 86% of patents resulting from them, involved data relating to imaging humans. While there are many positive applications for this technology, such as in medical diagnostics, this work shows evidence of a pipeline from computer-vision research to surveillance. Research article: Kalluri et al. News and Views: Computer-vision research is hiding its role in creating ‘Big Brother’ technologies Video: Is AI powering Big Brother? Surveillance research is on the rise News: Wake up call for AI: computer-vision research increasingly used for surveillance Editorial: Don’t sleepwalk from computer-vision research into surveillance 09:38 Research HighlightsA minuscule robot that can manipulate liquid droplets, and the sensors that can identify hydrothermal explosions at Yellowstone National Park. Research Highlight: This tiny robot moves mini-droplets with ease Research Highlight: Sensors pinpoint the exact time of a Yellowstone explosion 12:12 The first images from the world’s largest digital cameraThis week, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has unveiled the first images from its 3,200 megapixel digital camera. We discuss the images, and how the facility will help researchers learn more about the Universe. News: First images from world’s largest digital camera leave astronomers in awe 19:18 Briefing ChatHow scientists created hexanitrogen, a new molecule made of six nitrogen atoms, and the why researchers are excited about the first confirmed skull of an extinct Denisovan. Chemistry World: Most energetic molecule ever made is stable – in liquid nitrogen Nature: First ever skull from ‘Denisovan’ reveals what ancient people looked like Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 The tiny moths that use the stars to navigateBogong moths use the stars to help them navigate during their enormous migration across Australia, according to new research. Every year, billions of these nocturnal moths travel up to 1,000 km to cool caves in the Australian Alps, despite having never been there before. By placing moths in a flight-simulator that also acted as a planetarium, the team behind the work showed that moths could use the bright Milky Way to help them fly in the correct direction. Research article: Dreyer et al. 10:17 Research HighlightsNigeria's pangolins are under threat because their meat is delicious, and how the gravitational pull of other galaxies may prevent the Milky Way colliding with Andromeda. Research Highlight: Why pangolins are poached: they’re the tastiest animal around Research Highlight: A long-predicted cosmic collision might not happen after all 12:37 How humans expanded their habitats before migrating out of AfricaNew research suggests that shortly before modern humans successfully migrated out of Africa, they massively expanded the range of ecosystems they lived in. By combining climate modelling with data from archaeological sites across the African continent, researchers put forward evidence that 70,000 years ago, humans expanded the ecosystems they lived in to include diverse habitat types from forests to deserts. The authors suggest this ability to live in different places may have helped the later humans that migrated out of the continent around 50,000 years ago. Research article: Hallet et al. 21:59 Briefing ChatBlowing bubble-rings could be humpback whales' way of trying to communicate with humans, and the research suggesting that everyone’s breathing pattern is unique. Science Alert: Humpback Whale Bubble Rings May Be an Attempt to Communicate With Us Nature: How you breathe is like a fingerprint that can identify you Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to legend, physicist Werner Heisenberg formulated the mathematics behind quantum mechanics in 1925 while on a restorative trip to the remote North Sea island of Heligoland. To celebrate the centenary of this event, several hundred researchers have descended on the island to take part in a conference on all things quantum physics. Nature reporter Lizzie Gibney was also in attendance, and joined us to give an inside track on the meeting. News: Happy birthday quantum mechanics! I got a ticket to the ultimate physics party Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A flexible neural-implant that grows with the brainResearchers have developed a soft electronic implant that can measure brain activity of amphibian embryos as they develop. Understanding the neural activity of developing brains is a key aim for neuroscientists, but conventional, rigid probes can damage growing brains. To overcome this, a team have developed a flexible mesh that stretches with the brain and tested it by monitoring single neuron activity during development of frog and axolotl embryos. More testing and ethical considerations will be required, but the researchers hope that eventually such implants could help with neurological conditions that affect humans. Research article: Sheng et al. 13:11 Research HighlightsThe exoplanet slowly evaporating into space, and cockatoos that have figured out an innovative way to stay hydrated. Research Highlight: Solved: the mystery of the evaporating planet Research Highlight: Clever cockatoos learn an easy way to quench their thirst 15:30 An AI-based way to repair damaged paintingsBy combining AI tools with mechanical engineering techniques, a researcher has developed a new way to speed up the restoration of damaged paintings. The technique creates a removable mask that can be overlaid onto a painting to cover any damage apparent in the artwork. It was successfully tested on an oil painting, fixing a large number of damaged areas in only a few hours. This could offer a significant speed-boost to painting restoration, which can often take months, or even years. Research article: Kachkine Video: Meet the engineer who invented an AI-powered way to restore art 27:36 Briefing ChatA new ranking system could make it easier to spot universities that are chasing publishing metrics at the expense of rigorous science, and evidence that cutting off rhinos’ horns deters poachers. Nature: ‘Integrity index’ flags universities with high retraction rates AP: Cutting off rhinos’ horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we examine President Donald Trump's calls for NASA to land humans on Mars. Although the White House has proposed spending some US$1 billion in 2026 on Mars plans, critics say the final cost will likely be hundreds of billions of dollars spread over a number of years. This call comes amidst plans to drastically reduce NASA's funding, and the proposed cancelling of dozens of the space agency's missions, including projects to study Earth, Mars and Venus. News: Trump wants to put humans on Mars — here’s what scientists think News: Five key climate and space projects on Trump’s chopping block News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Iron’s role in mice sex determinationIron deficiency in mice mothers can sometimes result in their offspring developing female sex organs despite having male sex genes, according to new research. While genetics has been thought to be the primary factor in determining offspring sex in mammals, the new work shows that a lack of iron disrupts an enzyme involved in the development of testes, leading to some mice with male sex-determining genes being born with female genitalia and ovaries. This suggests that sex determination is controlled by more than genetics, but more work will need to be done to understand the precise mechanisms involved. News: Male mice can grow ovaries if their pregnant mums are iron deficient Research article: Okashita et al. 06:31 Research HighlightsHow climate change is making dust storms more likely, and understanding the genetics of a boy who couldn’t feel pain. Research Highlight: The perfect storm for dust storms, thanks to global warming Research Highlight: CRISPR helps to show why a boy felt no pain 08:51 The role of small-scale fishers in sustainabilityThe contributions that small-scale fishers make to sustainable fishing have been described as ‘invisible’, but now a huge research project has revealed the role this community plays in feeding populations and protecting oceans. Looking at data from 58 countries, researchers have shown that small-scale fishers account for around 40% of the global catch and feed approximately 25% of the world’s population. The people behind the initiative hope that these data can help give a voice to small-scale fishers as people look for ways to feed the world sustainably. Immersive : Small-scale fisheries 19:44 Briefing ChatThe discovery of an ‘ambidextrous’ protein; and why humpback whales, despite their enormous eyes, appear to be shortsighted. Nature: Rare ‘ambidextrous’ protein breaks rules of handedness Discover Magazine: Big Eyes, Blurry Vision: Why Humpback Whales Struggle to See Clearly Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the world looking likely to blow past the temperature targets laid out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a growing number of voices are saying that carbon removal technologies will be necessary if humanity is to achieve its long-term climate goals. If these approaches succeed, they could help nations and corporations to meet their climate commitments — and help the world to halt global warming. However, questions remain about the financial viability of these technologies, and whether they can live up to the hype. This is an audio version of our Feature: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:33 Was a boom in papers driven by AI?A spike in papers formulaically analysing a public data set has sparked worries that AI is being used to generate low quality and potentially misleading analyses. Nature: AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers 08:07 Lenses that give humans infrared visionResearchers in China have created contact lenses that can allow humans to see infrared light, which could help with search and rescue missions, sending secret messages and even surgery. Nature: These contact lenses give people infrared vision — even with their eyes shut 14:17 Does the Earth's core have a leak?Geologists have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that Earth's core is leaking. Rocks from Hawaii were found to contain isotopes of a rare element, which suggests the material originally came from the core. More work will need to be done to rule out other explanations. Nature: Is Earth’s core leaking? Volcanic rocks provide strongest evidence yet Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Treating mosquitoes for malariaResearchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based malaria-control measures, which are losing efficacy in the face of increased resistance. Research article: Probst et al. 10:42 Research HighlightsThe sunlight-powered device that can harvest drinkable water from desert air, and evidence that the world’s richest people are disproportionately responsible for climate impacts. Research Highlight: Atacama sunshine helps to pull water from thin air Research Highlight: The world’s richest people have an outsized role in climate extremes 13:02 The genetics that can lead to pregnancy