Nature Podcast

A historian reflects on the life of Chinese crop scientist Yuan Longping, and the possible influence of geothermal energy production on earthquake aftershocks.In this episode:00:46 Remembering Yuan LongpingYuan Longping, one of China’s most famous scientists, died in May at the age of 90. Known as the ‘father of hybrid rice’, we reflect on his life and the impact of his research, which helped feed billions of people.Obituary: Yuan Longping (1930–2021)09:55 Research HighlightsThe ancient and incredibly well-preserved beetle found in dinosaur poo, and a 5,000 year old, less transmissible strain of plague bacteria.Research Highlight: A piece of Triassic poo yields a beautifully preserved beetleResearch Highlight: A hunter-gather’s bones yield the oldest known strain of plague12:14 Geothermal power and earthquake aftershocksIn 2019, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rippled through California, except – according to some researchers – at the site of a geothermal power plant. Now, a paper in Nature tries to understand why.Research paper: Im et al.16:47 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the new skull fossils that might expand the human family tree, and a new estimate of the age of an ancient ‘living fossil’.Nature News: Mysterious skull fossils expand human family tree — but questions remainScience: This ‘living fossil’ could reach 100 years oldSubscribe 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 deluge of trials has stress-tested the systems that produce evidence.Around the world, researchers have raced to test therapies to treat COVID-19. The speed and urgency of this task has revealed both the weaknesses in the collection and use of research-based evidence, and how well-run trials have helped save lives.This is an audio version of our feature: How COVID broke the evidence pipeline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Early vaccine trials did not include pregnant or breastfeeding people which left some people asking whether COVID vaccines are safe and effective for those who are breastfeeding. The latest data suggests that they are and in this episode of Coronapod we dig into the questions scientists have been asking. Could the vaccine make it into breastmilk? Can COVID antibodies be transferred to a breastfeeding child? And if so, how?News Feature: COVID vaccines and breastfeeding: what the data say 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 isolate the protein thought to allow birds to sense magnetic fields, and astronomers pinpoint the stars that could view Earth as an exoplanet. In this episode:00:45 Homing in on the molecule that helps birds find their way.How migratory birds sense magnetic fields is a long standing mystery in sensory biology. Now researchers have isolated a molecule, found within the eyes of these birds, which might act as a compass using quantum mechanics.Research paper: Xu et al.07:28 Research HighlightsHow spending time on land boosts the brainpower of amphibious fish, and the neural pathway of sneezing has been revealed.Research Highlight: Amphibious fish get smart — by working out on landResearch Highlight: How the brain makes us go ‘Achoo!’09:52 Exoplanet EarthAstronomers have catalogued almost 2,000 stars from which the Earth could be detected passing in front of the Sun. The team suggest that these stars would be good targets to search for planets that could harbour life.Research Article: Kaltenegger & Faherty18:46 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the unexpected science kicked up by the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, and how science is embracing the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).Nature News: Mars helicopter kicks up ‘cool’ dust clouds — and unexpected scienceNature News: How scientists are embracing NFTsSubscribe 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.

After a slew of wildly successful vaccine trials, this week marked a more underwhelming result. The third mRNA vaccine to complete phase three trials, developed by CureVac, is just 47% effective at staving off disease according to preliminary data. This is a stark contrast with previous mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer BioNtec which returned around twice that efficacy in their trials. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why the CureVac vaccine has faltered, and what this might mean for the future of the pandemic and mRNA vaccine development.News: CureVac COVID vaccine let-down spotlights mRNA design challengesNews Feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines 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 pros and pitfalls of collaboration, with insights from researchers and beyond.This week, Nature has a special issue on collaborations, looking at the benefits to science and society that working together can bring. In this collaboration-themed edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Nature’s David Payne to discuss the issue, and the state of research collaborations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.In this episode:02:49 How are research collaborations changing?To answer the biggest questions, research teams are coming together in larger numbers than ever before. But the scientific enterprise hasn’t been set up to support or reward team efforts. We look at how funding systems and methods for giving research-credit need to adapt, to match the reality of modern science.Feature: How the COVID pandemic is changing global science collaborationsCareers Feature: The authorship rows that sour scientific collaborationsCareers Feature: ‘We need to talk’: ways to prevent collaborations breaking down16:45 Community-research collaborationsIn order to do research that can help communities, scientists need to develop relationships with community members. Creating these bonds can be fraught with difficulty, so we examine how to make them work using the example of Flint, Michigan in the US.Comment: Community–academic partnerships helped Flint through its water crisisNature Video: China and the UK: Making an international collaboration workTake Nature’s 2021 International Salary and Job Satisfaction SurveySubscribe 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 global burden of COVID-19 has predominantly been measured using metrics like case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths. But the long term health impacts are more difficult to capture. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss one way that public health experts are trying to get to grips with the problem using metrics such as disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs).As new data suggests that COVID could leave millions with lasting disability or ill-health, we ask how changing the lens through which we asses the impacts of COVID could change public health policies, the perception of risk and even the behaviour of individuals.News Feature: The four most urgent questions about long COVIDComment: Count the cost of disability caused by COVID-19 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.

