The Conversation Weekly

A chance to hear an episode from the first season of The Conversation's Curious Kids, a new podcast where kids from around the world get to ask their questions direct to experts. In this episode: do you think your dog is the cutest thing you've ever seen? Ten-year-old Grace does! But why? She joins our host Eloise and psychologist Deborah Wells from Queen's University Belfast to find out!You can read an article of this episode here or explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation.The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.

Momentum is growing against clauses in investment treaties that permit companies to sue a state if it decides to keep fossil fuels in the ground. In this episode, we revisit the secretive world of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), which some experts are worried could jeopardise global efforts to save the climate and cost countries billions of dollars in the process. Kyla Tienhaara, Canada research chair in economy and environment at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada, comes back on The Conversation Weekly to update us on the latest resistance to these clauses. Part of this episode was first aired in October 2022. You can listen to the original episode here. It was produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:How treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate – and cost countries billionsEnergy charter treaty makes climate action nearly illegal in 52 countries – so how can we leave it?How Clive Palmer is suing Australia for $300 billion with the help of an obscure legal clause (and Christian Porter)The Energy Charter Treaty lets fossil fuel firms sue governments – but its future is now in question 

Chronic pain affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. But the opioid crisis in North America led many health care providers to realize they relied too heavily on drugs to help patients manage their pain.In this episode, a pain management specialist discusses new developments in pain treatment and why there’s hope for patients with chronic pain. Rachael Rzasa Lynn Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus speaks to Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor at The Conversation in the US about emerging chronic pain treatments.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.Further reading:New treatments offer much-needed hope for patients suffering from chronic painChronic pain can be objectively measured using brain signals – new researchUnderstanding that chronic back pain originates from within the brain could lead to quicker recovery, a new study findsHow cannabis and psilocybin might help some of the 50 million Americans who are experiencing chronic pain

Across the world, fans will soon be tuning in at all hours of the day and night to watch the Paris Olympics. In a world where on-demand media streaming is now increasingly the norm, sport is something of a rarity. It’s watched live, often with other people. Can something as simple as watching a sporting competition at the same time bring people closer together? In this episode, we explore this question with a Garriy Shteynberg an associate professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee in the US who studies the impact of shared experiences.We're running a listener survey to hear what you think about the podcast. It should take just a few minutes of your time and we’d really appreciate your thoughts. You can fill it in here.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.Further reading and listening:‘Collective mind’ bridges societal divides − psychology research explores how watching the same thing can bring people togetherHow to depolarise deeply divided societies – podcastMore coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics across The Conversation

A few days after Labour leader Keir Starmer was elected British prime minister on July 4 with a landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative-led rule, a coalition of left-wing parties came out on top in the French legislative elections. It was a good week for the left in this corner of Europe.In this episode, we’ve brought together an expert from each country to help analyse the results and what they tell us about the right in French and British politics. Featuring Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London and Safia Dahani, post-doctoral researcher in sociology at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.We're running a listener survey to hear what you think about the podcast. It should take just a few minutes of your time and we’d really appreciate your thoughts. You can fill it in here.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.Further reading:French elections: ‘Power will shift from the presidential palace to the National Assembly and the Senate’« La légitimation de l’extrême droite est autant le fait d’autres partis que de l’espace médiatique »Starmer must seize the chance to rethink the UK-Europe relationship – here’s how he can do itTory wipeout delivers landslide Labour victory: what the experts say

Seagrass, a marine plant that flowers underwater, has lots of environmental benefits – from storing carbon to preventing coastal erosion. In this episode, we speak to Isabel Key, a marine ecologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, about her work recording the soundscape of Scottish seagrass meadows to uncover more about the creatures living within them.She also explains how this is the first step in the development of a seagrass sound library and potentially even artificial intelligence tools that could help us better understand the sounds of the sea. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation. Further reading:Seagrass meadows are rapidly expanding near inhabited islands in Maldives – here’s whyMeet the world’s largest plant: a single seagrass clone stretching 180 km in Western Australia’s Shark BaySeagrass is a marine powerhouse, so why isn’t it on the world’s conservation agenda?