lossResearchers have found specific genetic mutations that can lead to pregnancy loss. It’s known that errors, such as the duplication of chromosomes, can lead to nonviable pregnancies but less has been known about non-chromosomal genetic errors. The new work identifies DNA sequence changes that can lead to a non-viable pregnancy. This may offer clinicians the ability to screen embryos for these changes to help avoid pregnancy loss. Research article: Arnadottir et al. 22:24 Briefing ChatBespoke CRISPR-based therapy treats baby boy with devastating genetic disease, and the ‘anti-spice’ compounds that can lower chillies’ heat. Nature: World’s first personalized CRISPR therapy given to baby with genetic disease New Scientist: Chemists discover 'anti-spice' that could make chilli peppers less hot Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 An antimatter delivery van takes its first road tripResearchers have developed a portable antimatter containment device and tested it by putting it in a truck and driving it around CERN. Their system could represent a big step forward in efforts to take particles made at CERN’s ‘antimatter factory’ and transport them to other labs, something currently impossible due to antimatter being destroyed upon contact with matter. The team showed the feasibility of their approach by using the system to safely transport particles of matter and are now looking to adapt it to ferry antimatter particles. Research article: Leonhardt et al. 11:45 Research HighlightsHow a tradition of female diving on a South Korean island might have shaped the genomes of the island’s population, and a poison-dart frog that curiously seems to be monogamous. Research Highlight: How Korea’s female divers have adapted to cold plunges Research Highlight: A ‘hidden gem’ of the Amazon is a frog with odd habits 13:46 The mathematics of a near-miss between black holesPhysicists have tackled a longstanding problem in physics — understanding how two black holes gravitationally interact as they fly past each other — which could help with future detections of the gravitational waves that would be created by these events. Rather than repeatedly running expensive computer simulations to approximate the answer to this problem, a team of theorists have come up with a mathematical formula to describe a black hole fly-by, which can be run in a matter of seconds. Their results could be used to identify the tell-tale signatures of these events when they actually occur. Research article: Driesse et al. 22:10 Briefing ChatHow physicists turned lead into gold, for a microsecond and at tremendous cost, and the genetics of the skunk cabbage’s foul odour. Nature: Physicists turn lead into gold — for a fraction of a second Video: Scientists turn lead into gold Nature: How skunk cabbages and other smelly plants brew their foul odour Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we examine recent developments US National Science Foundation, which has seen significant numbers of research grants terminated. In addition, there have been freezes on funding for new grants and any additional money to existing ones. We also discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which calls for disproportionately large cuts to federal science funding. News: Exclusive: NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones News: Trump proposes unprecedented budget cuts to US science News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of HerringSelective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas hundreds of kilometres to the north. Researchers have concluded that too many older fish have been removed from these waters, preventing the knowledge of the best spawning grounds being passed to younger, less experienced fish. This finding shows how human activity can affect animal migration, which could have serious consequences for the delicately balanced ecosystems built around them. Research article: Slotte et al. 10:37 Research HighlightsArchaeologists have identified tools that the ancient Maya may have used for tattooing, and the self-assembling stable structures that may help ‘forever chemicals’ persist in nature. Research Highlight: Tattoo-making tools used by ancient Maya revealed Research Highlight: ‘Forever’ molecules bunch themselves into cell-like structures 13:02 How might AI companions affect users’ mental health?AI companions — apps where humans build relationships with computers — are hugely popular, with millions of people around the world using them. But despite increased social and political attention, research investigating how these systems can affect users has been lacking. We find out about the latest research in this space. News Feature: Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI companions affect our mental health 24:52 Briefing ChatA technique that lets researchers directly edits proteins within living cells, and how a fibre-rich, low-fat diet could help replenish populations of gut microbes ravaged by antibiotics. Nature: Powerful protein editors offer new ways of probing living cells Nature: How to fix a gut microbiome ravaged by antibiotics Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 What will be left of US science after Trump 2.0?100 days into his term, President Donald Trump and his administration have already caused the biggest shakeup in modern scientific history, slashing funding, bringing large swathes of US research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. But many fear these actions are just the beginning. We look at what the long-term impacts of these decisions might be for science in the United States and the world. Nature: Will US science survive Trump 2.0? 13:42 Research HighlightsA distant planet that orbits two stars, at a right angle, and how fringe-lipped bats’ hearing helps them find palatable amphibians. Research Highlight: ‘Tatooine’-like planet orbits two stars ― but at a weird angle Research Highlight: For these bats, eavesdropping is a valuable learnt skill 16:07 Briefing ChatThe first skeletal evidence from bones that Roman gladiators fought lions, and scientists finally pinpoint the genes responsible for three of the pea traits studied by Gregor Mendel. BBC News: Bites on gladiator bones prove combat with lion Nature: Century-old genetics mystery of Mendel’s peas finally solved Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research shows that, over the past two decades, rates of mental illness have been increasing in adolescents in many countries. While some scientists point to soaring use of smartphones and social media as a key driver for this trend, others say the evidence does not show a large effect of these technologies on teenagers’ psychological health. At the heart of the dispute is a large, complex and often conflicting body of research that different researchers interpret in different ways. This has left parents unsure what to do. This is an audio version of our Feature: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:27 Five people see ‘olo’, a brand-new colourUsing a laser system to activate specific eye cells, a team has allowed five study participants to perceive a vibrant blue-greenish hue well outside the natural range of colours seen by humans. Although the setup required to accomplish this feat is currently complicated, this finding could provide more understanding about how the brain perceives colour and could one day help boost the vision of people with colour blindness. Nature News: Brand-new colour created by tricking human eyes with laser 08:30 US regulator greenlights pig-liver transplant trialThe US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first trial to test whether genetically modified pig livers can be used safely to treat people with organ failure. In the initial phase of the trial, four people with severe liver failure will be temporarily connected to an external pig liver that will filter their blood. Participants will then be monitored for a year for safety and changes in liver function. The organs have been genetically modified to make them more compatible with humans. Nature News: Pig livers for people: US regulator greenlights first safety trial 14:08: A chunk of lab-grown chickenUsing a designer ‘circulatory system’, a team of researchers have created what they think is the largest piece of meat grown in the laboratory yet. One of the challenges to producing larger pieces of lab-grown meat has been providing cells with sufficient oxygen and nutrients, something the team’s new setup helps overcome. They used it to grow a chunk of chicken muscle about the size of a nugget, but multiple challenges remain before meat produced in this way could make it to market. Nature News: Winner, winner, lab-made dinner! Team grows nugget-sized chicken chunk Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, and how the names chosen by scientists can help, or hinder, communication with the public. In episode three, we're looking at how the names chosen for concepts in physics can inadvertently send researchers down very specific research avenues while distracting them from others. In this podcast we hear five stories about the importance of names and how much can be lost in translation when physicists try and label the unknown. For a list of sources and music used, please visit the podcast show notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 A potato pangenomeResearchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the team to combine sequences, allowing them to look for subtle differences in between varieties. Research Article: Sun et al. 09:57 Research HighlightsHow ancient DNA analysis revealed that unusually bound medieval books are covered in sealskin, and top quarks and their antimatter counterparts are detected after nuclear smash-ups at the Large Hadron Collider. Research Highlight: Mystery of medieval manuscripts revealed by ancient DNA Research Highlight: Top quarks spotted at mega-detector could reveal clues to early Universe 12:30 The top cited twenty-first century research papersAnalysis from Nature reveals the 25 highest-cited papers published this century and explores why they are breaking records. We hear about the field that got the highest number of papers on the list, and whether any feature in the all-time top citation list. News Feature: Exclusive: the most-cited papers of the twenty-first century News Feature: These are the most-cited research papers of all time News Feature: Science’s golden oldies: the decades-old research papers still heavily cited today 21:47 Briefing ChatRe-analysis of a cosmic collision shows evidence of a planet spiralling into its host star, and how shrugging off lighting strikes gives tonka bean trees an evolutionary edge. Science: Astronomers spot a planetary ‘suicide’ Live Science: Tropical tree in Panama has evolved to kill its 'enemies' with lightning Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomesResearchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers. Research Article: Yoo et al. News and Views: Complete ape genomes offer a close-up view of human evolution News: What makes us human? Milestone ape genomes promise clues 08:47 Research HighlightsHow sunflower stars are evading a mysterious epidemic, and how solar panels made of moon dust could power lunar bases. Research Highlight: Revealed: where rare and giant starfish hide from an enigmatic killer Research Highlight: Solar cells made of Moon dust could power up a lunar base 11:36 How to make a competitive laser-plasma acceleratorAfter decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales. Research article: Winkler et al. 19:55 Briefing ChatA drug that makes blood poisonous to mosquitoes, and how an AI worked out how to solve key challenges in Minecraft by ‘imagining’ solutions. Science Alert: Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison Nature: AI masters Minecraft: DeepMind program finds diamonds without being taught Vote for us in this year's Webby AwardsVote for How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved Vote for What's in a name: Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer's latest book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe dives into the invisible maelstrom of microbial life swirling in the air around us — examining how it helped shape our world, and the implications that breathing it in can have on human health. Carl joined us to discuss historical efforts to show that diseases could spread large distances through the air, the staunch resistance to this idea, and what the rivalry between these two groups meant for public health. Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe Carl Zimmer Dutton (2025) Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we hear the latest on how decisions by the Trump administration are affecting science in the US. Most recently, a purge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership has seen the chiefs of multiple institutes and centres removed from their posts. Plus, after cancelling nearly all NIH projects studying transgender health, the White House has directed the agency to focus on studying “regret” after a person transitions to align their body with their gender identity. News: ‘One of the darkest days’: NIH purges agency leadership amid mass layoffs News: Exclusive: Trump White House directs NIH to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Millimetre-sized pacemaker fits inside syringeResearchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures. This new device is injectable, requires no external power and is controlled using light shone through the skin. The tiny pacemaker has shown promise in animal and heart models, and the team think it could also be used in other situations where electrical stimulation is needed, like the brain. Research Article: Zhang et al. 08:19 Research HighlightsMeasurements show that global warming is causing lakes to lose their oxygen, and a massive, 30-year analysis showing that a diet of plant-rich foods is associated with healthy ageing Research Highlight: Life-giving oxygen is wafting out of lakes worldwide Research Highlight: The best foods for healthy ageing ― and the worst 10:21 Shingles vaccine linked to reduced dementia riskA large-scale population study suggests that getting a shingles vaccine reduces the probability of someone getting dementia by around one-fifth. By taking advantage of the way a shingles vaccine was rolled out in Wales, a team were able to compare dementia outcomes in vaccine-eligible people to those born just a few weeks earlier who were ineligible. Although more tests will be needed to confirm this finding and to understand the mechanisms behind it, the team hope that vaccination against this viral infection could represent a cost-effective way to for preventing or delaying dementia. Research article: Eyting et al. 20:20 Briefing ChatData suggests that racial profiling plays a role in whether someone receives a traffic citation or fine, and studies suggest that paying researchers who review manuscripts could speed up the peer-review process, without affecting the quality of reviews. Ars Technica: Study of Lyft rideshare data confirms minorities get more tickets Nature: Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With money pouring in and an unprecedented level of public attention and excitement, scientists are publishing a steady stream of papers on ways to measure how rapidly a person’s body is declining. However, there are mixed feelings of enthusiasm and apprehension among researchers about efforts to develop tests that measure the impact of ageing on the body, as they are often interpreted and presented without a full reckoning of the uncertainties that plague them. This is an audio version of our Feature: How quickly are you ageing? What molecular ‘clocks’ can tell you about your health Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Newly discovered molecule shows potent antibiotic activityResearchers have identified a new molecule with antibiotic activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria, including those resistant to existing drugs. The new molecule — isolated from soil samples taken from a laboratory technician’s garden — is called lariocidin due to its lasso-shaped structure. The team say that in addition to its potent antibiotic activity, the molecule also shows low toxicity towards human cells, making it a promising molecule in the fight against drug-resistant infections. Research Article: Jangra et al. 09:36 Research HighlightsA reduction in ships' sulfur emissions linked to a steep drop in thunderclouds, and the epic sea-voyage that let iguanas reach Fiji. Research Highlight: Ship-pollution cuts have an electrifying effect: less lightning at sea Research Highlight: Iguanas reached Fiji by floating 8,000 kilometres across the sea 13:54 Assessing the nuances of humans’ biodiversity impacts A huge study analysing data from thousands of research articles has shown that the human impacts on biodiversity are large but are in some cases context dependent. The new study reveals that at larger scales, communities of living things are becoming more similar due to human influence, but at the smaller scale they are becoming more different. "These are generally unwanted effects on biodiversity," says study author Florian Altermatt, "this is one more very strong argument that stopping and reducing these pressures to halt and reverse biodiversity declines is needed." Research article: Keck et al. 21:45 Briefing ChatHow a proposed green-energy facility in Chile could increase light pollution at one of the world’s most powerful telescopes, and how a calving Antarctic iceberg revealed an unseen aquatic ecosystem. Nature: Light pollution threatens fleet of world-class telescopes in Atacama Desert Scientific American: Stunning Antarctic Sea Creatures Discovered after Iceberg Breaks Away Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secureA tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleagues over 12,000 km away. This key allowed scrambled messages to be decrypted — including one containing a picture of the Great Wall of China. The team’s system is drastically smaller and cheaper that previous attempts, and they think it represents a big step towards the creation of a global network of secure, quantum communication. Research Article: Li et al. News: Mini-satellite paves the way for quantum messaging anywhere on Earth 09:53 Research HighlightsHow storms known as ‘atmospheric rivers’ could replenish Greenland’s ice, and a prosthetic hand that can distinguish objects by touch almost as well as a human. Research Highlight: Mega-storm dumps 11 billion tonnes of snow ― and builds up a melting ice sheet Research Highlight: Robotic fingers can tell objects apart by touch 12:27 An AI that gives other AIs helpful feedbackResearchers have created an AI system called TextGrad which can provide written feedback on another AI’s performance. This feedback is interpretable by humans, which could help researchers tweak the incredibly complicated, and sometimes inscrutable models that underpin modern AIs. “Previously optimising machine learning algorithms requires quite a lot of human engineering,” says James Zou, one of the team behind this work, “but with TextGrad, now the AI is able to self-improve to a large extent.” Research Article: Yuksekgonul et al. 20:55 How the Trump administration’s cuts are affecting scienceThe first two months of Donald Trump’s presidency has seen swingeing cuts to US federal funding for research, particularly to research associated with DEI. We hear the latest on these cuts and their impact from reporter Max Kozlov. Nature: ‘My career is over’: Columbia University scientists hit hard by Trump team’s cuts Nature: How the NIH dominates the world’s health research — in charts Nature: ‘Scientists will not be silenced’: thousands protest Trump research cuts Nature: Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 2D metals made using sapphire pressTaking inspiration from industrial forging, researchers have demonstrated a way to squeeze molten metals into atomically-thin layers, creating relatively large flakes of 2D metals. Using a hydraulic press containing two sapphire anvils, a team was able to create sub-nanometer thick sheets of different metals — these sheets had diameters exceeding 0.1 mm, orders of magnitude larger than other methods have achieved. 2D metals have been theorized to possess several useful properties not seen in their larger, 3D counterparts, but have been difficult to make at scale, something this method may help overcome. Research Article: Zhao et al. News and Views: Metals squeezed to thickness of just two atoms 09:36 Research HighlightsThe discovery of ancient puppets on remains of a large pyramid offers a glimpse into rituals in Mesoamerica, and how the presence of a certain pattern of sleep brainwaves might help predict which people will recover from an unresponsive state. Research Highlight: Ancient puppets that smile or scowl hint at shared rituals Research Highlight: Who’s likely to wake up from a coma? Brainwaves provide a clue 12:17 The virology lessons learnt from the COVID pandemicSARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has become one of the most closely examined viruses on the planet. In the five years since the pandemic, over 150,000 articles have been written about it, and 17 million genome sequences have been generated. We discuss the lessons virologists have learnt from this intense study of a single organism, and how these might help the world prepare for future pandemics. News Feature: Four ways COVID changed virology: lessons from the most sequenced virus of all time 23:36 Briefing ChatHow an AI alert-system could help researchers train their telescopes on a neutron star collision, and how expiration dates on plastic food-waste helped biologists age birds’ nests. Nature: How AI could let us watch epic star collisions in real time Science: Plastic waste in bird nests can act like a tiny time capsule Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Ancient humans made bone tools 1.5 million years agoA 1.5-million-year-old cache of animal-bone tools reveals that ancient humans systematically crafted with this material much earlier than previously thought. Researchers uncovered 27 bone