An AI that designs computer chips in hours, and zooming in on DNA’s complex 3D structures.In this episode:00:46 An AI computer microchip designerWorking out where to place the billions of components that a modern computer chip needs can take human designers months and, despite decades of research, has defied automation. This week, however, a team from Google report a new machine learning algorithm that does the job in a fraction of the time, and is already helping design their next generation of AI processors.Research Article: Mirhoseini et al.News and Views: AI system outperforms humans in designing floorplans for microchipsEditorial: Google is using AI to speed up microchip design — a welcome advance that must be handled with care07:00 Research HighlightsThe blood proteins that may help assess cardiovascular fitness, and how the rock-hard teeth of a mollusc could inspire stronger 3D-printed materials.Research Highlight: How fit can you get? These blood proteins hold a clueResearch Highlight: The surprise hidden in the teeth of the ‘wandering meatloaf’09:47 Zooming in on the 3D structure of DNAIn order to switch genes on, DNA often needs to twist up into complex 3D shapes, bringing distant parts of a genome together. Understanding precisely which sections come into contact has been difficult, but now a new technique is helping to reveal them at an individual base-pair level.Research paper: Hua et al.15:22 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the missing sections from the human genome sequence that have now been filled, and NASA announces two missions to Venus.Stat: Researchers claim they have sequenced the entirety of the human genome — including the missing partsNational Geographic: NASA will head to Venus for first time in roughly 30 yearsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been allegations that SARS-CoV-2 could have originated in a Chinese lab. A phase one WHO investigation concluded that a 'lab-leak' was "extremely unlikely" and yet, the theory has seen a resurgence in recent weeks with several scientists wading into the debate.In this episode of Coronapod, we delve into what scientists have been saying and ask how and why the 'lab-leak' hypothesis has gained so much traction. We ask if the way we communicate complex and nuanced science could be fuelling division, and what the fallout could be for international collaboration on ending the pandemic.News: Divisive COVID ‘lab leak’ debate prompts dire warnings from researchersScience: Investigate the origins of COVID-19 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 cross-discipline effort to work our how ancient humans learned to count.In this episode:00:45 Number originsAround the world, archaeologists, linguists and a host of other researchers are trying to answer some big questions – when, and how, did humans learn to count? We speak to some of the scientists at the forefront of this effort.News Feature: How did Neanderthals and other ancient humans learn to count?07:47 Research HighlightsHow sea anemones influence clownfish stripes, and how skin-to-skin contact can improve survival rates for high-risk newborns.Research Highlight: How the clownfish gets its stripesResearch Highlight: Nestling skin-to-skin right after birth saves fragile babies’ lives09:48 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, an upper limit for human ageing, and could tardigrades survive a collision with the moon?Scientific American: Humans Could Live up to 150 Years, New Research SuggestsScience: Hardy water bears survive bullet impacts—up to a pointSubscribe 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 vaccine candidate for a neglected tropical disease, and calls to extend the 14-day limit on embryo research.In this episode: 00:46 A vaccine candidate for an important livestock diseaseAfrican animal trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that kills millions of cattle each year, affecting livelihoods and causing significant economic costs in many sub-Saharan countries. Developing a vaccine against the disease has proved difficult as the parasite has a wealth of tricks to evade the immune system. This week however, a team of researchers have created a vaccine candidate that shows early promise in mice.Research Article: Autheman et al.08:27 Research HighlightsA tapeworm infection helps worker ants live longer (at a cost), and how humanity’s shift to farming influenced plant-life in pre-industrial times.Research Highlight: Tapeworm infestation gives lowly ants long lifeResearch Highlight: Our radical changes to Earth’s greenery began long ago — with farms, not factories11:21 New guidelines for stem cell researchFor the first time since 2016, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has updated its guidelines for biomedical research involving human embryos. We discuss the rapid advances in the field over the past five years, and how the new guidelines have had to change to keep pace with them.News: 14-day limit on growing human embryos in lab dropped by advisory bodySubscribe 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.

