Nature Podcast
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Flight simulator for moths reveals they navigate by starlight
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In this episode:
00:45 The tiny moths that use the stars to navigate
Bogong moths use the stars to help them navigate during their enormous migration across Australia, according to new research. Every year, billions of these nocturnal moths travel up to 1,000 km to cool caves in the Australian Alps, despite having never been there before. By placing moths in a flight-simulator that also acted as a planetarium, the team behind the work showed that moths could use the bright Milky Way to help them fly in the correct direction.
Research article: Dreyer et al.
10:17 Research Highlights
Nigeria's pangolins are under threat because their meat is delicious, and how the gravitational pull of other galaxies may prevent the Milky Way colliding with Andromeda.
Research Highlight: Why pangolins are poached: they’re the tastiest animal around
Research Highlight: A long-predicted cosmic collision might not happen after all
12:37 How humans expanded their habitats before migrating out of Africa
New research suggests that shortly before modern humans successfully migrated out of Africa, they massively expanded the range of ecosystems they lived in. By combining climate modelling with data from archaeological sites across the African continent, researchers put forward evidence that 70,000 years ago, humans expanded the ecosystems they lived in to include diverse habitat types from forests to deserts. The authors suggest this ability to live in different places may have helped the later humans that migrated out of the continent around 50,000 years ago.
Research article: Hallet et al.
21:59 Briefing Chat
Blowing bubble-rings could be humpback whales' way of trying to communicate with humans, and the research suggesting that everyone’s breathing pattern is unique.
Science Alert: Humpback Whale Bubble Rings May Be an Attempt to Communicate With Us
Nature: How you breathe is like a fingerprint that can identify you
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Hundreds of physicists on a remote island: we visit the ultimate quantum party
According to legend, physicist Werner Heisenberg formulated the mathematics behind quantum mechanics in 1925 while on a restorative trip to the remote North Sea island of Heligoland.
To celebrate the centenary of this event, several hundred researchers have descended on the island to take part in a conference on all things quantum physics. Nature reporter Lizzie Gibney was also in attendance, and joined us to give an inside track on the meeting.
News: Happy birthday quantum mechanics! I got a ticket to the ultimate physics party
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This stretchy neural implant grows with an axolotl's brain
00:45 A flexible neural-implant that grows with the brain
Researchers have developed a soft electronic implant that can measure brain activity of amphibian embryos as they develop. Understanding the neural activity of developing brains is a key aim for neuroscientists, but conventional, rigid probes can damage growing brains. To overcome this, a team have developed a flexible mesh that stretches with the brain and tested it by monitoring single neuron activity during development of frog and axolotl embryos. More testing and ethical considerations will be required, but the researchers hope that eventually such implants could help with neurological conditions that affect humans.
Research article: Sheng et al.
13:11 Research Highlights
The exoplanet slowly evaporating into space, and cockatoos that have figured out an innovative way to stay hydrated.
Research Highlight: Solved: the mystery of the evaporating planet
Research Highlight: Clever cockatoos learn an easy way to quench their thirst
15:30 An AI-based way to repair damaged paintings
By combining AI tools with mechanical engineering techniques, a researcher has developed a new way to speed up the restoration of damaged paintings. The technique creates a removable mask that can be overlaid onto a painting to cover any damage apparent in the artwork. It was successfully tested on an oil painting, fixing a large number of damaged areas in only a few hours. This could offer a significant speed-boost to painting restoration, which can often take months, or even years.
Research article: Kachkine
Video: Meet the engineer who invented an AI-powered way to restore art
27:36 Briefing Chat
A new ranking system could make it easier to spot universities that are chasing publishing metrics at the expense of rigorous science, and evidence that cutting off rhinos’ horns deters poachers.
Nature: ‘Integrity index’ flags universities with high retraction rates
AP: Cutting off rhinos’ horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works
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Trump wants to put humans on Mars: what scientists think of the plan
In this Podcast Extra, we examine President Donald Trump's calls for NASA to land humans on Mars. Although the White House has proposed spending some US$1 billion in 2026 on Mars plans, critics say the final cost will likely be hundreds of billions of dollars spread over a number of years.
This call comes amidst plans to drastically reduce NASA's funding, and the proposed cancelling of dozens of the space agency's missions, including projects to study Earth, Mars and Venus.