artefacts in Tanzania honed into sharp tools almost 40 cm long. This discovery pushes back the dedicated manufacture of bone tools by around a million years and could have helped these early humans develop new kinds of technology. “This raises a lot of interesting questions,” says study author Ignacio de la Torre. Research Article: de la Torre et al. 09:11 Research HighlightsCane toads’ remarkable homing abilities, and evidence that the block of rock that makes up southern Tibet originated in what is now Australia. Research Highlight: Take me home, country toads Research Highlight: Lhasa′s rocks reveal an Australian birthplace 11:45 A trove of antibacterial molecules hidden in human proteinsTo help protect against infection, cells in the body will selectively cut proteins to produce molecules known as antimicrobial peptides, according to new research. A team has found that many potential peptides appear to be locked up within proteins — to get them out, cells shift the activity of a waste-disposal system called the proteasome, known for its role in protein degradation and recycling. In tests, one of these peptides showed efficacy at protecting mice from infection, indicating that these molecules could one day have therapeutic potential. Research Article: Goldberg et al. News and Views: Protein waste turned into antibiotics as a defence strategy of human cells 21:08 Briefing ChatAn update on two missions heading to the Moon to look for water, and why fears that a crucial ocean-current system will collapse in the face of climate change may be incorrect. Nature: Meet the ice-hunting robots headed for the Moon right now Nature: Iconic ocean-current system is safe from climate collapse ― for now Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past two decades, research has emerged showing that opportunities for risky play are crucial for children's healthy physical, mental and emotional development. However, because play is inherently free-form it has been difficult to study. Now, scientists are using innovative approaches, including virtual reality, to probe the benefits of risky play, and how best to promote it. This is an audio version of our Feature: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 A ‘smart’ way to quickly detect cardiac arrestGoogle researchers have developed an AI for a smartwatch that will call for help if its wearer is having a cardiac arrest. Trained, in part, on data gained when patients had their hearts deliberately stopped during a medical procedure, the team’s machine learning algorithm can automatically detect the telltale signs of cardiac arrest. The team think this system could save lives, although more testing is required. "Our hope is that as these capabilities expand it provides a new way to keep people safer,” says Jake Sunshine, one of the researchers behind the study. Research Article: Shah et al. 09:15 Research HighlightsEvidence that a low dose of yellow fever vaccine might be enough to provide lasting immunity, and the odd umbrella-shaped tree fossil that suggests that early plants may have been more complex than previously thought. Research Article: Kimathi et al. Research Article: Gastaldo et al. 11:10 Briefing ChatMicrosoft’s new AI that helps create video game ‘worlds’, and why dogs blink more when other dogs do the same. Nature: Microsoft builds AI that creates ‘impressive’ video-game worlds Science: Dogs, like people, may use blinking to bond Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

01:14 A simple switch to reduce racist ratingsA study of almost 70,000 ratings showed that racial discrimination could be eliminated from an online platform by switching from a five-star rating system to a thumbs up or down. The platform connected customers to workers who performed home repair jobs, and prior to the shift people categorised by the study authors as ‘non-white’ had lower ratings and got paid less than their white counterparts. Through follow up studies the authors also showed that the five-star system allowed people to impart their personal opinions, whereas a thumbs up or down just focused them on whether a job was good or bad. The team hopes this could be an easy-to-implement shift to tackle racial discrimination. Research Article: Botelho et al. News and Views: Racial bias eliminated when ratings switch from five stars to thumbs up or down 11:24 Research HighlightsExperimental evidence that cockatoos like flavouring their food, and the harsh climate of sixteenth century Transylvania. Research Highlight: Gourmet cockatoos like to fancy up their food Research Highlight: Transylvanian diaries reveal centuries-old climate extremes 14:05 An analysis of retraction hotspotsA Nature investigation has revealed where the most retractions come from, with hospitals in China and institutions in India and Pakistan topping the list. Retractions are a normal part of science and may be a sign of necessary scrutiny, but they can also signal misconduct and use of paper mills. Features Editor Richard Van Noorden joins us to discuss what this means for science and tackling sloppy research. Nature: Exclusive: These universities have the most retracted scientific articles 22:43 Briefing ChatLayoffs in the US’s Environmental Protection Agency, reactions to the DEI purge at NASA, and what RFK Jr.’s role as secretary of Health and Human Services could mean for health research. Nature: ‘Targeted and belittled’: scientists at US environmental agency speak out as layoffs begin Nature: NASA embraced diversity. Trump’s DEI purge is hitting space scientists hard Nature: Vaccine sceptic RFK Jr is now a powerful force in US science: what will he do? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 An elusive, cosmic neutrino with a record-breaking energyAn enormous array of detectors, deep under the Mediterranean Sea, has captured evidence of the highest-energy neutrino particle ever recorded, although researchers aren’t sure exactly where in the cosmos it originated. Calculations revealed this particle had over 30 times the energy of previously detected neutrinos. The team hopes that further study and future detections will help reveal the secrets of high-energy phenomena like supernovae. Research Article: The KM3NeT Collaboration 11:34 Research HighlightsHow bonobos adjust their communication to account for what other individuals know, and the discovery of a huge collection of beads adorning the attire of the powerful Copper Age women in Spain. Research Highlight: Bonobos know when you’re in the know ― and when you’re not Research Highlight: Record-setting trove of buried beads speaks to power of ancient women 14:15 US judge puts NIH grant cuts on holdA judge has blocked a policy that would have slashed billions of dollars of funding for US research institutions, which come as part of President Donald Trump’s controversial crackdown on government spending. We discuss the reasoning behind the proposed cuts and the impacts they may have if enacted. We also look at the effects that President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and funding are having across the US. Nature: ‘Devastating’ cuts to NIH grants by Trump’s team put on hold by US judge Nature: Have Trump’s anti-DEI orders hit private funders? HHMI halts inclusive science programme Nature: Scientists globally are racing to save vital health databases taken down amid Trump chaos 25:50 Briefing ChatWhy the latest odds on asteroid 2024 YR4’s chance of impacting Earth are so hard to calculate, and how the latest version of DeepMind's AlphaGeometry AI has reached the gold-medal level in geometry. New York Times: Why the Odds of an Asteroid Striking Earth in 2032 Keep Going Up (and Down) Nature: DeepMind AI crushes tough maths problems on par with top human solvers Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 2 of 'What's in a name' we look how choosing names can help, or hinder, attempts to communicate important messages. Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. In our series What’s in a name we explore naming in science and how names impact the world — whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, or even how the names of scientific concepts can drive the direction of research itself. In episode two, we're looking at how the names chosen by scientists help, or hinder, communication with the public. Well chosen names can quickly convey scientific concepts or health messages — in emergency situations they can even save lives. We'll hear how the systems of naming tropical storms and Covid-19 variants came to be, and how they took different approaches to achieve the same outcome. We'll also consider the language used to talk about climate change, and how the ways of describing it have been used to deliberately introduce uncertainty and confusion. Listen to the first episode Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals For a list of sources please visit the the episode's webpage Music credits Premiumaudio/Pond5 Richard Smithson/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 How arithmetic skills don’t transfer between applied and academic environmentsMathematics skills learnt in real-world situations may not translate to the classroom and vice versa, according to a new study. A team surveyed children in India who work in markets, to see whether the skills they learnt there transferred to the classroom. While proficient at solving market-based arithmetic problems, they struggled to solve problems typically used in schools. The reverse was seen for children enrolled in schools with no market-selling experience. The authors hope this finding could help adjust teaching curricula and bridge the gap between intuitive and formal maths. Research Article: Banerjee et al. 12:38 Research HighlightsWolverine populations rebound in Sweden and Norway, and why wobbly arrows launch faster than rigid ones. Research Highlight: Who’s the new furry neighbour? It might be a wolverine Research Highlight: How a wobbly arrow can achieve superpropulsion 14:59 The unexpected movements seen in super-dense crowdsA study has revealed that when packed crowds reach a certain density, large groups of people suddenly start to move in circular patterns — a finding that could be used to identify dangerous overcrowding. By assessing footage of the densely-packed San Fermín festival, a team observed this spontaneous phenomenon, and modelled the physics underlying it. Studying the movements of giant crowds has been difficult, and the team hope this work could help event organisers to identify and respond to situations where people could get hurt. Research Article: Gu et al. News and Views: Crowds start to spin when their densities hit a threshold Sound effects: Crowd Cheering - Ambience by GregorQuendel via CC BY 4.0 Cupinzano sounds by Europa Press - Footage News via Getty Images 24:00 Briefing ChatAn update on the US National Science Foundation’s scrutinizing of grants to comply with President Trump’s directives, and why scratching an itch may have unexpected antibacterial properties. Nature: Exclusive: how NSF is scouring research grants for violations of Trump’s orders Nature: Why it feels good to scratch that itch: the immune benefits of scratching Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The explosive improvement in artificial intelligence (AI) technology has largely been driven by making neural networks bigger and training them on more data. But experts suggest that the developers of these systems may soon run out of data to train their models. As a result, teams are taking new approaches, such as searching for other unconventional data sources, or generating new data to train their AIs. This is an audio version of our Feature: The AI revolution is running out of data. What can researchers do? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Evidence of ancient brine reveals Bennu’s watery pastAnalysis of samples taken from the asteroid Bennu reveal the presence of organic compounds important for life, and that its parent asteroid likely contained salty, subsurface water. Collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, these rocks and dust particles give insights into the chemistry of the early Solar System, and suggest that brines may have been an important place where pre-biotic molecules were formed. As brines are found throughout the Solar System, this finding raises questions about whether similar molecules will be found in places like Jupiter’s moon Europa. Research Article: McCoy et al. Research Article: Glavin et al. News: Asteroid fragments upend theory of how life on Earth bloomed 14:22 Research HighlightsHow seaweed farms could capture carbon, and why chimps follow each other to the bathroom. Research Highlight: Seaweed farms dish up climate benefits Research Highlight: All together now: chimps engage in contagious peeing 16:31 How maize may have supported a civilizationResearchers have found evidence of intensive maize agriculture that could help explain how a mysterious South American society produced enough food to fuel a labour-force big enough to build enormous earth structures. It appears that the Casarabe people, who lived in the Amazon Basin around 500-1400 AD, restructured the landscape to create water conserving infrastructure that allowed for year-round production of maize. While this work provides new insights into how the Casarabe may have established a complex monument-building culture, these people vanished around 600 years ago, and many questions remain about their lives. Research Article: Lombardo et al. Research Article: Hermenegildo et al. 25:52 DeepSeek R1 wows scientistsA new AI model from a Chinese company, DeepSeek, rivals the abilities of OpenAI’s o1 — a state-of-the art ‘reasoning’ model — at a fraction of the cost. The release of DeepSeek has thrilled researchers, asked questions about American AI dominance in the area, and spooked stock markets. We discuss why this large language model has sent shockwaves around the world and what it means for the future of AI. News: China’s cheap, open AI model DeepSeek thrills scientists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:56 How the paths to professorship varyA huge analysis of hiring practices has revealed that criteria to get a promotion to full professorship is hugely variable around the world. The authors suggest that this variability results in researchers from countries that value one type of metric being locked out of professor positions in others. They hope that the database of hiring practices created in this study could help institutions adjust their hiring policies to create a more diverse science workforce. Research Article: Lim et al. News: Want to become a professor? Here’s how hiring criteria differ by country 09:36 Research HighlightsLasers reveal hidden tattoos on ancient mummified-skin, and a new pill that cuts flu symptoms and viral levels in the body. Research Highlight: Hidden tattoos on mummy skin emerge under a laser’s light Research Highlight: Got flu? Promising drug shortens symptoms 12:13 Cancer cells’ broken mitochondria could poison immune cellsResearchers have shown that cancer cells can slip their dysfunctional mitochondria into T cells, limiting the immune system’s cancer-fighting capabilities. Cancer cells are known to steal healthy mitochondria from immune cells to help tumours survive and thrive. Now, researchers have shown mitochondria can move in the opposite direction too, with the donor T cells showing signs of various stress responses that make them less effective when inside a tumour. The team showed that blocking this transfer limited this effect, and hopes that this mechanism could offer a new avenue for boosting the immune system’s response to cancer. Research Article: Ikeda et al. News & Views: Mitochondrial swap from cancer to immune cells thwarts anti-tumour defences 21:12 Science and the Gaza conflictNoah Baker and Ehsan Masood turn to the war in Gaza, and discuss what comes next for science as a ceasefire comes into force. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Designing new antivenoms to treat snakebites Researchers have shown that machine learning can quickly design antivenoms that are effective against lethal snake-toxins, which they hope will help tackle a serious public health issue. Thousands of people die as a result of snakebites each year, but treatment options are limited, expensive and often difficult to access in the resource-poor settings where most bites occur. The computer-aided approach allowed researchers to design two proteins that provided near total protection against individual snake toxins in mouse experiments. While limited in scope, the team behind the work believe these results demonstrate the promise of the approach in designing effective and cheaper treatments for use in humans. Research Article: Vázquez Torres et al. 11:28 Research HighlightsHow male wasp spiders use hairs on their legs to sniff out mates, and how noradrenaline drives waves of cleansing fluid through the brain. Research Highlight: ​​​​​​​Male spiders smell with their legs Research Highlight: ​​​​​​​How the brain cleans itself during deep sleep 13:53 Earth breaches 1.5 °C climate limit for the first timeNews broke last week that in 2024, Earth’s average temperature climbed to more than 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. Although this is only a single year so far, we discuss what breaking this significant threshold means for the 2015 Paris climate agreement and what climate scientists understand about the speed that Earth is heating up.   Nature: ​​​​​​​Earth breaches 1.5 °C climate limit for the first time: what does it mean? 23:39 Briefing ChatNASA delays deciding its strategy for collecting and returning Mars rocks to Earth, and why papers on a handful of bacterial species dominate the scientific literature. Nature: ​​​​​​​NASA still has no plan for how to bring precious Mars rocks to Earth Nature: ​​​​​​​These are the 20 most-studied bacteria — the majority have been ignored Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on some science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing. 00:53 The retraction of a controversial COVID study that promoted unproven treatmentA much-critiqued study demonstrating the now-disproven idea that hydroxychloroquine can treat COVID-19 has been retracted — more than four-and-a-half years after it was published. Nature: Controversial COVID study that promoted unproven treatment retracted after four-year saga 09:10 The skin’s unexpected immune systemResearchers have discovered that healthy skin — once thought to be a passive barrier — can actually produce antibodies that fight off infections. It’s hoped that the finding could one day lead to the development of needle-free vaccines that can be applied to the skin. Nature: The skin’s ‘surprise’ power: it has its very own immune system 13:02 Researchers fear Europa’s icy crust may be much thicker than thoughtNew estimates, based on data collected by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, suggest that the ice on the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa may be significantly thicker than previously thought. If these estimates prove accurate it could reduce the chances of Europa being habitable for extraterrestrial life. Science: Surprisingly thick ice on Jupiter’s moon Europa complicates hunt for life 20:11 Modelling the running prowess of our ancient relatives3D computer simulations of Australopithecus afarensis — an ancient hominin that lived more than three million years ago — reveals that while our relatives could run on two legs, they likely did so at a far slower pace than modern humans. Nature: Humans evolved for distance running — but ancestor ‘Lucy’ didn’t go far or fast Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2025. We’ll hear about: the latest Moon missions, 30 years of the United Nations' COP climate summits, the return of Donald Trump, and more. Nature: Science in 2025: the events to watch for in the coming year Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marc Abrahams created the Ig Nobel prizes in 1991, after years of collecting examples of weird research that he included in the Journal of Irreproducible Results. The aim of these satirical awards is to honour achievements that “make people laugh, then think”. While the initial response from the scientific community was mixed, last year the prize received more than 9,000 nominations. Several researchers who have won an ‘Ig’ say that it has improved their careers by helping them to reach wider audiences, and spend more time engaging with the public about their work. This is an audio version of our Feature: How a silly science prize changed my career Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:36 How melting ice is affecting global timekeeping Nature Podcast: 27 March 2024 Research article: Agnew 09:19 Sex and gender discussions don't need to be toxic Podcast extra: 01 May 2024 Collection: Sex and gender in science 18:10 Research Highlights Research Highlight: How to train your crocodile Research Highlight: Ancient fish dined on bats — or died trying 21:09 ChatGPT has a language problem — but science can fix it Podcast extra: 09 August 2024 26:59 A simple solution to tackle a deadly frog disease Nature Podcast: 03 July 2024 Research Article: Waddle et al. News and Views: Mini saunas save endangered frogs from fungal disease 39:57 Briefing Chat 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

02:54 The death star moon and a win for the little guysThe shifting orbit of one of Saturn’s moons indicates that the satellite has a subsurface ocean, contradicting theories that its interior is entirely solid. The finding calls for a fresh take on what constitutes an ocean moon. Nature Podcast: 14 February 2024 News and Views: Mimas’s surprise ocean prompts an update of the rule book for moons 07:05 Could red mud make green steel?Millions of tonnes of ‘red mud’, a hazardous waste of aluminium production, are generated annually. A potentially sustainable process for treating this mud shows that it could become a source of iron for making steel. Nature Podcast: 24 Jan 2024 News and Views: Iron extracted from hazardous waste of aluminium production 12:09 A hierarchy of failureA design principle for buildings incorporates components that can control the propagation of failure by isolating parts of the structure as they fail — offering a way to prevent a partial collapse snowballing into complete destruction. Nature podcast: 15 May 2024 Nature video: Controlled failure: The building designed to limit catastrophe News and Views: Strategic links save buildings from total collapse 17:57 Programable enzyme for genpme editingRNA-guided recombinase enzymes have been discovered that herald a new chapter for genome editing — enabling the insertion, inversion or deletion of long DNA sequences at user-specified genome positions. News and Views: Programmable RNA-guided enzymes for next-generation genome editing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