Scientists are trying to figure out whether these pervasive plastic specks are dangerous.Wherever they look – from the bottom of oceans to the top of mountains – researchers are uncovering tiny specks of plastic, known as microplastics.Scientists are trying to understand the potential impacts of ingesting these pervasive plastics but early results are ambiguous, as some experiments might not reflect the diversity of microplastics that exist in the real world.This is an audio version of our feature: Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Smouldering fires lay dormant before bursting back into flame in spring.In this episode: 00:56 The mysterious overwintering forest firesResearchers have shown that fires can smoulder under snow in frozen northern forests before flaring up the following spring. Understanding how these so-called ‘zombie’ fires start and spread is vital in the fight against climate change.Research Article: Scholten et al.07:39 Research HighlightsAesthetic bias means pretty plants receive the most research attention, and ancient tooth gunk reveals the evolution of the mouth microbiome.Research Highlight: Flashy plants draw outsize share of scientists’ attentionResearch Highlight: Microbes in Neanderthals’ mouths reveal their carb-laden diet10:04 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, Voyager 1 detects a faint interstellar ‘hum’, and a trove of Neanderthal bones found in an Italian cave.Reuters: Faraway NASA probe detects the eerie hum of interstellar spaceThe Guardian: Remains of nine Neanderthals found in cave south of RomeVideo: Hawaii’s surprise volcanic eruption: Lessons from Kilauea 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past few weeks, India has been experiencing a devastating second wave of COVID-19, recording hundreds of thousands of new cases a day.Evidence is growing that a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as B.1.617, first detected in India in October, may be driving this wave.On this week’s Coronapod we talk about the race to learn more about B.1.617, with early results suggesting it may be more transmissible and could cause more severe disease.News: Coronavirus variants are spreading in India — what scientists know so far Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new neural interface lets people type with their mind, and a crafting journey into materials science.In this episode:00:45 A brain interface to type out thoughtsResearchers have developed a brain-computer interface that is able to read brain signals from people thinking about handwriting, and translate them into on-screen text. The team hope this technology could be used to help people with paralysis to communicate quicker than before.Research Article: Willett et al.News and Views: Neural interface translates thoughts into typeVideo: The BCI handwriting system in action07:37 Research HighlightsLight-sensitive cells help headless worms ‘see’ with their bodies, and a wearable device that monitors itchiness.Research Highlight: How headless worms see the light to steerResearch Highlight: How itchy are you? A new device knows precisely10:26 The science of everyday materialsMaterials scientist Anna Ploszajski joins us to talk about her new book Handmade, which details how her journey into craft helped shape her materials research.Book review: From spoons to semiconductors — we are what we make18:26 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the genomes of some viruses that contain a very unusual DNA nucleobase, and the smouldering nuclear reactions that remain in the wreckage of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.Nature: Weird viral DNA spills secrets to biologistsScience: ‘It’s like the embers in a barbecue pit.’ Nuclear reactions are smoldering again at Chernobyl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In surprise news this week, the US government announced its support for waiving patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, in an effort to boost supplies around the world.As fewer than 1% of people living in low-income countries have received COVID-19 vaccines, it is hoped that this move is a major step towards addressing this inequity by allowing manufacturers to legally produce generic versions of vaccines. We discuss the next steps that need to be taken to make this a reality, and why there is opposition to the plan.Also on the podcast, we look at another aspect of coronavirus inequity: the sharing of genomic data. Around the world, researchers are racing to upload SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences to repositories, to help in the fight against the pandemic. One popular data repository, GISAID, requires users to sign in and acknowledge those whose data they analyse. Although a growing faction of scientists from wealthy nations are calling for the removal of gatekeeping requirements, scientists in the global south are pushing back, arguing that this will deprive them of credit and chances to participate in big-data analyses.News: In shock move, US backs waiving patents on COVID vaccinesNews: Why some researchers oppose unrestricted sharing of coronavirus genome dataNews: Scientists call for fully open sharing of coronavirus genome dataScience: Coronavirus sequence trove sparks frustrationNew York Times: Pfizer Reaps Hundreds of Millions in Profits From Covid VaccineWashington Post: Poor countries may not be vaccinated until 2024. Here’s how to prevent that. 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 earliest evidence of deliberate human burial in Africa, and a metal-free rechargeable battery.Listen to our mini-series ‘Stick to the Science’: when science gets political and vote for the show in this year’s Webby Awards.In this episode:00:44 Human burial practices in Stone Age AfricaThe discovery of the burial site of a young child in a Kenyan cave dated to around 78 thousand years ago sheds new light on how Stone Age populations treated their dead.Research Article: Martinón-Torres et al.News and Views: A child’s grave is the earliest known burial site in Africa09:15 Research HighlightsHow warming seas led to a record low in Northwestern Pacific typhoons, and the Arctic bird that maintains a circadian rhythm despite 24 hour sunlight.Research Highlight: Warming seas brought an eerie calm to a stormy regionResearch Highlight: The world’s northernmost bird is a clock-watcher11:35 A metal-free rechargeable batteryLithium-ion batteries have revolutionised portable electronics, but there are significant issues surrounding their recyclability and the mining of the metals within them. To address these problems, a team of researchers have developed a metal-free rechargeable battery that breaks down to its component parts on demand.Research Article: Nguyen et al. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than a century, public health researchers have demonstrated how poverty and discrimination drive disease and the coronavirus pandemic has only reinforced this.In a Coronapod special, Nature reporter Amy Maxmen takes us with her through eight months of reporting in the San Joaquin valley, a part of rural California where COVID's unequal toll has proven deadly.News: Inequality's deadly tollThis piece was supported by grants from the Pulitzer Center and the MIT Knight Science Journalism fellowship. 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.

Ultra-precise measurements connect brain activity and energy use in individual fruit-fly neurons.Vote for our mini-series ‘Stick to the Science’: when science gets political in this year’s Webby Awards.In this episode: 00:45 How brain cells use energyA team of researchers have looked in individual fruit-fly neurons to better understand how energy use and information processing are linked – which may have important implications for future fMRI studies in humans.Research Article: Mann et al.07:04 Research HighlightsA tough but flexible material inspired by lobster underbellies, and research reveals that red meat consumption hasn't dropped since the 1960s.Research Highlight: Material mimicking lobster belly cracks the code for toughnessResearch Highlight: Meat lovers worldwide pay climate little heed10:15 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, early results for a new malaria vaccine look positive, and researchers unearth the latest chapter in a long-running plant experiment.Nature News: Malaria vaccine shows promise — now come tougher trialsBBC News: Malaria vaccine hailed as potential breakthroughNew York Times: One of the World’s Oldest Science Experiments Comes Up From the DirtSubscribe 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.

