Nature Podcast

00:46 Happy birthday, Higgs boson - looking back at a momentous milestone for physicsTen years ago this week, scientists announced that they’d found evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle first theorised to exist nearly sixty years earlier.To celebrate this anniversary, we reminisce about what the discovery meant at the time, and what questions are left to be answered about this mysterious particle.Nature News: Happy birthday, Higgs boson! What we do and don’t know about the particleNature Editorial: Particle physics isn’t going to die — even if the LHC finds no new particles11:09 Research HighlightsClever clothes that can cool or warm the wearer, and finding hidden DNA from the endangered red wolf.Research Highlight: ‘Smart’ clothing flexes to provide relief from the heatResearch Highlight: ‘Ghost’ DNA from the world’s rarest wolves lingers in coyotes13:27 Supporting scientists who stutterStuttering is a speech condition that affects around 70 million people worldwide, which can make things like speaking in public, or even one-on-one incredibly daunting. We hear the experiences of one researcher of stuttering, who also has a stutter, as they explain the best way to offer support to others.Careers Feature: The conference challenges faced by scientists who stutter22:10 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we discuss how having similar smells could spark a friendship, and how viruses can alter our odour to make humans more attractive to mosquitos.New Scientist: You're more likely to become friends with someone who smells like youNature News: How some viruses make people smell extra-tasty to mosquitoesSubscribe 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 first episode of our new series Nature hits the books, science journalist Ed Yong joins us to talk about his new book An Immense World, which takes a journey through the weird and wonderful realm of animal senses.In the show, we chat about how our human-centric view of the world has restricted researchers' understanding of animal senses, how to conceptualise what it might be like to be an electric-field sensitive fish, and what bees might make of us blushing...An Immense World, Ed Yong, Random House (2022)Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 Enteric viruses may spread through salivaEnteric viruses, such as norovirus, cause a significant health burden around the world and are generally considered to only spread via the faecal-oral route. However, new research in mice suggests that saliva may also be a route of transmission for these viruses, which the authors say could have important public health implications.Research Article: Ghosh et al.08:59 Research HighlightsHow devouring space rocks helped Jupiter to get so big, and what analysing teeth has revealed about the diet of the extinct super-sized megalodon shark.Research Highlight: The heavy diet that made Jupiter so bigResearch Highlight: What did megalodon the mega-toothed shark eat? Anything it wanted11:24 Making the tetraneutronFor decades there have been hints of the existence of tetraneutrons, strange systems composed of four neutrons, and now researchers may have created one in the lab. This breakthrough could tell us more about the strong nuclear force that holds matter together.Research article: Duer et al.News and Views: Collisions hint that four neutrons form a transient isolated entity18:46 After Roe v. WadeLast Friday the US supreme court struck down the constitutional right to abortion. In the wake of this ruling, Nature has been turning to research to ask what we can expect in the coming weeks and months.News: After Roe v. Wade: US researchers warn of what’s to comeEditorial: The US Supreme Court abortion verdict is a tragedy. This is how research organizations can helpAdditional show linksVideo: The pandemic's unequal tollCollection: The science of inequalitySubscribe 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 next year, no fewer than seven missions are heading to the Moon. While NASA's Artemis programme might be stealing most of the limelight, the United States is just one of many nations and private companies that soon plan to launch lunar missions.Although some of the agencies running these expeditions are providing scant details about the missions, it is hoped the they will provide streams of data about the Moon, heralding what scientists say could be a new golden age of lunar exploration.This is an audio version of our Feature: These six countries are about to go to the Moon — here’s why Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a long wait, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have finally approved two COVID vaccines for use in children between the ages of six months and five years old. But despite a unanimous decision amongst regulators, parents still have questions about whether to vaccinate their young children, with survey data suggesting that the majority do not intend to accept vaccines right away. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the trials, the statistics and the regulators decision making process, in search of clarity around what the data are saying.News: FDA authorizes COVID vaccines for the littlest kids: what the data say Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:38 The science of studying inequalityWe discuss the research looking to understand the root causes and symptoms of inequalities, how they are growing, and how a cross-disciplinary approach may be the key to tackling them.Editorial: Equity must be baked into randomized controlled trialsNews Feature: How COVID has deepened inequality — in six stark graphicsCareer Feature: The rise of inequality research: can spanning disciplines help tackle injustice?07:26 The randomised trials helping to alleviate povertyFor decades, researchers have been running randomised trials to assess different strategies to lift people out of poverty. Many of these trials centre on providing people with cash grants – we hear how these trials have fared, efforts to improve on them, and the difficulties of scaling them up.News Feature: These experiments could lift millions out of dire poverty21:23 Why breast cancers metastasize differently at different times of dayA team of researchers have found that breast cancer tumours are more likely to metastasize while people are asleep. By studying mice, the team suggest that hormone levels that fluctuate during the day play a key role, a finding they hope will change how cancer is monitored and treated.Research article: Diamantopoulou et al.News and Views: Cancer cells spread aggressively during sleep28:46 The inequality of opportunityA comment article in Nature argues that one of the most pernicious types of inequality is inequality of opportunity – based on characteristics over which people have no control. We discuss some of the data behind this and what can be done about it.Comment: Not all inequalities are alikeSubscribe 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 Uncovering the origins of the Black DeathThe Black Death is estimated to have caused the deaths of up to 60% of the population of Europe. However, despite extensive research, the origin of this wave of disease has remained unclear. Now, by using a combination of techniques, a team have identified a potential starting point in modern day Kyrgyzstan.Research article: Spyrou et al.06:57 Research HighlightsThe cocktails of toxins produced by wriggling ribbon worms, and a tiny thermometer the size of a grain of sand.Research Highlight: A poisonous shield, a potent venom: these worms mean businessResearch Highlight: Mighty mini-thermometer detects tiny temperature changes09:22 Researchers race to understand monkeypoxAround the world, there have been a number of outbreaks of monkeypox, a viral disease that has rarely been seen in countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Although infection numbers are small, researchers are racing to find out what’s driving these outbreaks and the best way to contain them. We get an update on the situation, and the questions scientists are trying to answer.Nature News: Monkeypox vaccination begins — can the global outbreaks be contained?19:20 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, doubts over claims that a Google chat bot has become sentient, and the automated cloud labs that let researchers perform experiments remotely.New Scientist: Has Google's LaMDA artificial intelligence really achieved sentience?The Washington Post: The Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to lifeNature News: Cloud labs: where robots do the researchSubscribe 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.