We’re bringing you an extra episode this week from Don’t Call Me Resilient, another podcast from The Conversation. Hosted by Vinita Srivastava at The Conversation in Canada, Don’t Call Me Resilient is your weekly dose of news and current events through a sharply-focused anti-racist lens.In this episode Vinita talks to Nisrin Elamin about the ongoing war in Sudan, which has displaced more than 10m people. Elamin, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Toronto in Canada, says that in the absence of a properly functioning government and looming famine, grassroots groups are stepping in to help people survive. This episode originally aired on May 30, 2024.You can listen to or follow Don’t Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Further reading and listening: Iran’s intervention in Sudan’s civil war advances its geopolitical goals − but not without risksSudan’s descent into chaos sets stage for al-Qaida to make a return to historic strongholdSudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity

3D-printed guns are now appearing the world over, including in the hands of organised criminals in Europe and anti-junta rebels in Myanmar. Made using a 3D printer and a few metal parts that can be easily sourced online, these shadow guns are untraceable, and becoming a popular choice for extremists too. In this episode, we talk to researcher Rajan Basra at King's College London about this clandestine world, and about his hunt to uncover the real identity of the man who designed the world's most popular 3D-printed gun, the FGC-9. Read an article by Basra from our Insights series about his research too. This episode was written and produced by Gemma Ware with assistance from Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further readingWhat are ‘ghost guns,’ a target of Biden’s anti-crime effort?American gun culture is based on frontier mythology – but ignores how common gun restrictions were in the Old West

A controversial British government plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been central to the UK’s response to a recent sharp increase in the number of people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats. But if the Conservative party lose the general election in early July, the Rwanda plan is likely to be abandoned.In this episode, two experts in UK immigration policy explain how the Rwanda plan became such a crucial part of the immigration debate in the UK. And how, whatever happens in the election, it’s already shifting the wider conversation in Europe about how to deal with migrants and asylum seekers.Featuring Nando Sigona, professor of international migration and forced displacement and director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham and Michaela Benson, professor in public sociology at Lancaster University. They're both co-hosts of the Who do we think we are? podcast. This episode also includes an introduction from Avery Anapol, one of the politics team at The Conversation in the UK.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening: Is the Rwanda plan acting as a deterrent? Here’s what the evidence says about this approachRwanda asylum deportation plan faces more delays – how did we get here?Bespoke humanitarian visa schemes like those for Ukraine and Hong Kong can’t replace the asylum systemI’ve spent time with refugees in French coastal camps and they told me the government’s Rwanda plan is not putting them off coming to the UKMore coverage of the UK general election

It’s one of the biggest puzzles in cosmology. Why two different methods used to calculate the rate at which the universe is expanding don’t produce the same result. Known as the Hubble tension, the enigma suggests that there could be something wrong with the standard model of cosmology used to explain the forces in the universe. Now, recent observations using the new James Webb Space Telescope are shaking up the debate on how close the mystery is to being resolved.In this episode, Vicent J. Martínez, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Valencia in Spain, and his former teacher, Bernard J.T. Jones, emeritus professor of astronomy at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, explain why the Hubble tension matters so much for our understanding of the universe. Also featuring Lorena Sánchez, science editor at The Conversation in Spain. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening: Tensión sobre la tensión de Hubble (in Spanish)Great Mysteries of Physics: a mind-blowing podcast from The Conversation The universe is expanding faster than theory predicts – physicists are searching for new ideas that might explain the mismatchCosmological models are built on a simple, century-old idea – but new observations demand a radical rethink

If you’ve ever experienced a state of creative flow, perhaps when writing, playing music, or even gardening, you’ll know that it feels like everything just clicks into place. But what is actually happening inside the brain? In this episode, we speak to a neuroscientist who scanned the brains of jazz musicians as they were improvising, and revealed the secret ingredients need to achieve a state of flow. Featuring John Kounios, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Drexel University in the US, plus an introduction from Kate Kilpatrick, Philadelphia editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany, with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. A transcript is available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening: Brain scans of Philly jazz musicians reveal secrets to reaching creative flowFlow: people who are easily absorbed in an activity may have better mental and cardiovascular healthThe biological switch that could turn neuroplasticity on and off in the brain – podcast

Snake bites kill tens of thousands of people around the world each year. But we still use techniques invented in the late 19th century to make antivenom, and each bite needs to be treated with antivenom for that specific type of snake.We hear from two scientists whose recent breakthroughs – and failures – could save many more lives and help achieve the holy grail: a universal antivenom. Featuring Stuart Ainsworth, senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool in the UK and Christoffer Vinther Sørensen, postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Antibody Technologies at the Technical University of Denmark.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood, with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: We’re a step closer to having a universal antivenom for snake bites – new studySnakebites: we thought we’d created a winning new antivenom but then it flopped. Why that turned out to be a good thingSnakebites can destroy skin, muscle, and even bone – exciting progress on drugs to treat them

After six weeks of voting in the world’s largest democracy, on June 4, Indians will learn who is to be their next prime minister. Narendra Modi, standing for a third term, is the frontrunner. Critics of Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party argue that India’s democracy has been hollowed out during his premiership. Thousands of Indians have taken to the streets to protest against Modi’s policies.For Indrajit Roy, professor of global development at the University of York in the UK, these pushbacks by Indians against threats to their democracy is an example of an audacious type of hope. He talks to us for this episode about what it means to be living in hope, and where he sees moments of that in India.  This episode was written by Gemma Ware and produced by Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening: India Tomorrow: a podcast series from The Anthill – episode guide‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in IndiaIndian protesters pull from poetic tradition to resist Modi’s Hindu nationalismWith democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s election be? 