Despite warnings, and a number of close calls, drugmakers failed to develop and stockpile drugs to fight a viral pandemic. Now, in the wake of SARS-CoV-2, they are pledging not to make the same mistake again.Around the world, researchers are racing to develop drugs to target COVID-19, but also broad-spectrum antivirals that could be used to treat future viral threats.This is an audio version of our feature: The race for antiviral drugs to beat COVID — and the next pandemic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs continue, attentions are turning to one group: children. While research suggests that children rarely develop severe forms of COVID-19, scientists still believe they could play a key role in transmission and a plan needs to be in place for the longer term. But clinical trials in children are more complicated than those in adults as different ethical and practical concerns need to be taken into account.In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss the ongoing clinical trials to test vaccines in young children, and ask what scientists want to know about safety, and how effective these vaccines might be at preventing disease and transmission.News: COVID vaccines and kids: five questions as trials begin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The self-supporting structures that snap into place, and how a ban on fossil-fuel funding could entrench poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.In this episode: 00:45 Self-supporting, foldable structuresDrawing inspiration from the art of origami, a team of researchers have demonstrated a way to design self-supporting structures that lock into place after being inflated. The team hope that this technique could be used to create arches and emergency shelters that can be quickly unfolded from flat with minimal input.Research Article: Melancon et al.News and Views: Large-scale origami locks into place under pressureVideo: Origami-inspired structures could be deployed in disaster zones07:32 Research HighlightsNocturnal fluctuations cause scientists to underestimate rivers’ carbon emissions, and the ‘island rule’ of animal size-change is seen around the world.Research Highlight: Rivers give off stealth carbon at nightResearch Highlight: Animals around the world follow the ‘island rule’ to a curious fate09:55 Banning fossil-fuel funding will not alleviate povertyA ban by wealthy nations on the funding of overseas fossil-fuel projects would do little to reduce the world’s climate emissions and much to entrench poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, argues economist Vijaya Ramachandran.World View: Blanket bans on fossil-fuel funds will entrench poverty17:17 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the first powered flight on another world, and estimating how many Tyrannosaurus rex ever lived.News: Lift off! First flight on Mars launches new way to explore worldsVideo: Flying a helicopter on Mars: NASA’s IngenuityNews: How many T. rex ever existed? Calculation of dinosaur’s abundance offers an answer Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reports of rare and unusual blood clots have resulted in several vaccine roll outs being paused while scientists scramble to work out if the vaccines are responsible and if so how.The unusual combination of symptoms, including a low platelet count and clots focussed in the abdomen or brain, seems similar to a rare side effect from treatment with the drug blood thinning drug Heparin - however it is not clear how the vaccines could cause the syndrome.In this episode of Coronapod we discuss the latest theories and ask how scientists are trying to get to the bottom of this important question. Medical regulators maintain that the benefits of these vaccines significantly outweigh the risks. But as uncertainty spreads, we ponder the wider implications of these reports, including the public perception of risk.News: How could a COVID vaccine cause blood clots? Scientists race to investigateCoronapod: How to define rare COVID vaccine side effects 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 lack of adequate sanitation in parts of the rural US, and physicists reassess muons’ magnetism.In this episode:00:45 How failing sanitation infrastructure is causing a US public health crisisIn the US, huge numbers of people live without access to adequate sanitation. Environmental-health advocate Catherine Coleman Flowers tells us about her new book looking at the roots and consequences of this crisis, focusing on Lowndes County, Alabama, an area inhabited largely by poor Black people, where an estimated 90% of households have failing or inadequate waste-water systems.Book review: Toilets – what will it take to fix them?07:56 Research HighlightsWhy adding new members to the team can spark ideas, and how manta rays remember the best spots for pampering.Research Highlight: Want fresh results? Analysis of thousands of papers suggests trying new teammatesResearch Highlight: What manta rays remember: the best spots to get spruced up10:13 Reassessing muons’ magnetic momentA decade ago, physicists measured the ‘magnetic moment’ of the subatomic muon, and found their value did not match what theory suggested. This puzzled researchers, and hinted at the existence of new physics. Now, a team has used a different method to recalculate the theoretical result and see if this discrepancy remains.Research Article: Fodor et al.News: Is the standard model broken? Physicists cheer major muon resultSubscribe 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.