One of the most curious symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of smell and taste. For most, this phenomenon is short lived, but for many around the world the symptom can persist for months or even years after the infection has cleared. Once a tell-tale sign of infection, this sensory disruption is now becoming characterised as a chronic problem and scientists are only recently getting clear answers about the mechanisms behind it. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the most recent studies on the causes of smell loss after infection with SARS-CoV-2, as well as the treatments scientists are proposing to tackle it.News: COVID and smell loss: answers begin to emergedSubscribe 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.

00:33 A headbashing relative gives insights into giraffe evolutionHow the giraffe got its long neck is a longstanding question in science. One possibility is that giraffes evolved longer necks for sexual competition, with males engaging in violent neck-swinging fights. Now, a team have described fossils of an ancient giraffoid species with a thick headpiece adapted for fighting, which could add weight to this hypothesis.Nature News: How the giraffe got its neck: ‘unicorn’ fossil could shed light on puzzle05:18 A wave of resignations signals discontent in academiaAround the world, the ‘great resignation’ has seen huge numbers of workers re-evaluating their careers and lifestyles and choosing to leave their jobs following the pandemic. Academia is no exception, with many scientists deciding to leave the sector in the face of increased workloads, systemic biases and pressure to publish.Nature Careers: Has the ‘great resignation’ hit academia?10:34 An emergency fix gets MAVEN back on trackEarlier this year, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars since 2014, developed some serious equipment issues that prevented it from keeping its correct orientation in space. In a race against time, a team on Earth fixed the problem by developing a system that allowed the spacecraft to navigate by the stars.Space.com: NASA's Mars MAVEN spacecraft spent 3 months on the brink of disaster14:28 The Perseverance rovers continues its rock collectionNASA’s Perseverance rover has arrived at an ancient Martian river delta where it will spend the next few months exploring, while scientists assess where to drill and extract rock samples. It’s thought that rocks from this region have the best chance of containing evidence of Martian life, and plans are being developed to return them to Earth in the future.Nature News: NASA’s Perseverance rover begins key search for life on MarsSubscribe 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.