A growing number of countries now permit some form of assisted dying and politicians in a number of others, including Ireland, Scotland and France, are now seriously debating it.In Canada, where medical assistance in dying, known as MAID, became legal in 2016, the government intends to extend eligibility to people whose sole reason for ending their life is mental illness. But the planned expansion, now twice delayed, is controversial. In this episode, we speak to a leading psychiatrist, Karandeep Sonu Gaind, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto about the situation in Canada and why he’s a vocal opponent of the expansion. Also featuring Patricia Nicholson, health and medicine editor at The Conversation in Canada.This episode was written by Gemma Ware and produced by Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Should people suffering from mental illness be eligible for medically assisted death? Canada plans to legalize that in 2027 – a philosopher explains the core questionsMAID and mental health: Does ending the suffering of mental illness mean supporting death or supporting better lives?Medical assistance in dying for mental illness ignores safeguards for vulnerable peopleMAID’s evolving ethical tensions: Does it make dying with dignity easier than living with dignity?

As global temperatures continue to rise, the ramifications of climate change – from more frequent and severe extreme weather events to rising sea levels and ecosystem disruptions – are becoming increasingly evident around the world. But their effects are not evenly distributed, often hitting vulnerable communities the hardest.In this episode we speak to Katherine Browne, a research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute, and Margaret Angula, a senior lecturer at the University of Namibia, about a UN pilot programme in Namibia that's trialling a new approach to financing climate adaptation by empowering local communities. Also featuring an introduction with Kofo Belo-Osagie, commissioning editor at The Conversation in Nigeria.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listeningClimate adaptation funds are not reaching frontline communities: what needs to be done about itWhat Africa’s drought responses teach us about climate change hotspotsCOP26: billions are being spent tackling climate change – where is it all going? Climate Fight podcast part 1

Content created with the help of generative artificial intelligence is popping up everywhere, and it’s worrying some artists. They’re concerned that their intellectual property may be at risk if generative AI tools have been built by scraping the internet for data and images, regardless of whether they had permissions to do so.In this episode we speak with a computer scientist about how some artists are trying novel ways to sabotage AI to prevent it from scraping their work, through what’s called data poisoning, and why he thinks the root of the problem is an ethical problem at the heart of computer science. Featuring Daniel Angus, professor of digital communication at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. Plus an introduction from Eric Smalley, science and technology editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading Data poisoning: how artists are sabotaging AI to take revenge on image generatorsAre tomorrow’s engineers ready to face AI’s ethical challenges?To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the moneyFrom shrimp Jesus to fake self-portraits, AI-generated images have become the latest form of social media spam 

Some young South Africans have begun to question Nelson Mandela's legacy, and the choices made in the transition to democracy after the end of apartheid in 1994. Some have even called him a "sellout". In the third and final part of our special series What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa?, marking 30 years of democracy in South Africa post-apartheid, we talk to two academics about the way Mandela is viewed by young South Africans today, and the challenges facing the African National Congress, which has governed the country for three decades, and its current president, Cyril Ramaphosa.Featuring Sithembile Mbete, lecturer in political science at the University of Pretoria and Richard Calland, associate professor in public law at the University of Cape Town. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Gary Oberholzer and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:After the euphoria of Nelson Mandela’s election, what happened next? PodcastSouth Africans tasted the fruits of freedom and then corruption snatched them away – podcastHistory for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?South Africa’s security forces once brutally entrenched apartheid. It’s been a rocky road to reform

In the second part of our special series What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa?, marking 30 years of democracy in South Africa post-apartheid, we talk to two experts about the economic policies introduced to transform the country under Mandela's successor, Thabo Mbeki, and the ensuing turmoil of the Jacob Zuma presidency that followed. Featuring Mashupye Maserumule, a professor of public affairs at Tshwane University of Technology and Michael Sachs, adjunct professor of economics at the University of Witwatersrand. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Gary Oberholzer and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:After the euphoria of Nelson Mandela’s election, what happened next? PodcastJacob Zuma, the monster South Africa’s ruling ANC created, continues to haunt itSouth Africa’s first election was saved by a Kenyan: the fascinating story of Washington Okumu, the accidental mediator