Rick Bright exposed former president Trump's political meddling in the US COVID response. Now he is championing a new privately funded initiative to track viral spread and combat new variants. We discuss the challenges of collecting data on a rapidly spreading virus, from transmission dynamics to genomic surveillance. We also ask why a veteran government scientist like Bright, the ex-director of the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, would take a new path in the private sector.News Q&A: Pandemic whistle-blower: we need a non-political way to track virusesNews: Why US coronavirus tracking can’t keep up with concerning variants 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 2020, the artificial intelligence (AI) GPT-3 wowed the world with its ability to write fluent streams of text. Trained on billions of words from books, articles and websites, GPT-3 was the latest in a series of ‘large language model’ AIs that are used by companies around the world to improve search results, answer questions, or propose computer code.However, these large language model are not without their issues. Their training is based on the statistical relationships between the words and phrases, which can lead to them generating toxic or dangerous outputs.Preventing responses like these is a huge challenge for researchers, who are attempting to do so by addressing biases in training data, or by instilling these AIs with common-sense and moral judgement.This is an audio version of our feature: Robo-writers: the rise and risks of language-generating AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a sore arm to anaphylaxis, a wide range of adverse events have been reported after people have received a COVID-19 vaccine. And yet it is unclear how many of these events are actually caused by the vaccine. In the vast majority of cases, reactions are mild and can be explained by the body's own immune response. But monitoring systems designed to track adverse events are catching much rarer but more serious events. Now scientists need to work out if they are causally liked to the vaccine, or are just statistical anomalies - and that is not an easy task.News: Why is it so hard to investigate the rare side effects of COVID vaccines?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Never miss an episode: Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app. Head here for the Nature Podcast RSS feed . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laser-cooled antimatter opens up new physics experiments, and the staggering economic cost of invasive species. In this episode:00:44 Cooling antimatter with a laser focusAntimatter is annihilated whenever it interacts with regular matter, which makes it tough for physicists to investigate. Now though, a team at CERN have developed a way to trap and cool antihydrogen atoms using lasers, allowing them to better study its properties.Research Article: Baker et al.News and Views: Antimatter cooled by laser light09:27 Research HighlightsA dramatic increase in Arctic lightning strikes, and an acrobatic bunny helps researchers understand hopping.Research Highlight: Rising temperatures spark boom in Arctic lightningResearch Highlight: Rabbits that do ‘handstands’ help to find a gene for hopping11:53 Cost of invasionInvasive alien species are organisms that end up in places where they don’t really belong, usually as a result of human activity. These species can cause loss of biodiversity and a host of damage to their new environments. This week, researchers estimate that the economic impact of invasive species to be over US $1 trillion.Research Article: Diagne et al.19:04 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the physics that might explain how a ship blocked the Suez Canal, and a new insight into octopuses’ sleep patterns.The Financial Times: The bank effect and the big boat blocking the SuezScience: Octopuses, like humans, sleep in two stagesSubscribe 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.

Since the beginning of the pandemic the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been plagued by confusion and controversy. The vaccine has been authorised in over 100 countries, tens of millions of doses have been administered, and it has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. However, over the past few weeks the vaccine has again been in the headlines.In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss all of these controversies and ask how they may the reputation of the vaccine, and what that could mean for roll-outs moving forward.News: Latest results put Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID vaccine back on trackNews: What scientists do and don’t know about the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID vaccineSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Never miss an episode: Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app. Head here for the Nature Podcast RSS feed . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A web of three optical atomic clocks show incredibly accurate measurements of time, and the trailblazing astronomer who found hints of dark matter.In this episode:00:44 Optical clock networkOptical atomic clocks have the potential to reach new levels of accuracy and redefine how scientists measure time. However, this would require a worldwide system of connected clocks. Now researchers have shown that a network of three optical clocks is possible and confirm high levels of accuracy.Research Article: BACON collaborationNews and Views: Atomic clocks compared with astounding accuracy08:55 Research HighlightsThe possible downside of high-intensity workouts, and the robot with adaptable legs for rough terrain.Research Highlight: Can people get too much exercise? Mitochondria hint that the answer is yesResearch Highlight: A motorized leg up: this robot changes its limb length to suit the terrain11:26 Vera RubinVera Rubin was an astronomer whose observations were among the first to show evidence of dark matter. At the time, female astronomers were a rarity, but Vera blazed the trial for future women in science.Books Review: Vera Rubin, astronomer extraordinaire — a new biography18:35 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, carbon cost of bottom trawling, and the fictional French researcher confounding metrics.The Guardian: Bottom trawling releases as much carbon as air travel, landmark study findsScience: Who is Camille Noûs, the fictitious French researcher with nearly 200 papers?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Video: The quantum world of diamonds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of the pandemic, researchers raced to identify the most potent antibodies produced by the immune system in response to SAR-COV-2 infection and produce them in bulk. The resulting ‘monoclonal antibodies’ have since been tested in a variety of settings as treatments for COVID-19.But despite promising clinical trial results and several therapies having already been approved, antibody therapies have not yet played a large role in the fight against COVID-19. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why.News: COVID antibody treatments show promise for preventing severe disease News: Antibody therapies could be a bridge to a coronavirus vaccine — but will the world benefit? 