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) implanted in the brains of people who are paralysed are allowing them to control prosthetics that are restoring a range of skills.Although the field is relatively young, researchers are making rapid advances in the abilities that these implants can restore. In the past few years, commercial interest in BCIs has soared, but many hurdles remain before these implants can be brought to market.This is an audio version of our Feature: The brain-reading devices helping paralysed people to move, talk and touch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 The robot shoulder that exercises cellsRecreating the movements that tendon cells experience as they develop in the human body is necessary for growing tissue for transplantation, but this has been difficult to achieve in a laboratory setting. Now, a team has developed a system that uses a robot shoulder to stretch and twist these cells, which they hope could be used to improve the quality of tissue grafts in the future.Research article: Mouthuy et al.Video: A robotic Petri dish: How to grow human cells in a robot shoulder07:56 Research HighlightsA robotic surgeon that works within an MRI chamber, and an ancient human genome from a resident of Pompeii.Research Highlight: Robot surgeons steer smoothly with help from magnet-free motorResearch Highlight: Vesuvius victim yields first human genome from Pompeii10:30 Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine hesitancyIdentifying sources of vaccine hesitancy is a key challenge in public health. This week, a team show that correcting misperceptions about doctor’s COVID-19 vaccine views increased vaccination rates in the Czech Republic. The team suggest this finding could extend to other countries, and represents a cost-effective intervention for reducing vaccine hesitancy.Research article: Bartoš et al.News and Views: Give physicians’ views to improve COVID vaccine uptake16:21 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, where metals are lost during their economic lifetime, and how pesticide use has spurred cockroach evolution and even affected their mating habits.Nature News: Metal-lifespan analysis shows scale of wasteNew York Times: Cockroach Reproduction Has Taken a Strange TurnSubscribe 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 the devastating loss of life caused by COVID-19, some researchers are arguing that the longest lasting impact of the pandemic will be on education. UN agencies calculate that more or less all school students on the planet - 1.6 billion - have faced an average of 4.5 months of school closures owing to the pandemic, the largest disruption to education in history. Teachers have been under immense pressure to keep their students happy and learning, but it is an uphill battle. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss the research which might guide policymakers and teachers in their attempts to repair some of this damage, and ask how implementing an evidence-based system of education could have benefits beyond the pandemic.News Feature: COVID derailed learning for 1.6 billion students. Here’s how schools can help them catch up 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 puzzle of PalaeospondylusOver a hundred years ago, palaeontologists discovered fossils of the aquatic animal Palaeospondylus. But since then researchers have been unable to place where this animal sits on the tree of life. Now, new analysis of Palaeospondylus’s anatomy might help to solve this mystery.Research article: Hirasawa et al.News and Views: Clues to the identity of the fossil fish Palaeospondylus08:18 Research HighlightsA strong, silk-based version of mother of pearl, and the parrots that use their heads when climbing.Research Highlight: Silk imitates mother of pearl for a tough, eco-friendly materialResearch Highlight: A ‘forbidden’ body type? These parrots flout the rules10:51 How lasers revealed an ancient Amazonian civilizationArchaeologists have used LiDAR to uncover evidence of an ancient civilization buried in the Bolivian Amazon. The team’s work suggests that this area was not as sparsely populated in pre-Hispanic times as previously thought.Research article: Prümers et al.News and Views: Large-scale early urban settlements in AmazoniaNature Video: Lost beneath the leaves: Lasers reveal an ancient Amazonian civilisation16:21 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the debate surrounding the first transplant of pig kidneys into humans, and the plants grown in lunar soil.Nature News: First pig kidneys transplanted into people: what scientists thinkBBC News: Moon soil used to grow plants for first time in breakthrough testSubscribe 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 The mystery of the missing dark matterDark matter makes up most of the matter in the Universe, and is thought to be needed for galaxies to form. But four years ago, astronomers made a perplexing, and controversial discovery: two galaxies seemingly devoid of dark matter. This week the team suggests that a cosmic collision may explain how these, and a string of other dark-matter-free galaxies, could have formed.Research article: van Dokkum et al.News and Views: Giant collision created galaxies devoid of dark matter08:39 Research HighlightsHow fossil fuel burning has caused levels of helium to rise, and a high-efficiency, hybrid solar-energy system.Research Highlight: Helium levels in the atmosphere are ballooningResearch Highlight: Flower power: ‘Sunflower’ system churns out useful energy10:49 Researchers experiences of the war in UkraineWe hear the stories of scientists whose lives have been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including researchers who have become refugees, soldiers and activists in the face of a horrifying conflict.Nature Feature: How three Ukrainian scientists are surviving Russia’s brutal war20:46 Imaging the black hole at the centre of the Milky WayLast week, a team of researchers released an image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive blackhole at the centre of our galaxy. We hear how they took the image and what it is revealing about these enormous objects.Nature News: Black hole at the centre of our Galaxy imaged for the first timeSubscribe 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.

Millions of people around the world have been left managing the complex and amorphous syndrome that is long COVID. But the underlying cause of this myriad of symptoms is not clear. One hypothesis is that the virus is able to find a safe haven in the body from which it can bide its time and potentially re-emerge - a viral reservoir. Now researchers studying long COVID have found evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in a series of organs around the body, most notably the gut, months after the infection appears to have been cleared from the respiratory system. While there is still a long way to go before the reservoir hypothesis can be confirmed, these data provide compelling new support for the theory. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss how the studies were carried out, why the question of long COVID's cause is so difficult to crack, and what more needs to be done to get a firm answer.News: Coronavirus ‘ghosts’ found lingering in the gut 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.