01:11 “Ozempic you’re able”In the first of our annual festive songs celebrating the science of the past year, we pay homage to Ozempic, or Semaglutide, that's able to tackle obesity, diabetes and potentially a whole lot more. 05:20 A very scientific quizWe gather an all-star cast and see how well they can remember some of the big science stories from 2024 in our annual festive quiz. 21:31 “CAR T Cells”In the second of our festive songs, we look at CAR-T cells. These engineered immune cells have shown great promise at tackling cancer, but these treatments are not without their drawbacks. 25:43 Nature’s 10Every year, Nature’s 10 highlights some of the people who have helped shape science over the past 12 months. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2024 list, including an economist who now needs to run a country, a Russian science-sleuth, a researcher who’s been sounding the alarm on Mpox, and a PhD student who won a salary bump for researchers in Canada. News Feature: Nature’s 10 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences — unintended or otherwise. In our new series What’s in a name we’ll explore naming in science and how names impact the world — whether that’s how the names of storms impact public safety, how the names of diseases impact patient care, or even how the names of scientific concepts can drive the direction of research itself. In this first episode we’re looking at species names. The modern system of species naming began in the 1700s and has played a vital role in standardizing academic communication, ensuring that scientists are on the same page when they talk about an organism. However, this system is not without its issues. For example, there has been much debate around whether species with names considered offensive — such as those named after historical racists — should be changed, and what rule changes need to be made to allow this to happen. We speak to researchers about the history of this naming system, how it’s applied and how it might evolve in the face of growing pressures. Sources For a full list of sources, please visit https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-04200-9 Music credits Premiumaudio/Pond5 Alon Marcus/Pond5 Groove Committee/Pond5 Opcono/Pond5 Erik Mcnerny/Pond5 Earless Pierre/Pond5 Richard Smithson/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images ​​​​​​​Douglas Romayne/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Sound effects via Pond5 Thick-billed Longspur/​​​​​​​Andrew Spencer via ​​​​​​​CC BY-NC-ND 2.5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A potential treatment for pre-eclampsiaResearchers have shown in mice experiments that an mRNA-based therapy can reverse the underlying causes of pre-eclampsia, a deadly complication of pregnancy for which treatment options are limited. Inspired by the success of mRNA vaccines, the team behind the work designed a method to deliver the genomic instructions for a blood-vessel growth factor directly into mouse placentas. This stimulated the production of extra blood vessels reducing the very high-blood pressure associated with the condition. Pre-eclampsia causes 15% of maternal deaths and 25% of foetal and newborn deaths worldwide and although the work is early and human trials will be required, the team hope that this work demonstrates the potential of using this approach to treat pre-eclampsia. Research Article: Swingle et al. 11:00 Research HighlightsStacks of, mass-produced bowls suggest that people founded, but then abandoned an ancient Mesopotamian civilization, and analysis of Venus’s gases suggests that the planet was always dry. Research Highlight: Ancient stacks of dishes tell tale of society’s dissolution Research Highlight: Has Venus ever had an ocean? Its volcanoes hint at an answer 13:29 Programmable cellular switchesA team of scientists have created cellular switches on the surface of cells, allowing them to control their behaviour. Creating these switches has been a long-term goal for synthetic biologists — especially a group of proteins called G-protein-coupled receptors that already control many cellular processes. However, engineering these proteins has been challenging, as modifications can ruin their function. Instead, the team added another molecular component that blocked the receptors activity, but could be removed in response to specific signals. This allowed the researchers to activate these receptors on command, potentially opening up a myriad of new ways to control cell behaviour, such as controlling when neurons fire. Research Article: Kalogriopoulos et al. 19:35 Google reaches a milestone in quantum computingA team at Google has shown it is possible to create a quantum computer that becomes more accurate as it scales up, a goal researchers have been trying to achieve for decades. Quantum computing could potentially open up applications beyond the capabilities of classical computers, but these systems are error-prone, making it difficult to scale them up without introducing errors into calculations. The team showed that by increasing the quality of all the components in a quantum computer they could create a system with fewer errors, and that this trend of improvement continued as the system became larger. This breakthrough could mean that quantum computers are getting very close to realising the useful applications that their proponents have long promised. Nature: ‘A truly remarkable breakthrough’: Google’s new quantum chip achieves accuracy milestone Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoologist Arik Kershenbaum has spent his career studying animals and how they communicate in the wild. In his book Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication, Arik takes a deep dive into the various forms of communication, from wolf howls to gibbon songs, to look at how different species get their points across, why they do it the way they do, and what insights they provide into our own use of language. Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication Arik Kershenbaum Penguin (2024) Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Wolf howl via NPS & MSU Acoustic Atlas/Jennifer Jerrett Slowed down dolphin whistle via Arik Kershenbaum Hyrax song via Arik Kershenbaum Pileated gibbon song via Rushenb CC BY-SA 4.0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 Chemotherapy efficacy varies with the menstrual cycleBreast cancer cells are more susceptible to chemotherapy at certain points in the menstrual cycle, new data in Nature suggests. Researchers studied the equivalent hormonal cycle in mice and found that during the oestrous phase, where progesterone levels are low, tumours are more susceptible to chemotherapy. The same effect was shown in humans in a small retrospective study. The team caution that a larger clinical trial would need to be conducted, but hope that this work could open up an, easy to implement, way to boost the effect of chemotherapy. Research Article: Bornes et al. News and Views: What is the best time of the month to treat breast cancer? 09:22 Research HighlightsHow coffee changes your gut microbiota, and the first amber deposits found in Antarctica hint at an ancient rainforest. Research Highlight: Do you drink coffee? Ask your gut Research Highlight: Antarctica’s first known amber whispers of a vanished rainforest 11:47 Is human-level artificial intelligence close?The latest AI system released by OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, is better able to break down problems into smaller chunks, making it closer to a human way of solving problems than other systems. This has reignited discussions about the likelihood of AIs achieving human-level intelligence. Although previously the realm of science fiction, researchers are now taking the idea of ‘artificial general intelligence’, or AGI, more seriously. Although this technology has the potential to help tackle humanity's biggest challenges, there are concerns about the safety of such technology if it were to become autonomous. News Feature: How close is AI to human-level intelligence? 21:43 Briefing ChatHow making a bank of centenarians’ stem cells could help unlock the secrets of healthy ageing, and what some 1.5 million year old footprints reveal about how ancient hominin species may have interacted. Nature: What’s the secret to living to 100? Centenarian stem cells could offer clues Nature: These two ancient human relatives crossed paths 1.5 million years ago Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI tools that help researchers design new proteins have resulted in a boom in designer molecules. However, these proteins are being churned out faster than they can be made and tested in labs. To overcome this, multiple protein-design competitions have popped up, with the aim of sifting out the functional from the fantastical. But while contests have helped drive key scientific advances in the past, it's unclear how to identify which problems to tackle and how best to select winners objectively. This is an audio version of our Feature: AI has dreamt up a blizzard of new proteins. Do any of them actually work? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:50 Fossilised faeces give news insights into dinosaurs’ diets and riseA huge collection of fossilised digestive contents has provided clues as to how dinosaurs grew to become the dominant animals on the planet. Why these animals rose to dominance has been unclear, with one theory proposing that a chance event wiped out other species, whereas another suggests that dinosaurs had adaptations that better allowed them to thrive. By analysing over 500 vomit and faeces fossils, researchers have better identified what dinosaurs ate, and their interactions with other animals. The new work suggests both of these theories are correct, with dinosaurs benefiting from one or the other at different points in time. The researchers believe this work demonstrates how useful fossilised food contents are for understanding these ancient creatures. Research Article: Qvarnström et al. News and Views: Wastes of time — faeces and vomit track how dinosaurs rose to prominence News: Fossilized poo and vomit shows how dinosaurs rose to rule Earth 10:05 Research HighlightsBacteria found on an asteroid actually came from Earth, and why play helps chimps to cooperate. Research Highlight: Bacteria found on a space rock turn out to be Earth-grown Research Highlight: Chimps tickle and wrestle in play to pave the way for teamwork 12:46 A commensal fungus found in mouse gutsBy testing mice across the United States, researchers have identified a fungus that is well adapted to living in the gastrointestinal tracts of mice, an important step in modelling the role these microorganisms play in the body. Fungi are known to be a constituent of the gut microbiome, but very little is known about what they do. Now, a team has identified that the fungus Kazachstania pintolopesii is likely a long-term resident of mice guts, which they hope will allow them to study how these microbes interact with the immune system, and the role they play in host defence and allergies. Research Article: Liao et al. 21:57 The key takeaways from COP29The United Nations annual climate change conference, COP29, finished last week. Largely the discussions revolved around climate finance — the idea that wealthier countries who have benefitted most from past carbon emissions should pay to help poorer, vulnerable countries adapt to the effects of climate change. Although a last minute agreement was hammered out at the conference, not everyone was happy with the text and promised actions. We discuss this and the other key outcomes of COP29. Nature: Is the COP29 climate deal a historic breakthrough or letdown? Researchers react Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A squid-inspired device for needle-free drug deliveryInspired by squids’ ability to shoot ink, a team of researchers have developed swallowable devices that can deliver tiny jets of drugs directly into the gut lining, circumventing the need for needles. Previous studies have shown that most people prefer to take medication in pill form, rather than as an injection, but many drugs are degraded as they pass through the digestive system. The team’s new swallowable devices overcome this issue, and deliver drugs directly to where they need to be. So far, this approach has shown efficacy in animal models, but more work needs to be done to ensure their safety in humans. Research Article: Arrick et al. 10:50 Research HighlightsThe largest ‘terror bird’ fossil ever found, and a simple solution to help prevent premature births. Research Highlight: Huge carnivorous ‘terror bird’ rivalled the giant panda in size Research Highlight: Reducing pregnancy risk could be as easy as chewing gum 12:52 A milder way to break down ‘forever chemicals’.Two papers describe how light-activated catalysts could be used to break down toxic ‘forever chemicals’, hinting at a new way to clean up pollution caused by these persistent compounds. Forever chemicals contain multiple carbon-fluorine bonds that give them useful physical properties, but these bonds are some of the strongest in organic chemistry, making these compounds energetically difficult to break down. The new, light-based methods demonstrate low-energy ways to sever these bonds, a milestone that could make forever chemicals less permanent. Research Article: Zhang et al. Research Article: Liu et al. News and Views: Catalysts degrade forever chemicals with visible light 21:04 Briefing ChatAnalysis of far-side soil highlights the Moon’s turbulent past, and how CRISPR can help make sweeter tomatoes. Nature: First rocks returned from Moon’s far side reveal ancient volcanic activity CNN: Findings from the first lunar far side samples raise new questions about the moon’s history Nature: CRISPR builds a big tomato that’s actually sweet Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 The role of skull bone marrow in ageingDuring 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. 08:56 Research HighlightsElderly 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 11:38 How to make lead a useful material to date the Solar SystemResearchers 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. 19:51 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Orbital Samantha Harvey Vintage (2024) Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Mitochondria divide their labour to help cells thriveResearchers 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 07:53 Research HighlightsA 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 10:41 A smashing way to snapshot an atomic nuclei’s shapePhysicists 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 19:51 Briefing ChatAnalysing 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. 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 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 The great fish pain debate Politicization of mask wearing Masks work Donald Trump used a quote from Anthony Fauci to falsely suggest Fauci approved of his actions in the pandemic 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 Smart Citizens, Smarter State: The Technologies of Expertise and the Future of Governing, by Beth Simone Noveck 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'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’s History Nature’s Mission statement Nature editorial on covering politics Making “Nature”, by Melinda Baldwin Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as if It Was Produced by People with Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority, by Steven Shapin David Edgerton’s writing on the history of science and politics in the Guardian The received wisdom podcast with Shobita Parthasarathy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 Rebuilding mental health after the floodsResearchers 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 13:48 Research HighlightsA 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 16:54 What are your thoughts on the US election?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 27:07 Briefing ChatThe 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 The hidden cities of UzbekistanResearchers 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 09:32 Research HighlightsHow 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 12:06 Watermarking AI-generated textA 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 22:38 Briefing ChatWhat 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 An unusual γ-ray producing microquasarA 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 09:27 Research HighlightsThe 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 12:08 A ‘smart’ insulin-molecule that could lower hypoglycaemia riskResearchers 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 20:33 Briefing ChatAncient 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:55 Graphene TongueResearchers 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. 09:22 Research HighlightsA 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 11:32 How migrating salmon move nutrients and contaminants at a continental scaleStudies 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 23:19 Nobel NewsFlora 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Physicists spot new types of high-energy radiation in thunderstormsPhysicists 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 10:00 Research HighlightsAncient 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 12:09 A complete wiring diagram of the fruit fly brainResearchers 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 22:16 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Unravelling why children with Down’s syndrome are at a higher risk of leukaemiaChildren 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 11:47 Research HighlightsHow 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 14:12 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 The biggest black hole jets ever seenAstronomers 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. 09:44 Research HighlightsThe 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 12:26 A sustainable, one-step method for alloy productionMaking 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. 25:29 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to the Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 What ancient DNA has revealed about Rapa Nui’s pastAncient 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 17:03 Research HighlightsThe 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 19:29 A macabre parasite of adult fruit fliesDespite 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. 32:04 Briefing ChatHow 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Why a 'nuclear clock' is now within researchers’ reachResearchers 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 10:10 Research HighlightsThe 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 12:11 How engineered immune cells could help limit damage after spinal injuryBy 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. 20:36 Briefing ChatHow 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? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:31 Chatbots makes racist judgements on the basis of dialectResearch 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 07:01 How ancient engineers built a megalithic structureThe 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 12:28 Spider makes fireflies flash as baitOrb-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 16:35 The physics of paper cutsBy 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Old AIs can’t learn new tricksAn 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 08:55 Research HighlightsTo 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 11:20 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 The mystery of Stonehenge’s Altar StoneStonehenge’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 12:12 Research HighlightsHow 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 14:13 A new way to break bondsChemists 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 Plant trait diversity in drylandsA 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. 08:25 Research HighlightsButterflies 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 10:59 The Great Barrier Reef is the hottest it’s been for centuriesAn 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 18:56 ‘Publish or Perish’ becomes a card gameMost 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Increasing the energy efficiency of light-based computersComputer 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 10:36 Research HighlightsThe 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 13:02 What researchers know about H5N1 influenza in cowsThe 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. 22:38 Briefing ChatNASA’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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 A rapid way to identify serious bacterial infectionsA 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. 11:49 Research HighlightsThe 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 14:22 AIs fed AI-generated text start to spew nonsenseWhen 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. 25:49 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