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 computer that can participate in live debates against human opponents. In this episode:00:43 AI DebaterAfter thousands of years of human practise, it’s still not clear what makes a good argument. Despite this, researchers have been developing computer programs that can find and process arguments. And this week, researchers at IBM are publishing details of an artificial intelligence that is capable of debating with humans.Research Article: Slonim et al.News and Views: Argument technology for debating with humans10:30 Research HighlightsThe sea slugs that can regrow their whole body from their severed head, and evidence of high status women in ancient Europe.Research Highlight: Now that’s using your head: a sea slug’s severed noggin sprouts a new bodyResearch Highlight: A breathtaking treasure reveals the power of the woman buried with it12:56 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, and why 2020 was a record-breaking year for near-Earth asteroids.Nature News: Record number of asteroids seen whizzing past Earth in 2020Science: Giant gravitational wave detectors could hear murmurs from across universeSubscribe 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.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been many open questions about how COVID-19 could impact pregnant people and their babies – confounded by a lack of data.But now, studies are finally starting to provide some answers. While it does seem that pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation, babies appear to be spared from severe illness in most cases.In this week’s Coronapod we talk about these findings, and the questions that remain – including whether vaccines are safe to give to pregnant people.News: Pregnancy and COVID: what the data say Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Physicists examine the gravitational pull between two tiny masses, and how fossil lampreys could shake-up the field of vertebrate evolution.In this episode:00:47 Gravity, on the small scaleThis week, researchers have captured the smallest measurement of gravity on record, by measuring the pull between two tiny gold spheres. This experiment opens the door for future experiments to investigate the fundamental forces of nature and the quantum nature of gravity.Research Article: Westphal et al.News and Views: Ultra-weak gravitational field detected07:37 Research HighlightsResearch shows that people often don’t know when a conversation should end, and the cuttlefish that show remarkable self control.Research Highlight: How long should a conversation last? The people involved haven’t a clueResearch Highlight: Arms control: cuttlefish can pass the ‘marshmallow test’10:18 Lamprey evolutionThe larval stage of lamprey growth has long been thought to resemble the kind of early animal that all vertebrates evolved from. However, new research looking at the fossils of lamprey species suggests that this popular hypothesis may be incorrect.Research Article: Miyashita et al.17:38 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, glow-in-the-dark sharks, and scientists’ reflections on the nuclear industry 10 years on from Fukushima.The Guardian: 'Giant luminous shark': researchers discover three deep-sea sharks glow in the darkNature Comment: Nuclear energy, ten years after FukushimaSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Video: Deep-sea soft robots Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where did the SARS-CoV-2 virus come from? As a team of researchers from the WHO prepares to report on its investigation into the origins of the virus, we discuss the leading theories, including the controversial ‘lab leak' hypothesis.Although there is no evidence to support it, the lab-leak idea remains popular among certain groups. Similar hypotheses were even touted about the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. We discuss why theories like this seem to gain traction.News: ‘Major stones unturned’: COVID origin search must continue after WHO report, say scientistsNews: Where did COVID come from? Five mysteries that remainNews: Can COVID spread from frozen wildlife? Scientists probe pandemic origins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic's unequal toll on the research community, and a newly discovered mitochondria-like symbiosis.In this episode:00:48 The pandemic's unequal toll on researchersAlthough 2020 saw a huge uptick in the numbers of research papers submitted, these increases were not evenly distributed among male and female scientists. We look at how this could widen existing disparities in science, and damage future career prospects.Editorial: COVID is amplifying the inadequacy of research-evaluation processes09:18 Research HighlightsHow a parasite can make viral infections more deadly, and the first known space hurricane.Research Highlight: Intestinal worms throw open the door to dangerous virusesResearch Highlight: The first known space hurricane pours electron ‘rain’11:36 Energy without oxygenMillions of years ago, a microscopic protist swallowed a bacterium and gained the ability to breathe nitrate. This relationship partially replaced the cell's mitochondria and allowed it to produce abundant energy without oxygen. This week, researchers describe how this newly discovered symbiosis works.Research Article: Graf et al.News and Views: A microbial marriage reminiscent of mitochondrial evolution19:22 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the weakening of the Gulf Stream, and a new satellite to monitor deforestation in the Amazon.The Guardian: Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium, say scientistsScience: Brazil’s first homemade satellite will put an extra eye on dwindling Amazon forestsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Video: How to build a Quantum Internet Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A repository with millions of data points will track immunity and variant spread.To answer the big questions in the pandemic, researchers need access to data. But while a wealth has been collected, much of it isn’t collated or accessible to the people who need it.This week sees the launch of Global.health, a database that aims to collate an enormous amount of anonymized information about individual COVID-19 cases.On this week’s Coronapod we discuss how this database could help answer the biggest questions facing scientists right now, from variants to vaccines – could data change the game?News: Massive Google-funded COVID database will track variants and immunityNews: Can COVID vaccines stop transmission? Scientists race to find answers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The surprising structure of protons, and a method for growing small intestines for transplantation.In this episode:00:45 Probing the proton’s interiorAlthough studied for decades, the internal structure of the proton is still throwing up surprises for physicists. This week, a team of researchers report an unexpected imbalance in the antimatter particles that make up the proton.Research Article: Dove et al.News and Views: Antimatter in the proton is more down than up07:08 Research HighlightsHow an inactive gene may help keep off the chill, and Cuba’s isolation may have prevented invasive species taking root on the island.Research Highlight: Impervious to cold? A gene helps people to ward off the chillsResearch Highlight: Marauding plants steer clear of a communist-ruled island09:48 A new way to grow a small intestineShort Bowel Syndrome is an often fatal condition that results from the removal of the small intestine. Treatment options are