00:57 Reviving retinas to understand eyesResearch efforts to learn more about diseases of the human eye have been hampered as these organs degrade rapidly after death, and animal eyes are quite different to those from humans. To address this, a team have developed a new method to revive retinas taken from donors shortly after their death. They hope this will provide tissue for new studies looking into the workings of the human eye and nervous system.Research article: Abbas et al.08:05 Research HighlightsA technique that simplifies chocolate making yields fragrant flavours, and 3D imaging reveals some of the largest-known Native American cave art.Research Highlight: How to make a fruitier, more floral chocolateResearch Highlight: Cramped chamber hides some of North America’s biggest cave art10:54 Did life emerge in an ‘RNA world’?How did the earliest biochemical process evolve from Earth’s primordial soup? One popular theory is that life began in an ‘RNA world’ from which proteins and DNA evolved. However, this week a new paper suggests that a world composed of RNA alone is unlikely, and that life is more likely to have begun with molecules that were part RNA and part protein.Research article: Müller et al.News and Views: A possible path towards encoded protein synthesis on ancient Earth17:52 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the ‘polarised sunglasses’ that helped astronomers identify an ultra-bright pulsar, and how a chemical in sunscreen becomes toxic to coral.Nature: A ‘galaxy’ is unmasked as a pulsar — the brightest outside the Milky WayNature: A common sunscreen ingredient turns toxic in the sea — anemones suggest whySubscribe 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 a move to microbial protein could affect emissionsIt’s well understood that the production of meat has large impacts on the environment. This week, a team show that replacing 20% of future meat consumption with protein derived from microbes could reduce associated emissions and halve deforestation rates.Research article: Humpenöder et alNews and Views: Mycoprotein produced in cell culture has environmental benefits over beef08:21 Research HighlightsHow saltwater crocodiles’ penchant for pigs is driving population recovery in Australia, and solving the mystery of some eighteenth-century porcelain’s iridescent lustre.Research Highlight: Pork dinners fuel huge crocodiles’ return from near-extinctionResearch Highlight: The nanoparticles that give a famed antique porcelain its dazzle10:47 The neurons that help mosquitoes distinguish smellFemale Aedes aegypti mosquitoes strongly prefer human odours to those of animals, but how they distinguish between them is not well understood. Now, researchers have shown that human odours strongly activate a specific area in the brains of these insects, a finding that could have important implications for mosquito-control strategies.Research article: Zhao et al.18:05 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how climate change could affect virus transmission between mammals, and how the link between a dog's breed and its temperament may not be as close as previously thought.Nature: Climate change will force new animal encounters — and boost viral outbreaksNature: Massive study of pet dogs shows breed does not predict behaviourOur Webby Award winning episode: What’s the isiZulu for dinosaur? How science neglected African languagesSubscribe 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 true disability cost of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown, but more and more studies are adding to the list of potential fallout from even mild COVID 19 infection. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss a massive association study which links COVID-19 cases with an increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We delve into the numbers to ask how big the risk might be? Whether any casual relationship can be drawn from this association? And what might be in store from future research into COVID and chronic disease?News: Diabetes risk rises after COVID, massive study finds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:56 How video calls can reduce creativityAs a result of the pandemic, workers around the world have become accustomed to meeting colleagues online. To find out if this switch from face-to-face meetings came at a cost to creativity, a team compared the number of ideas generated by workers collaborating either online, or in-person. They showed that people meeting virtually produced fewer creative ideas than those working face-to-face, and suggest that when it comes to idea generation maybe it’s time to turn the camera off.Research article: Brucks & LevavNews and Views: Virtual collaboration hinders idea generationVideo: Why video calls are bad for brainstorming08:08 Research HighlightsFragments from an ancient pyramid suggest earliest known use of a Maya calendar, and how sweet snacks could damage rare iguanas’ metabolism.Research Highlight: Deer symbol hints at early adoption of Maya calendarResearch Highlight: Tourists’ sweet treats threaten rare iguanas’ health10:34 Fish skin reveals a new type of cell divisionResearchers looking at the skin cells of zebrafish have discovered a new type of cell division, which doesn’t require DNA replication. DNA is usually essential for healthy cells, but the researchers think this puzzling finding may be a temporary measure to help the fish produce skin more rapidly during growth spurts.Research article: Chan et al.News and Views: Stretched skin cells divide without DNA replicationVideo: A new kind of cell division16:59 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how laser-equipped submarines could help analyse gelatinous animals’ anatomy, and a push for a flagship mission to Uranus.The New Yorker: Shedding Light on Untouchable Sea CreaturesNature: Next stop, Uranus? Icy planet tops priority list for next big NASA missionSubscribe 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.