It was a moment many South Africans never believed they'd live to see. On 10 May 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of a democratic South Africa, ending the deadly and brutal white minority apartheid regime. To mark 30 years since South Africa's post-apartheid transition began, we're running a special three-part podcast series, What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa? In this first episode, two scholars who experienced the transition at first hand reflect to Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation's politics editor in Johannesburg, on the initial excitement around Mandela's election, the priorities of his African National Congress in the transition and the challenges that lay ahead for South Africa as it set out to define its post-apartheid future.Featuring Steven Friedman, professor of political studies at the University of Johannesburg and Sandy Africa, associate professor of political sciences at the University of Pretoria.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Gary Oberholzer and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: What happened to Nelson Mandela’s South Africa? A new podcast series marks 30 years of post-apartheid democracy South Africa’s election management body has done a good job for 30 years: here’s why 

It's been 30 years since Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa and the country's brutal and deadly apartheid system came to a formal end. As part of The Conversation's coverage of the anniversary, we're running a special three-part podcast series this month on The Conversation Weekly.In What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa?, Thabo Leshilo, politics and society editor at The Conversation Africa, speaks to prominent political scholars who experienced South Africa's post-apartheid transition, about the country's journey over the past three decades.Listen to the trailer for What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa? The first episode will be available on April 11.

For almost 15 years, scientists have debated whether the Anthropocene should be an official geological epoch marking the profound influence of humans on the planet. Then in March, an international panel of scientists formally rejected the proposal for a new Anthropocene epoch.In this episode, two scientists give us their different opinions on whether that was the right decision and what it means for the future use of the word Anthropocene. Featuring Jan Zalasiewicz, professor of palaeobiology at the University of Leicester in the UK, and Erle C. Ellis, professor of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the US. Plus an introduction from Will de Freitas, environment and energy editor at The Conversation in the UK.This episode was written and produced by Tiffany Cassidy with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available <podcast:transcript url="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/3235/Anthropocene_Transcript.pdf?1714492717" type="text/html"/>will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further readingThe Anthropocene is not an epoch − but the age of humans is most definitely underwayWhat the Anthropocene’s critics overlook – and why it really should be a new geological epochAnthropocene or not, it is our current epoch that we should be fighting forThe Anthropocene already exists in our heads, even if it’s now officially not a geological epoch

We’re bringing you an extra episode this week from Don’t Call Me Resilient, another podcast from The Conversation. Hosted by Vinita Srivastava at The Conversation in Canada, Don’t Call Me Resilient is your weekly dose of news and current events through a sharply-focused anti-racist lens.In this episode, Vinita talks to Hilal Elver about the use of hunger as a tool of war in Gaza. Hilal is a former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and a research professor of Global Studies at the University of California Santa Barbara in the US. This episode originally aired on March 21, 2024.You can listen to or follow Don’t Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Further reading and listening: Starvation is a weapon of war: Gazans are paying the priceGaza conflict: rising death toll from hunger a stark reminder of starvation as a weapon of war Jewish doctors in the Warsaw Ghetto secretly documented the effects of Nazi-imposed starvation, and the knowledge is helping researchers today – podcast 

Our experiences of the world are diverse, often changing as we move across borders from one country to another. They can also vary based on language or subtle shifts in climate. Yet, we rarely consider what causes these differences and divisions. In this episode we speak to geographer Maxim Samson at De Paul University in the US about the unseen boundaries that can shape our collective and personal perceptions of the world – what he calls "invisible lines".This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript is available now. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further readingRemoving urban highways can improve neighborhoods blighted by decades of racist policiesWallacea is a living laboratory of Earth’s evolution – and its wildlife, forests and reefs will be devastated unless we all actAfrica’s got plans for a Great Green Wall: why the idea needs a rethink

As the climate crisis gets ever more severe, the fossil fuel industry is struggling to recruit new talent. And now a number of existing employees are deciding to leave their jobs, some quietly, some very publicly, because of concerns over climate change. In this episode we speak to a researcher about this phenomenon of climate quitting.Featuring Grace Augustine, associate professor in business and society at the University of Bath in the UK, and Sam Phelps, commissioning editor for international affairs at The Conversation in the UK. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Why young workers are leaving fossil fuel jobs – and what to do if you feel like ‘climate quitting’Quarter Life: a series about issues affecting those in their twenties and thirtiesFossil fuel workers have the skills to succeed in green jobs, but location is a major barrier to a just transitionListen: The fossil fuel era must end – so what happens to the communities it built? Climate Fight podcast part 3

As Russians head to the polls for presidential elections, conspiracy theories are swirling everywhere. In this episode we speak to a disinformation expert about the central role these conspiracy theories play in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.Featuring Ilya Yablokov, lecturer in journalism and digital media at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Plus an introduction from Grégory Rayko, international editor at The Conversation in France. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware and Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:The Conversation's Expert guide to conspiracy theories podcastPutin has no successor, no living rivals and no retirement plan – why his eventual death will set off a vicious power struggleWhat can we expect from six more years of Vladimir Putin? An increasingly weak and dysfunctional RussiaRussian conspiracy theories: how Kremlin-backed yarns help keep Vladimir Putin in power En Russie, la plainte étouffée des mobilisés et de leurs familles