limited to transplantation, but donor intestines are hard to come by and can be rejected by the body. Now researchers may have developed a method to grow a replacement small intestine using stem cells and a small section of colon.Research Article: Sugimoto et al.15:50 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the landing of Perseverance on Mars, and the researchers speaking with lucid dreamers.Nature News: Mars video reveals Perseverance rover’s daring touchdownNature News: Touch down! NASA’s Mars landing sparks new era of explorationNature News: The hunt for life on Mars: A visual guide to NASA’s latest missionScience: Scientists entered people’s dreams and got them ‘talking’Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers in Japan are trying to understand why thunderstorms fire out bursts of powerful radiation.Gamma rays – the highest-energy electromagnetic radiation in the universe – are typically created in extreme outer space environments like supernovae. But back in the 1980s and 1990s, physicists discovered a source of gamma rays much closer to home: thunderstorms here on Earth.Now, researchers in Japan are enlisting an army of citizen scientists to help understand the mysterious process going on inside storm clouds that leads to them creating extreme bursts of radiation.This is an audio version of our feature: Thunderstorms spew out gamma rays — these scientists want to know why Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the endgame for the COVID-19 pandemic? Is a world without SARS-CoV-2 possible, or is the virus here to stay?A recent Nature survey suggests that the majority of experts expect the virus to become endemic, circulating in the world’s population for years to come.But what does this mean? On this week’s episode of Coronapod, we ask what a future with an ever-present virus could look like.News Feature: The coronavirus is here to stay — here’s what that means Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers sequence the oldest DNA ever recovered, and the people bringing art and science together.In this episode:00:46 Million-year-old mammoth DNAThis week, researchers have smashed a long-standing record by sequencing a genome that's over a million years old. They achieved this feat by extracting DNA from permafrost-preserved mammoth teeth, using it to build-up a more detailed family tree for these ancient animals.Research Article: van der Valk et al.News: Million-year-old mammoth genomes shatter record for oldest ancient DNANews and Views: Million-year-old DNA provides a glimpse of mammoth evolution10:00 Research HighlightsA spacecraft catches a rare glimpse of a rock smashing into Jupiter, and the perilous state of sawfish populations.Research Highlight: Robotic eyes spy the flash of a meteor on JupiterResearch Highlight: Humans push a hulking fish with a chainsaw nose towards oblivion12:18 Putting art into science (and science into art)Art and science are sometimes considered disparate, but when brought together the results can be greater than the sum of their parts. This week we hear from an artist and a scientist on the benefits they found when crossing the divide.Career Feature: How to shape a productive scientist–artist collaborationCareer Feature: How the arts can help you to craft a successful research careerWhere I work: ‘All my art is curiosity-driven’: the garden studio where art and physics collideSome resources for bringing arts and science together:https://okre.orghttps://lifeology.io/21:43 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a neanderthal gene makes brain-like organoids bumpy, and uncovering the original location of Stonehenge’s stone circle.News: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The science behind how and when to give vaccines doses.As vaccines are rolled out, massive logistical challenges are leading scientists and policymakers to consider alternative dosing strategies.But what does the science say? In this week’s episode of Coronapod, we discuss mixing and matching vaccines and lengthening the time between doses. Approaches like these could ease logistical concerns, but we ask what's known about their impact on vaccine efficacy – what is the science behind the decisions, and could they actually boost immune responses?News: Could mixing COVID vaccines boost immune response?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking back at the publication of the human genome, and how macrophages mend muscle.In this episode:00:45 The human genome sequence, 20 years onThis week marks the 20th anniversary of a scientific milestone – the publication of the first draft of the human genome. Magdalena Skipper, Nature’s Editor-in-Chief gives us her recollections of genomics at the turn of the millennium, and the legacy of the achievement.Editorial: The next 20 years of human genomics must be more equitable and more openComment: A wealth of discovery built on the Human Genome Project — by the numbersComment: Sequence three million genomes across AfricaVideo: How a worm showed us the way to open scienceVideo: How ancient DNA sequencing changed the game10:50 Research HighlightsIs there an evolutionary reason why hotter countries have hotter food? Maybe not. And larger groups of giraffe gal pals have better chances of survival.Research Article: Bromham et al.Research Highlight: For female giraffes, friends in high places bring towering benefits12:48 Mending damaged musclesIt’s known that immune cells play an important role in muscle repair. Now though, researchers have isolated the specific molecules involved, and hope that this knowledge could be used in future to create therapies.Research Article: Ratnayake et al.19:39 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a court overrules a Trump administration guideline on how science can be used in environmental policy, and the harrowing lengths that Blue Whales need to take to avoid fishing vessels.Washington Post: Judge throws out Trump rule limiting what science EPA can useThe Independent: Animation shows week in life of blue whale as it tries to avoid fishing... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers are scrambling to understand the biology of new coronavirus variants and the impact they might have on vaccine efficacy. Around the world, concern is growing about the impact that new, faster-spreading variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus will have on the pandemic.In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss what these variants are, and the best way to respond to them, in the face of increasing evidence that some can evade the immunity produced by vaccination or previous infection.News: ‘A bloody mess’: Confusion reigns over naming of new COVID variantsNews: Fast-spreading COVID variant can elude immune responsesNews: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find outNews: How to redesign COVID vaccines so they protect against variantsNews: J&J’s one-shot COVID vaccine offers hope for faster protection Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring the properties of a vanishingly-rare artificial element, and the AI that generates new mathematical conjectures.In this episode:01:04 Einsteinium's secretsEinsteinium is an incredibly scarce, artificial element that decays so quickly that researchers don’t know much about it. Now, using state-of-the-art technology, a team has examined how it interacts with other atoms, which they hope will shed new light on einsteinium and its neighbours on the