Results from a huge epidemiological study found that infection by the Epstein-Barr virus increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis 32-fold. This result, combined with emerging mechanistic insights into how the virus triggers brain damage, are raising the prospect of treating or preventing MS.These advances come at a time when researchers are more interested than ever in what happens in the months and years following a viral infection, and highlights the issues untangling the relationships between infectious diseases and chronic conditions.This is an audio version of our Feature: The quest to prevent MS — and understand other post-viral diseases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 What COP26 promises will do for climateAt COP26 countries made a host of promises and commitments to tackle global warming. Now, a new analysis suggests these pledges could limit warming to below 2˚C — if countries stick to them.BBC News: Climate change: COP26 promises will hold warming under 2C03:48 Efficiency boost for energy storage solutionStoring excess energy is a key obstacle preventing wider adoption of renewable power. One potential solution has been to store this energy as heat before converting it back into electricity, but to date this process has been inefficient. Last week, a team reported the development of a new type of ‘photothermovoltaic’ that increases the efficiency of converting stored heat back into electricity, potentially making the process economically viable.Science: ‘Thermal batteries’ could efficiently store wind and solar power in a renewable grid07:56 Leeches’ lunches help ecologists count wildlifeBlood ingested by leeches may be a way to track wildlife, suggests new research. Using DNA from the blood, researchers were able to detect 86 different species in China’s Ailaoshan Nature Reserve. Their results also suggest that biodiversity was highest in the high-altitude interior of the reserve, suggesting that human activity had pushed wildlife away from other areas.ScienceNews: Leeches expose wildlife’s whereabouts and may aid conservation efforts11:05 How communication evolved in underground cave fishResearch has revealed that Mexican tetra fish are very chatty, and capable of making six distinct sounds. They also showed that fish populations living in underground caves in north-eastern Mexico have distinct accents.New Scientist: Blind Mexican cave fish are developing cave-specific accents14:36 Declassified data hints at interstellar meteorite strikeIn 2014 a meteorite hit the Earth’s atmosphere that may have come from far outside the solar system, making it the first interstellar object to be detected. However, as some of the data needed to confirm this was classified by the US Government, the study wasn never published. Now the United States Space Command have confirmed the researchers’ findings, although the work has yet to be peer reviewed.LiveScience: An interstellar object exploded over Earth in 2014, declassified government data revealVice: Secret Government Info Confirms First Known Interstellar Object on Earth, Scientists SaySubscribe 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 has been a debate amongst researchers about whether the body's immune cells can themselves be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Now two new studies show that they can - and what's more, the work has revealed a new mechanism for the massive inflammatory response seen in severe COVID. In this episode of Coronapod, we dig into the papers, asking why it has taken so long to get an answer to this question? How immune cell infection could lead to severe disease? And whether this new mechanism could provide a new avenue for the development of therapeutics?News: What triggers severe COVID? Infected immune cells hold clues 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 How Mammals’ mutation rates affects their lifespanFor biologists, a long-standing question has been why some animals live longer than others. This week a team have attempted to answer this, by measuring the rates that different animal species accumulate mutations. They show that longer-lived animals acquire mutations at a slower rate, which helps to explain why cancer risk does not scale with lifespan.Research article: Cagan et al.News and Views: Mutational clocks tick differently across species07:56 Research HighlightsA clinical trial suggests a change to the treatment of a pregnancy ailment, and astronomers identify the largest known structure produced by a single galaxy.Research Highlight: Ambitious trial inspires a rethink on a common ailment of pregnancyResearch Highlight: Even among ‘giant’ galaxies this one is record-setting10:43 The war in Ukraine’s effects on global energyMany European countries are dependent on Russian fossil fuels for energy production. Following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, these countries are looking to wean themselves off these fuels, which could have short- and long-term impacts on emissions and food production.Feature: What the war in Ukraine means for energy, climate and foodEditorial: The EU can simultaneously end dependence on Russia and meet climate goalsEditorial: The war in Ukraine is exposing gaps in the world’s food-systems research19:58 A new measurement of a particle’s mass hints at new physicsLast week, a new estimate of the W boson’s mass caused much excitement among physicists. The result suggests that this particle is heavier than theory predicts, a finding that could be the first major breach in the standard model of particle physics. However, measuring W bosons is notoriously tricky, and further work will be needed to confirm the finding.News: Particle’s surprise mass threatens to upend the standard model Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 The very cool experiment looking for a proposed particlePhysics tells us that when matter is created, antimatter should be as well. But while the Universe is full of matter, there’s surprisingly little antimatter to be found. To try and understand this imbalance, a team have built a detector kept just above absolute zero which they are using to look for a hypothesised, ultra-rare type of particle decay that could create matter without antimatter.Research article: The CUORE CollaborationNews and Views: Cryogenic mastery aids bid to spot matter creation09:43 Research HighlightsSubsidence of coastal cities makes them more vulnerable to sea-level rise, and tackling ‘crazy ants’ with a parasitic fungus.Research Highlight: Global cities are sinking — and humans are partly to blameResearch Highlight: Marauding crazy ants come to grief when a fungus comes to call12:17 Solving the puzzle of the missing plasmidsBacteria are well known for their ability to share genes, which they often do using small circles of DNA called plasmids. But while plasmids are common in bacteria, a long-standing mystery has been why they are absent in a group of cholera-causing strains of Vibrio cholerae. Now, a team might have solved this mystery, by discovering two previously unknown DNA defence systems that eliminate plasmids, hidden in the bacteria's genomes.Research article: Jaskólska et al.News and Views: Bacterial defence systems degrade plasmid invaders18:41 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what smelling jars from an Egyptian tomb has revealed about ancient burial practices, and the latest report from the IPCC.Science: Ancient smells reveal secrets of Egyptian tombNature: IPCC’s starkest message yet: extreme steps needed to avert climate disasterSubscribe 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.