High heels, lace and handbags. In recent decades, there’s been a huge shift in the role of North Korean women and the choices they’re able to make – including what they wear. In this episode, we hear about new research on how North Korean women are driving a new form of grassroots capitalism, and changing the country in the process. Featuring Bronwen Dalton, head of the department of management at the University of Technology Sydney Business School in Australia, and Kyungja Jung, Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. Plus an introduction from Justin Bergman, international affairs editor at The Conversation in Australia.This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:From sexual liberation to fashionable heels, new research shows how women are changing North KoreaWhat North Korean defectors say about women’s lives under the Kim regimeNorth Korea steps up efforts to stamp out consumption of illegal foreign media – but entertainment-hungry citizens continue to flout the ban

With unlimited information at our fingertips and dozens of platforms on which to share our opinions, it can sometimes feel like we’re supposed to be experts in everything. It can be exhausting. In this episode, we talk to a psychologist whose research and experiences of intellectual humility have taught him that acknowledging what we don’t know is as important as asserting what we do know.Featuring Daryl Van Tongeren, associate professor of psychology at Hope College in Michigan, and Maggie Villiger, senior science and technology editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:A series of articles on intellectual humilityThe curious joy of being wrong – intellectual humility means being open to new information and willing to change your mindHow to depolarise deeply divided societies – podcast 

When the war in Gaza eventually ends, pressure will mount for negotiations to begin for a deal. When that day comes, how can opposing sides in the Israel-Palestine conflict find enough common ground to reach an agreement? In this episode, we hear about a method called peace polling, tried out successfully in Northern Ireland, that could offer a blueprint for how to reach a settlement between Israelis and Palestinians.Featuring Colin Irwin, a research fellow at the Department of Politics at the University of Liverpool in the UK, and Jonathan Este, senior international editor at The Conversation in the UK.This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written by Gemma Ware and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation, and a fortnightly Gaza Update email.Further reading and listening:

Humans spend about one third of our lives asleep and while most of us dream regularly, some people remember their dreams more than others. But scientists still know surprisingly little about why or how we experience dreams. In this episode we find out about new research from a sleep lab in France that has unlocked a way to find out more by communicating with people as they dream. Featuring Başak Türker, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute du Cerveau in Paris, and Lionel Cavicchioli, health and medicine editor at The Conversation in France. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:The study of dreams: Scientists uncover new communication channels with dreamersI’m a lucid dream researcher – here’s how to train your brain to do itDreaming may have evolved as a strategy for co-operative survival 

Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy, goes to the polls on February 14 to elect a new president. It’s one of the largest elections to take place since an explosion of generative AI tools became available that can manipulate video and audio – and a number of deepfake videos have gone viral during the campaign.In this episode, we look at what Indonesia’s experience is revealing about the disinformation battleground ahead in 2024, when an estimated four billion voters will be eligible to vote in an election. Featuring F.X. Lilik Dwi Mardjianto, a journalism researcher at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara in Inodnesia and Nuurrianti Jalli, assistant professor of Professional Practice, School of Media and Strategic Communications, Oklahoma State University in the US. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Indonesia’s presidential election may go to run-off, despite what the polls sayFake Biden robocall to New Hampshire voters highlights how easy it is to make deepfakes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated disinformationDisinformation is often blamed for swaying elections – the research says something else

In some cultures, people are frugal while in others they tend to be generous. Some cultures favour meticulous planning while others favour living in the moment. Theories abound about how and why differences like these between cultures emerge and, increasingly, researchers are looking to the environments people live in for answers.In this episode, Mend Mariwany explores what role ecological factors, including the climate, play in shaping cultural norms and behaviour. Featuring Michael Varnum, associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University in the US.  This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written by Mend Mariwany, and produced by Mend Mariwany and Meher Batia with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading and listening:Nearly 20% of the cultural differences between societies boil down to ecological factors – new researchWhy rice growers in China are more sexually liberal than wheat growersHow culture informs people’s emotional reaction to music – podcast

In our chaotic, rapidly changing modern world, many of us have come to rely on science for objectivity and to provide sense of order. So it may be disconcerting to learn that there is no single, definitive list of all life on Earth. And there never has been.In this episode, we take you inside the world of taxonomy, where competing lists, rogue taxonomists and recent accusations of anarchy have revealed the messy struggle to classify the world around us.Featuring Stephen Garnett, professor of conservation and sustainable livelihoods at Charles Darwin University in Australia, and Signe Dean, science and technology editor for The Conversation in Australia.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation and to The Conversation's Science Wrap newsletter.Further reading:We need a single list of all life on Earth – and most taxonomists now agree on how to startHow a scientific spat over how to name species turned into a big plus for natureWhat makes a good bird name?Thousands of undiscovered mammal species may be hidden in plain sight, new research finds