01:04 A gel to safely transport proteinsA 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 08:51 Research HighlightsHow 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 11:24 Making a plastic biodegradableBy 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. 19:53 Briefing ChatThis 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 In situ editing of the gut microbiomeResearchers 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. 06:56 Research HighlightsThe 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 08:46 How is bone health maintained during breastfeeding?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. 17:55 Briefing ChatThis 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 Searching for dark matter in black holesResearchers 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. 09:42 Research HighlightsHow 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 12:39 A simple, solution to tackle a deadly frog diseaseA 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 20:06 Briefing ChatThis 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify YouTube Music or your favourite podcast app. An RSS feed for Nature Podcast is available too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:31 How open are ‘open source’ AI systems?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 06:12 Why longer freight trains are more prone to derailmentIn 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 11:44 How historic wheat could give new traits to current cropsGenes 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How light touches are sensed during sex150 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 07:03 Research HighlightsAstronomers 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 09:21 How fish detect the source of soundIt’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. 20:30: Briefing ChatAncient 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? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 Short-haul spaceflight's effect on the human body.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 12:13 Research HighlightsResearchers 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 14:55 The benefits of working from home, some of the timeA 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 25:50: Briefing ChatGermany 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and Robotics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Making a molecular Bose-Einstein condensateFor 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 9:57 How deplatforming affects the spread of social media misinformationThe 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 20:14: Briefing ChatA 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:25 What the rise of AI language models means for robotsCompanies 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? 16:09 How the cockroach became a ubiquitous pestGenetic 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 20:26: Rare element inserted into chemical 'complex' for the first timePromethium 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 The neuroscience of fentanyl addictionResearch 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. 09:16 Research HighlightsHow 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 11:36: Briefing ChatWhy 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 A recyclable 3D printing resin from an unusual sourceMany 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 10:05 Research HighlightsHow 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 12:27 To learn how to make safe structures researchers... destroyed a buildingMany 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 23:20: Briefing ChatAn 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 A nuclear timekeeper that could transform fundamental-physics research.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’ 10:34 Research HighlightsWhy 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 13:48 AlphaFold gets an upgradeDeepmind’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. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Using genomics to explain geographic differences in cancer riskThe 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 07:46 Research HighlightsResearch 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 09:55 How disrupting a male mouse’s microbiome affects its offspringDisruption 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 17:23 Briefing ChatAn 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Optical clocks at seaOptical 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 09:34 Research HighlightsEvidence 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 11:52 How marsupial gliding membranes evolvedSeveral 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 19:22 Briefing ChatHow 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, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Mysterious methane emission from a cool brown dwarfThe 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. 10:44 Research HighlightsThe 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 13:07 How working memory worksWorking 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 22:31 Briefing ChatThe 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Mapping ‘ghost roads’ in tropical forestsAcross 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. 10:44 Research HighlightsHow 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 13:02 Briefing ChatA 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:35 Pregnancy advances your ‘biological’ age — but giving birth turns it backGrowing 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 08:07 Bird gestures to say 'after you'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 13:34 The carbon cost of home-grown vegResearch 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 20:29 A look at next week's total eclipseOn 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 01:28 Inflammation’s role in memoryHow 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 08:40 Research HighlightsThe 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 11:14 How melting ice is affecting global timekeepingDue 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 20:04 Briefing ChatAn 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, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. 00:48 How mysterious skyrmions could power next-generation computersSkyrmions 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 07:51 Research HighlightsHow 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 10:01 AI identifies X factor hidden within zebra finch songsMale 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 20:04 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Making a map of the human heartThe 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 08:37 Research HighlightsResidue 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 11:11 The evolution of menopause in toothed whalesMenopause 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 18:03 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:48 Bumblebees can learn new tricks from each otherOne 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 16:55 Research HighlightsWhy 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 19:28 The fish that collectively, electrically senseMany 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 27:54 Briefing ChatThe 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:49 What caused the Universe to become fully transparent?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. 08:46 Research HighlightsAncient 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 11:05 Controlling cholesterol with epigeneticsTo 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. 18:52 The gene mutation explaining why humans don’t have tailsWhy 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Why are humans so helpful?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 10:55 Research HighlightsThe 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 13:14 The DVD makes a comebackOptical 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. 20:10 Briefing ChatThe 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Smoking's long-term effects on immunityIt'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 07:03 Research HighlightsWhy 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 09:28 Briefing ChatAn 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 0:46 Borrowing tricks from cancer could help improve immunotherapyT 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. 11:39 Research HighlightsHow 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 14:28 What might the car batteries of the future look like?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 25:32 Briefing ChatHow 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 0:48 How hominins spread through EuropeAncient 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 09:36 Research HighlightsHow 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 15:21 Briefing ChatAnalysis 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 0:46 Turning a toxic by-product into ironRed 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 09:36 Research HighlightsThe 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 20:53 Briefing ChatA 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 0:55 The AI that deduces solutions to complex maths problemsResearchers 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. 09:46 Research HighlightsA 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 12:26 The food-web effects of mass predator die-offsMass 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. 20:53 Briefing ChatAn 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:54 Franklin’s real roleWhen 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 14:37 An automated way to monitor wildlife recoveryTo 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. 27:11 Research HighlightsThe 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 30:24 Why multisensory experiences can make stronger memoriesIt’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. 38:58 Briefing ChatHow elephant seals catch some shut-eye while diving. New York Times: Elephant Seals Take Power Naps During Deep Ocean Dives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:48 A new way to grow a tricky parasite in the labToxoplasma 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. 08:50 Research HighlightsThe 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 11:25 Briefing ChatGenetic 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:48 A gap for trapping lightConfining 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 07:28 Research HighlightsResearchers 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 09:54 The environmental cost of tackling povertyExtreme 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 18:36 Briefing ChatScientists 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:49 What to expect at COP28.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 10:49 Research HighlightsFalcons 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 12:59 Briefing ChatThe 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 Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.