While current maps of the human genome provide researchers with a wealth of information, many argue that they do not adequately capture humanity’s vast diversity.Now, a team are trying to build a more complete and representative map that shows the varieties of sequence that can be found in different populations. However, given the failings of other projects, some geneticists focused on the needs of Indigenous communities are wary of the initiative.This is an audio version of our Feature: A more-inclusive genome project aims to capture all of human diversity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 Your ability to find your way may depend on where you grew upResearchers have long been trying to understand why some humans are better at navigating than others. This week, researchers show that where someone grew up plays an important role in their ability to find their way; the more winding and disorganised the layouts of your childhood were, the better navigator you’ll be later in life.Research article: Coutrot et al.08:57 Research HighlightsHow boas can squeeze without suffocating themselves, and why being far from humans helps trees live a long life.Research Highlight: How boa constrictors squeeze and breathe at the same timeResearch Highlight: Where are Earth’s oldest trees? Far from prying eyes11:39 How coastal storminess is changingCoastal flooding causes billions of dollars in damage each year. Rising sea levels are known to be a key driver, but the importance of another factor, storm surges, is less clear. Typically after accounting for increasing sea level, they’re not thought to make much of an impact. However new research suggests that this may not be the case.Research article: Calafat et al.16:10 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a brain implant allows a person who is completely paralysed to communicate, and penguin-like bone density suggests Spinosaurus may have hunted underwater.Science: In a first, brain implant lets man with complete paralysis spell out thoughts: ‘I love my cool son.’National Geographic: Spinosaurus had penguin-like bones, a sign of hunting underwaterVideo: A swimming dinosaur: The tail of SpinosaurusSubscribe 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 Accurately ageing stars reveals the Milky Way’s historyTo understand when, and how, the Milky Way formed, researchers need to know when its stars were born. This week, a team of astronomers have precisely aged nearly a quarter of a million stars, revealing more about the sequence of events that took place as our galaxy formed.Research article: Xiang and RixNews and Views: A stellar clock reveals the assembly history of the Milky Way09:53 Research HighlightsArchaeologists reveal an ancient lake was actually a ritual pool, and how the Moon’s phase affects some birds' altitude.Research Highlight: Ancient ‘harbour’ revealed to be part of fertility god’s lavish shrineResearch Highlight: These birds fly high when the full Moon hangs in the sky12:34 Uncovering Yellowstone’s hot water plumbingYellowstone National Park’s iconic geothermal geysers and volcanic landmarks are well studied, but very little was known about the ‘plumbing system’ that feeds these features. Now a team of researchers have mapped the underground hydrothermal system, showing the specific faults and pathways that supply the park.Research article: Finn et al.19:27 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, 0why an Australian university has been suspended from winning a research foundation’s fellowships, and the ongoing debate about the cause of ‘COVID toes’.Nature: Funder bars university from grant programme over white-male award line-upNature: Are ‘COVID toes’ actually caused by the coronavirus?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 handful of states around the world have pursued 'COVID zero' strategies. Through a combination of intensive lockdowns, travel restrictions and comprehensive test and trace systems, regions like Tonga, New Zealand, Taiwan, mainland China and Western Australia managed to keep the virus at bay. But now many of these countries are facing new outbreaks on a scale they have not yet seen, and it is being driven in part by vaccine hesitancy. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss how a successful public health campaign can breed new problems when it comes to public perception of risk, and ask how vaccine complacency might be avoided in the future.News: ‘COVID zero’ regions struggle with vaccine complacency 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.

Marty Reiswig is fit and healthy, but every two weeks he is injected with the experimental drug gantenerumab and has monthly MRI scans. He submits to this because a rare genetic mutation runs in his family that predisposes them to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.We spoke to him about his experience on the trial, and why he chose to continue trialling the drug even after formal clinical trials were discontinued.Produced and narrated by Lorna Stewart.More on this story:News Feature: Could drugs prevent Alzheimer’s? These trials aim to find outResources for those affected by Alzheimer's:Alzheimer's associationAlzheimers.govAlzheimer's society Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A flexible, wearable, fabric microphoneInspired by the ear, a team of researchers have developed an acoustic fibre that can be woven into fabrics to create a sensitive microphone. This fabric microphone is capable of detecting human speech and heartbeats, and the team think it could be used to develop new, wearable sensors for long-term health monitoring.Research article: Yan et al.News and Views: A smart sensor that can be woven into everyday life08:38 Research HighlightsHow a shark’s posture lets you know if it’s asleep, and the desert dust that helps cirrus clouds form.Research Highlight: The secrets of shark sleepResearch Highlight: Wispy clouds are born of dust in the wind11:31 How AI helped Togo target financial aidEarly in the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Togo needed to distribute financial aid to citizens most in need of assistance. As running a nationwide survey to find out people’s financial situations was impossible, they turned to machine learning to discover how best to distribute aid.Research article: Aiken et al.19:02 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. Using machine learning to find meteorite fragments in a desert, and using radiocarbon dating to detect forged paintings.Physics World: ‘Huge leap’ as scientists report first drone-assisted space rock recovery after observed meteorite fallNature: Police rely on radiocarbon dating to identify forged paintingsSubscribe 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 AI helping historians read ancient textsResearchers have developed an artificial intelligence that can restore and date ancient Greek inscriptions. They hope that it will help historians by speeding up the process of reconstructing damaged texts.Research article: Assael et al.News and Views: AI minds the gap and fills in missing Greek inscriptionsVideo: The AI historian: A new tool to decipher ancient textsIthaca platform08:53 Research HighlightsPollinators prefer nectar with a pinch of salt, and measurements of a megacomet’s mighty size.Research Highlight: Even six-legged diners can’t resist sweet-and-salty snacksResearch Highlight: Huge comet is biggest of its kind11:10 Rewilding ArgentinaThis week Nature publishes a Comment article from a group who aim to reverse biodiversity loss by reintroducing species to areas where they are extinct. We speak to one of the Comment’s authors about the project and their hopes that it might kick start ecosystem restoration.Comment: Rewilding Argentina: lessons for the 2030 biodiversity targets21:02 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, giant bacteria that can be seen with the naked eye, and how record-breaking rainfall has caused major floods in Australia.Science: Largest bacterium ever discovered has an unexpectedly complex cellNew Scientist: Record flooding in Australia driven by La Niña and climate changeThe Conversation: The east coast rain seems endless. Where on Earth is all the water coming from?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.