Nearly eight decades on from the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27 1945, the number of concentration camp prisoners forcibly tattooed, remains, for many, the symbol of the Holocaust. The Nazis murdered six million Jews, one million of whom died at Auschwitz. Today, there are ever fewer survivors still alive to bear witness to this genocide.In this episode, brought to us by Dale Berning Sawa, we find out what motivates some descendants of Holocaust survivors to replicate the Auschwitz tattoo of their parent or grandparent on their own bodies, and hear about the reactions they’ve had. Featuring Alice Bloch, professor of sociology at the University of Manchester, Orly Weintraub Gilad and David Rubin.This episode was written by Dale Berning Sawa and produced by Mend Mariwany, with assistance from Gemma Ware and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:Descendants of Holocaust survivors explain why they are replicating Auschwitz tattoos on their own bodiesHolocaust Memorial Day shouldn’t be about ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ – unsung, ordinary people made the biggest differenceAuschwitz: Women used different survival and sabotage strategies than men at Nazi death camp

When you think about the far right, you probably picture groups of young, white men carrying images of swastikas or torches. But the face of the far right is changing, at least on social media. In this episode, we hear about new research into a cohort of women influencers pushing far right ideology on mainstream platforms like Instagram and YouTube. The Conversation's Avery Anapol speak to Eviane Leidig, a postdoctoral research fellow at Tilburg University in the Netherlands who focuses on far right ideology, gender and the internet.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with production assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript is also available. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:Far-right ‘tradwives’ see feminism as evil. Their lifestyles push back against ‘the lie of equality’Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement − a media and disinformation expert explains the danger of political violence orchestrated over social media

At every moment, your body’s internal organs are sending signals to your brain. You’ll be mostly unaware of them, but sometimes they cut through: for example when you’re hungry, or when you need to go to the bathroom. Our ability to tap into these hidden signals is called interoception – sometimes known as a sixth sense. In this episode, we speak to a cognitive neuroscientist and expert on interoception about how new research on this connection between our minds and bodies could lead to breakthroughs in mental and physical healthcare. Featuring Sarah Garfinkel, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London in the UK, and Vivian Lam, associate health and biomedicine editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Do you eat with your eyes, your gut or your brain? A neuroscientist explains how to listen to your hunger during the holidaysHow signals from your body could be making you anxiousMonkeys can sense their own heartbeats, an ability tied to mental health, consciousness and memory in humans

Wolves are making a comeback across Europe. As their populations grow, 65,000 livestock are killed each year by wolves. Now, moves are underway to change the protection status of the wolf in the European Union. In this episode we speak to a social scientist researching the best ways for humans and wolves to coexist.Featuring Hanna Pettersson, a postdoctoral research associate at the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity at the University of York in the UK and Jack Marley, environment and energy editor at The Conversation in the UK. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly.Sign up to Imagine, a newsletter from The Conversation in which researchers imagine a world where climate action is the norm. Further reading and listening:Wolf protection in Europe has become deeply political – Spain’s experience tells us whyWolves are returning to European farmland – but they’re not motivated by a taste for sheepEurope has a wolf problem, and a late Norwegian philosopher had the solutionWolf restoration in Colorado shows how humans are rethinking their relationships with wild animals

Ever found yourself scrolling through social media late at night and accidentally buying something you regretted? In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we talk to an advertising expert about research into how social media can overload ours brains and make us buy products we don’t need or want.Featuring Matthew Pittman, a professor of advertising at the University of Tennessee in the US, and Kate Kilpatrick from The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with production assistance from Katie Flood and our intern Jusneel Mahal. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware.Full credits available here. A transcript is now available. Further reading and listening:Too many digital distractions are eroding our ability to read deeply, and here’s how we can become aware of what’s happening — podcastHow social media can distort and misinform when communicating scienceMounting research documents the harmful effects of social media use on mental health, including body image and development of eating disorders

Across parts of academia, concerns are mounting that the Israel-Gaza war is having a chilling effect on academic freedom. In the second of two episodes exploring how the war is affecting life at universities, we speak to an Israeli legal scholar, now based in the UK, about the pressures that academics and students are facing to rein in their views about the war.Featuring Neve Gordon, professor of international law and human rights, Queen Mary University of London in the UK.This episode was written by Gemma Ware and produced by Mend Mariwany. Sound design is by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available.Further reading and listening: American universities in the spotlight over reaction to Israel-Gaza war – podcastIsrael-Gaza: what the term genocide means under international law – podcastDefending space for free discussion, empathy and tolerance on campus is a challenge during Israel-Hamas warWhy university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First Amendment