periodic table.Research Article: Carter et al.06:28 Research HighlightsThe mysterious appearance of three ozone-depleting chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere, and how ride-sharing services have failed to reduce traffic jams.Research Highlight: Mystery on high: an ozone-destroying chemical appears in the airResearch Highlight: Uber and Lyft drive US gridlock — but not cuts in car ownership8:38 The computer that comes up with new mathematical formulasA team of researchers have developed artificial-intelligence algorithms that can generate new formulas for calculating the digits of key mathematical numbers like pi. Although crucial, many of these numbers remain mysterious, so it is hoped that this system will open up new avenues of questioning for mathematicians.Research Article: Raayoni et al.14:48 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a new theory to explain a sixty-year-old mystery surrounding the icy deaths of a group of Russian students, and the continued controversy about the chances of life on Venus.Video: Explaining the icy mystery of the Dyatlov Pass deathsNews: Life on Venus claim faces strongest challenge yetSubscribe 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 year ago the WHO’s coronavirus emergency alarm was largely ignored. Why?On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a ‘public health emergency of international concern’, or PHEIC, to raise the alarm of the imminent threat of a global coronavirus pandemic.Alongside the PHEIC, the WHO made a number of recommendations to curb the spread of the virus. But many of these were ignored by governments around the world.In this episode of Coronapod, we explore why this emergency warning system failed, and hear about efforts to reform it, and the WHO, to avoid this happening again.News: Why did the world’s pandemic warning system fail when COVID hit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers are probing the subtle physical forces that sculpt cells and bodies.At every stage of life, from embryo to adulthood, physical forces tug and squeeze at bodies from within.These forces are vital, ensuring that cells are correctly positioned in a developing embryo, for example. But they also play a role in diseases like cancer. Yet despite their importance, relatively little is known about how cells sense, respond to and generate these forces.To find out, researchers have turned to bespoke tools and methods, using them to probe lab-cultured cells and whole animals to get to the root of how mechanical forces sculpt life.This is an audio version of our feature: The secret forces that squeeze and pull life into shape Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A neuroprosthetic device restores blood-pressure control after spinal-cord injury, and identifying the neurons that help us understand others’ beliefs.In this episode:00:47 A neuroprosthetic restores the body’s baroreflexA common problem for people who have experienced spinal-cord injury is the inability to maintain their blood pressure, which can have serious, long-term health consequences. Now, however, researchers have developed a device that may restore this ability, by stimulating the neural circuits involved in the so-called baroreflex.Research Article: Squair et al.News and Views: Neuroprosthetic device maintains blood pressure after spinal cord injury08:27 Research HighlightsHow gesticulating changes the way that speech is perceived, and a new theory of how Saturn got its tilt.Research Highlight: Hands speak: how casual gestures shape what we hearResearch Highlight: The moon that made Saturn a pushover10:58 A neuronal map of understanding othersHumans are very good at understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings and beliefs that are different to our own. But the neuronal underpinnings of this ability have been hard to unpick. Now, researchers have identified a subset of neurons that they think gives us this ability.Research Article: Jamali et al.18:04 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the science of why cats love catnip, and the struggle to identify what the mysterious celestial object StDr 56 actually is.Science: Why cats are crazy for catnipSyfy Wire: So what the heck is StDr 56?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Check out our new video - Fossilised glider takes the origin of mammals back to the Triassic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Analysis of hundreds of thousands of job searches shows that recruiters will discriminate based on ethnicity and gender, and the neural circuitry behind a brief period of forgetting.In this episode:00:47 Hiring discriminationA huge dataset has shown that widespread discrimination occurs in job hiring, based on ethnicity and gender. This backs up decades of research, showing that people from minority backgrounds tend to get contacted far less by employers.Research Article: Hangartner et al.09:31 CoronapodToday Joe Biden becomes the next president of the United States. We find out what this new political chapter could mean for the country’s immediate pandemic response, including the mass rollout of vaccines.News: Joe Biden’s COVID plan is taking shape — and researchers approveNews: Joe Biden names top geneticist Eric Lander as science adviser20:46 Research HighlightsA new way to study fragile helium pairs, and there’s no limit to how much exercise improves your heart health.Research Highlight: Taking tenuous helium molecules for a spinResearch Highlight: Feeling fit? A little more sweat could still help your heart23:17 Forgetful fliesEver had the feeling where you can’t quite remember what you were doing? While common, this sort of ‘tip of the tongue’ forgetting is not well understood. Now though, researchers have uncovered the neural process behind this feeling… in fruit flies.Research Article: Sabadal et al.29:49 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the economics calculations of thieving monkeys, and how in certain situations electric eels will hunt together.The Guardian: Bali’s thieving monkeys can spot high-value items to ransomScience: Shocking discovery: Electric eels hunt in packs in Amazon riversSubscribe 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.

Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Elie Dolgin discuss RNA vaccines.In this episode: 01:16 How RNA vaccines came to prominenceIn less than a year, two RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were designed, tested and rolled out across the world. We discuss these vaccines’ pros and cons, how RNA technology lends itself to rapid vaccine development, and what this means for the fight against other diseases.News feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines09:20 The hurdles for trialling new COVID-19 vaccinesMultiple candidates for new COVID-19 vaccines are still being developed, which may offer advantages over the vaccines currently available. However, running placebo-controlled trials of these candidates is becoming increasingly difficult, so researchers are looking for different ways to evaluate them.News: Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts14:45 How long will COVID vaccines be effective?There is much concern around the world about two faster-spreading variants of SARS-CoV-2. We get an update on whether these variants could render vaccines ineffective.News: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find outSubscribe 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.