As many countries start to ease or even remove COVID restrictions entirely, there are growing concerns from researchers that this will lead governments to take their eye off the ball and crucially stop collecting and reporting vital data. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss calls from two researchers to improve COVID testing and data reporting. What do they want done differently? Why does it matter? And what could such changes mean for the future of the pandemic and public health more broadly?World View: Tracking COVID-19 infections: time for changeWorld View: Commit to transparent COVID data until the WHO declares the pandemic is over Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 G20 nations fail to cut emissions in COVID stimulus packagesThe G20 economies spent $14 trillion dollars on recovery packages to escape the global recession driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many governments made pledges to deliver emissions reductions as part of these packages. This week, a team of researchers have analysed the spending to see if these promises were kept.Comment: G20’s US$14-trillion economic stimulus reneges on emissions pledges09:34 Research HighlightsAn artificial nerve cell triggers a Venus flytrap’s snap, and a fossil shows that pterosaurs in the Jurassic period were larger than previously thought.Research Highlight: Venus flytrap snaps shut at synthetic neuron’s commandResearch Highlight: The surprisingly huge reptile that prowled the Jurassic skies12:10 How knowing a little about someone changes how anonymous you feelThis week, a team of researchers have used lab-based studies to show how learning a little about a stranger makes a person feel that the stranger knows something about them. The team took this work out of the lab and into New York City, where they showed that providing residents with knowledge about community police officers temporarily reduced crime.Research article: Shah & LaForestNews and Views: Letters and cards telling people about local police reduce crime23:18 The experiences of Ukrainian researchers following the Russian invasionFollowing Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, we hear about the experiences of Ukranian researchers as the conflict continues, and the outpouring of condemnation from the wider academic world.News: Global research community condemns Russian invasion of UkraineSubscribe 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.

Almost everything we do on the Internet is made possible by cryptographic algorithms, which scramble our data to protect our privacy. However, this privacy could be under threat. If quantum computers reach their potential these machines could crack current encryption systems — leaving our online data vulnerable.To limit the damage of this so called 'Q-day', researchers are racing to develop new cryptographic systems, capable of withstanding a quantum attack.This is an audio version of our feature: The race to save the Internet from quantum hackersNever 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.

00:47 Pinpointing the season when an asteroid wiped out the dinosaursAround 66 million years ago, an enormous asteroid struck the Earth, leading to the end of the time of the dinosaurs. In a new paper, a team of scientists looked at evidence from fossilised fish, and suggest it happened in springtime in the Northern Hemisphere.Research article: During et al.08:42 Research HighlightsTransparency shrinks the gender pay-gap in academia, and how Tutankhamen’s meteorite-metal dagger was forged.Research Highlight: Gender pay gap closes after salary information goes publicResearch Highlight: How a space rock became King Tut’s dagger11:01 How climate change is affecting nighttime wildfiresCool, damp nights are a critical barrier to fire progression around the world. But a recent study has revealed that the duration and intensity of nighttime fires has increased in many places, as a result of climate change. The researchers say this trend is likely to continue, hampering efforts to control blazes.Research article: Balch et al.18:56 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how transgenic, fluorescent fish found their way into Brazil’s watercourses, and the ecological impact of a giant oil spill in Peru.Science: Transgenic glowing fish invades Brazilian streamsNature News: Unprecedented oil spill catches researchers in Peru off guardSubscribe 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 scramble to understand the devastating Tongan volcano eruption, and modelling how societal changes might alter carbon emissions.In this episode:00:46 Understanding the Tongan eruptionOn the 15th of January, a volcano in the South Pacific Ocean erupted, sending ash into the upper atmosphere, and unleashing a devastating tsunami that destroyed homes on Tonga’s nearby islands. Now scientists are trying to work out exactly what happened during the eruption — and what it means for future volcanic risks.News Feature: Why the Tongan eruption will go down in the history of volcanology08:49 Research HighlightsThe genes associated with reindeers’ roaming behaviour, and how fossilised puke has thrown up new insights into pterosaurs’ stomachs.Research Highlight: A reindeer’s yearning to travel can be read in its genesResearch Highlight: Petrified puke shows that ancient winged reptiles purged11:29 Modelling societal changes to carbon emissionsA team of researchers have modelled what humans might do in the face of climate change, and looked at how societal, political and technological changes could alter future emissions.Research article: Moore et al.18:12 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, China alters its guidelines for gene-edited crops, and how Guinea worm infections have been driven down from millions of cases a year to just 14.Nature News: China’s approval of gene-edited crops energizes researchersNature News: Just 14 cases: Guinea worm disease nears eradicationSubscribe 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.