Tensions have been running high at many universities around the world since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli assault on Gaza. In the first of two episodes exploring how the war is affecting life at universities, we explore what's been happening at one American public college campus.Featuring David Mednicoff, chair of the Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies and an associate professor of Middle Eastern studies and public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Naomi Schalit, senior politics and society editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written by Gemma Ware and produced by Mend Mariwany. Sound design is by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available.Further reading and listening: Defending space for free discussion, empathy and tolerance on campus is a challenge during Israel-Hamas warWhy university presidents find it hard to punish advocating genocide − college free speech codes are both more and less protective than the First AmendmentIsrael-Gaza: what the term genocide means under international law – podcast

Kenya is marking 60 years since its independence from British colonial rule on December 12, 1963. Each year, the country celebrates the occasion with a national holiday, Jamhuri Day. And for much of the past 60 years, patriotic choral music has been a regular feature of those celebrations. In this episode, we explore how much one song can tell you about the politics of a new nation – and who controls what gets remembered and what gets forgotten.Featuring Doseline Kiguru, a research associate in cultural and literary production in Africa at the University of Bristol in the UK, plus Julius Maina, East Africa editor at The Conversation based in Nairobi.This episode was produced by Katie Flood and Mend Mariwany. It was written by Gemma Ware, who is the executive producer of the show. Full credits for this episode are available here. A full transcript is now available.Further reading: Kenya at 60: the shameful truth about British colonial abuse and how it was covered upHumiliation and violence in Kenya’s colonial days – when old men were called ‘boy’ and Africans were publicly beatenKenya’s ‘patriotic’ choral music has been used to embed a skewed version of history

As world leaders and their climate negotiators gathered at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in early December, on the other side of the world, Brazil was experiencing an unprecedented drought in the Amazon. Scientists fear it could release of billions of additional tons of carbon into the atmosphere. In this episode, we speak to an ecologist who has spent 45 years living and studying in the Amazon about the causes of the drought, why it’s so dangerous for the planet and what can be done to protect the rainforest.Featuring Philip Fearnside, ecologist and professor at the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Brazil.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of the show. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is also available.Further reading: Amazon region hit by trio of droughts in grim snapshot of the century to comeDeforestation jeopardises agribusiness and food security in Brazil and worldwide Climate tipping points are nearer than you think – our new report warns of catastrophic risk UN’s ‘global stocktake’ on climate offers a sobering emissions reckoning − but there are also signs of progress

In the weeks since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the Israeli bombardment and ground assault on Gaza, both sides have traded accusations of genocide. Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took more than 200 hostage, while Israel’s subsequent aerial and ground attack on Gaza have killed more than 15,000 Palestinians and displaced millions. In this episode we speak to an expert on genocide about the history of the term and what’s needed to prove it under today’s international legal definition.Featuring Alexander Hinton, distinguished professor of anthropology and director for the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University Newark in the US.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with production assistance from Katie Flood. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of the show. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is also available.Further reading: Both Israel and Palestinian supporters accuse the other side of genocide – here’s what the term actually meansGaza’s next tragedy: Disease risk spreads amid overcrowded shelters, dirty water and breakdown of basic sanitationHamas isn’t the first military group to hide behind civilians as a way to wage war

Amid the flurry of billboards promoting cut price deals in the run up to Black Friday, some activists have slipped in the odd spoof advert. By subverting public advertising space, they’re risking legal action to try and make serious points about the excesses of consumer culture and the perilous state of the environment. In this episode, we find out about the subvertising movement and its links to a wider conversation about mass consumerism and the environment.Featuring Eleftheria Lekakis, a senior lecturer in media and communication at the University of Sussex in the UK.This episode was written, produced and sound designed by Eloise Stevens, with production assistance from Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of the show.. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is now available.Further reading: Why artists installed 600 fake adverts at COP21Artists are not at the negotiating table at COP26 but art is everywhere. What can they accomplish through their work? 

The rise of drug-resistant infections is one of the biggest global threats to health, food security and development. Antibiotic-resistant superbugs were estimated to kill 1.27 million people in 2019, and the UN projects that drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths a year by 2050. In this episode, we hear from a microbiologist at a hospital in Nigeria working on the frontlines against antibiotic resistance, and find out about the new scientific techniques, including artificial intelligence, being deployed to find new potential antibiotics.Featuring Nubwa Medugu, a clinical microbiologist at Nile University of Nigeria and André O. Hudson, dean of the College of Science and professor of biochemistry at Rochester Institute of Technology in the US.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of the show. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is also available. Further reading: Will we still have antibiotics in 50 years? We asked 7 global expertsResistance to antibiotics in northern Nigeria: what bacteria are prevalent, and which drugs work against themAntibiotic resistance is at a crisis point – government support for academia and Big Pharma to find new drugs could help defeat superbugsMore reading from our series on The dangers of antibiotic resistance

Two months after the earthquake, we hear why Marrakech and its medina are so important to Islamic heritage – and why some researchers are worried that the expertise of the city's traditional artisans could being overlooked in the reconstruction.Featuring Abbey Stockstill, assistant professor of art history at Southern Methodist University in the US; Nour Eddine Nachaoune, professor of heritage at Université Mohammed V in Rabat; and Kalpana Jain, senior religion and ethics editor and director of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Gemma Ware and Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany, who also recorded the English voiceover in this episode. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of the show. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is now available.Further reading: Marrakech artisans – who have helped rebuild the Moroccan city before – are among those hit hard in the earthquake’s devastationTinmel – Morocco’s medieval shrine and mosque – is one of the historic casualties of the earthquakeWhat caused Morocco’s earthquake? A geologist studying the Atlas mountains explains

In recent years, Californians have had to deal with some deadly and destructive wildfires. But in fact, this part of the western United States has been shaped by fire for millennia. And in this episode we hear about new research from California into a decades-old mystery about the extinction of large animals at the end of the Ice Age, which is providing some worrying lessons from history about the way humans, fire and ecosystems interact. Featuring Emily Lindsey, associate curator at La Brea Tar Pits and adjunct faculty at University of California, Los Angeles, and Stacy Morford, environment and climate editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was produced and written by Katie Flood Gemma Ware. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: A changing climate, growing human populations and widespread fires contributed to the last major extinction event − can we prevent another?‘Zombie fires’ in the Arctic: Canada’s extreme wildfire season offers a glimpse of new risks in a warmer, drier futureWhat 2,500 years of wildfire evidence and the extreme fire seasons of 1910 and 2020 tell us about the future of fire in the West

Homs was once the centre of the Syrian revolution. Today, 12 years on, much of the city remains scarred and deserted after years of siege and heavy bombardment. In this episode we speak to an architect from Homs about what the deliberate destruction of homes and neighbourhoods, known as domicide, does to people displaced by conflict – and his perspective on the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.  Featuring Ammar Azzouz, research fellow in geography and the environment at the University of Oxford in the UK. This episode was produced and written by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: ‘My home city was destroyed by war but I will not lose hope’ – how modern warfare turns neighbourhoods into battlefieldsHow Syrian architects can start to rebuild – even in the devastation of warOngoing coverage from The Conversation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

We’re bringing you an extra episode this week to share an interview from Don’t Call Me Resilient, another podcast from The Conversation. Hosted by Vinita Srivastava at The Conversation in Canada, Don’t Call Me Resilient is your weekly dose of news and current events through a sharply-focused anti-racist lens.In this episode which we're running in full, Vinita talks to Daniel Martinez HoSang, a professor of ethnicity, race and migration and American studies at Yale University about why brown and Black people are being drawn to far-right politics in the United States. It originally aired in early October 2023.You can listen to or follow Don’t Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Further reading:Republicans are trying to build a multiracial right – will it work?All episodes of Don't Call Me Resilient

Imagine a particle so small that it’s the same relative size to a soccer ball as that football is to the planet Earth. That’s the size of a quantum dot – a type of nanocrystal that changes colour depending on its size, and was once thought impossible to actually make. Now, three scientists who helped discover and synthesise these quantum dots have been awarded the 2023 Nobel prize in chemistry.In this week’s episode we speak to Louis Brus, one of these new Nobel laureates, and an emeritus professor of chemistry at Columbia University in New York, about his work on quantum dots and what winning the accolade means.  This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced and written by Gemma Ware and Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: Quantum dots − a new Nobel laureate describes the development of these nanoparticles from basic research to industry applicationNobel prize in chemistry awarded for ‘quantum dot’ technology that gave us today’s high definition TVsFull coverage of the 2023 Nobel prizesIranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, in prison for speaking up against human rights violations, has been a voice for women for almost two decades Jon Fosse: Nobel prize in literature winner is a playwright who puts outsiders centre stage

For generations, Neanderthals have been a source of fascination for scientists. This species of ancient hominim inhabited the world for around 500,000 years until they suddenly disappeared 42,000 years ago. Today, the cause of their extinction remains a mystery.Archaeologist Ludovic Slimak at the University of Toulouse III, Paul Sabatier in France and his team have spent three decades excavating caves, studying ancient artefacts and delving into the world of Neanderthals and they've recently published provocative new findings. In this week’s episode he tells us more about how Neanderthals lived, what happened to them and why their extinction might hold profound insights into the story of own species, Homo Sapiens.This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced and written by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is now available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: Q&A with Ludovic Slimak, the archeologist who wants to rewrite the history of early humans in EuropeColonisation de l’Europe par Homo sapiens : une nouvelle étude rebat les cartes (in French)Neanderthals: the oldest art in the world wasn’t made by Homo sapiens