Vaccine inequity continues to be one of the greatest challenges in the pandemic - with only 10% of those in low- and middle-income countries fully vaccinated. One of the biggest hold-ups is a lack of vaccine manufacturing capacity in poorer nations. But now, researchers at the WHO technology-transfer hub have completed the first step in a project aimed at building vaccine manufacturing capacity in the Global South, by successfully replicating Moderna's COVID vaccine without assistance from the US-based biotech company. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask how they did it? What happens next? What the legal ramifications might be and what this could mean for the future of vaccine manufacture in low- and middle-income countries? Both during the pandemic and beyond.News: South African scientists copy Moderna's COVID vaccineNews: The fight to manufacture COVID vaccines in lower-income countriesEditorial: Africa is bringing vaccine manufacturing home 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.

RNA in blood shows signs of pre-eclampsia before symptoms occur, and the issues of urine in our sewage and what can be done about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The word endemic is often mistakenly used to describe a rosy end to the pandemic where COVID-19 becomes a mild, but ever-present infection akin to the common cold. But this is by no means guaranteed and the reality could be much less favourable. In this episode of Coronapod we get the evolutionary virologist's take - asking what endemicity might really look like, and what control we still have in shaping the future of SARS-CoV-2.World View: COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless 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.

How quantum friction explains water’s strange flows in carbon nanotubes, and the latest from the Nature Briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much of the coverage of COVID immunity often focuses on antibody response and for good reason - these small, y-shaped proteins can detect, and in some cases neutralise, viruses like SARS-CoV-2. But as variants like Omicron evolve to evade antibodies, the role of another part of the immune system, T cells, has been brought into sharper focus. These immune cells work in a different way to antibodies, attacking infected cells rather than the virus itself, which can make their response broader and more robust. Now, research is showing that, unlike antibodies, T cell potency is not impacted by the mutations in variants like Omicron. In this episode of Coronapod, we ask why T cells are so often overlooked, and what role they might be playing in our protection from the coronavirus.News:‘Killer’ immune cells still recognize Omicron variant 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.

Getting electric planes to take off, and the latest from the Nature Briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The burgeoning field of precision public health is a tech-centric approach that looks to target public-health interventions to the specific people who need them.Precision approaches are taking off and its advocates say this concept promises to save money and lives. However, other researchers are concerned that as funders provide huge amounts of money for precision-public-health initiatives, the focus will be taken away from conventional public health approaches that could improve the lives of millions.This is an audio version of our feature: Is precision public health the future — or a contradiction? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As of January 2022, the WHO reports that 5.5 million people have lost their lives to the pandemic. However, many research groups suggests that this number is likely to be a significant underestimate, although it is hard to be certain as counting mortality across the world is an exceptionally difficult task. In this episode of Coronapod we ask why, and delve into the range of approaches scientists are taking to try to get to the bottom of the sticky problem - from excess death counts, to machine learning and even satellite imagery.News Feature: The pandemic’s true death toll: millions more than official counts 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.

Challenging the dogma of gene evolution, and how chiral nanoparticles could give vaccines a boost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As our environments change, so too do the sounds they make — and this change in soundscape can effect us in a whole host of ways, from our wellbeing to the way we think about conservation. In this Podcast Extra we hear from one researcher, Simon Butler, who is combining citizen science data with technology to recreate soundscapes lost to the past. Butler hopes to better understand how soundscapes change in response to changes in the environment, and use this to look forward to the soundscapes of the future.Nature Communications: Bird population declines and species turnover are changing the acoustic properties of spring soundscapesSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on the biggest science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nature reporter Davide Castelvecchi joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2022. We'll hear about vaccines, multiple Moon missions, the push to save biodiversity, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cutting-edge microscopy techniques are letting researchers visualize biological molecules within cells, rather than studying them in isolation. This approach is providing new insights into how these structures interact in this complex environment.This is an audio version of our feature: The secret lives of cells — as never seen before Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Nature Podcast team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.