News: Trump wants to put humans on Mars — here’s what scientists think
News: Five key climate and space projects on Trump’s chopping block
News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature
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Male mice can grow female organs — if their mothers lack iron
00:45 Iron’s role in mice sex determination
Iron deficiency in mice mothers can sometimes result in their offspring developing female sex organs despite having male sex genes, according to new research. While genetics has been thought to be the primary factor in determining offspring sex in mammals, the new work shows that a lack of iron disrupts an enzyme involved in the development of testes, leading to some mice with male sex-determining genes being born with female genitalia and ovaries. This suggests that sex determination is controlled by more than genetics, but more work will need to be done to understand the precise mechanisms involved.
News: Male mice can grow ovaries if their pregnant mums are iron deficient
Research article: Okashita et al.
06:31 Research Highlights
How climate change is making dust storms more likely, and understanding the genetics of a boy who couldn’t feel pain.
Research Highlight: The perfect storm for dust storms, thanks to global warming
Research Highlight: CRISPR helps to show why a boy felt no pain
08:51 The role of small-scale fishers in sustainability
The contributions that small-scale fishers make to sustainable fishing have been described as ‘invisible’, but now a huge research project has revealed the role this community plays in feeding populations and protecting oceans. Looking at data from 58 countries, researchers have shown that small-scale fishers account for around 40% of the global catch and feed approximately 25% of the world’s population. The people behind the initiative hope that these data can help give a voice to small-scale fishers as people look for ways to feed the world sustainably.
Immersive : Small-scale fisheries
19:44 Briefing Chat
The discovery of an ‘ambidextrous’ protein; and why humpback whales, despite their enormous eyes, appear to be shortsighted.
Nature: Rare ‘ambidextrous’ protein breaks rules of handedness
Discover Magazine: Big Eyes, Blurry Vision: Why Humpback Whales Struggle to See Clearly
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Audio long read: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky
With the world looking likely to blow past the temperature targets laid out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a growing number of voices are saying that carbon removal technologies will be necessary if humanity is to achieve its long-term climate goals. If these approaches succeed, they could help nations and corporations to meet their climate commitments — and help the world to halt global warming.
However, questions remain about the financial viability of these technologies, and whether they can live up to the hype.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky
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AI linked to boom in biomedical papers, infrared contact lenses, and is Earth's core leaking?
00:33 Was a boom in papers driven by AI?
A spike in papers formulaically analysing a public data set has sparked worries that AI is being used to generate low quality and potentially misleading analyses.
Nature: AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers
08:07 Lenses that give humans infrared vision
Researchers in China have created contact lenses that can allow humans to see infrared light, which could help with search and rescue missions, sending secret messages and even surgery.
Nature: These contact lenses give people infrared vision — even with their eyes shut
14:17 Does the Earth's core have a leak?
Geologists have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that Earth's core is leaking. Rocks from Hawaii were found to contain isotopes of a rare element, which suggests the material originally came from the core. More work will need to be done to rule out other explanations.
Nature: Is Earth’s core leaking? Volcanic rocks provide strongest evidence yet
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These malaria drugs treat the mosquitos — not the people
00:45 Treating mosquitoes for malaria
Researchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based malaria-control measures, which are losing efficacy in the face of increased resistance.
Research article: Probst et al.
10:42 Research Highlights
The sunlight-powered device that can harvest drinkable water from desert air, and evidence that the world’s richest people are disproportionately responsible for climate impacts.
Research Highlight: Atacama sunshine helps to pull water from thin air
Research Highlight: The world’s richest people have an outsized role in climate extremes
13:02 The genetics that can lead to pregnancy loss
Researchers have found specific genetic mutations that can lead to pregnancy loss. It’s known that errors, such as the duplication of chromosomes, can lead to nonviable pregnancies but less has been known about non-chromosomal genetic errors. The new work identifies DNA sequence changes that can lead to a non-viable pregnancy. This may offer clinicians the ability to screen embryos for these changes to help avoid pregnancy loss.
Research article: Arnadottir et al.
22:24 Briefing Chat
Bespoke CRISPR-based therapy treats baby boy with devastating genetic disease, and the ‘anti-spice’ compounds that can lower chillies’ heat.
Nature: World’s first personalized CRISPR therapy given to baby with genetic disease
New Scientist: Chemists discover 'anti-spice' that could make chilli peppers less hot
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How to transport antimatter — stick it on the back of a van
00:46 An antimatter delivery van takes its first road trip
Researchers have developed a portable antimatter containment device and tested it by putting it in a truck and driving it around CERN. Their system could represent a big step forward in efforts to take particles made at CERN’s ‘antimatter factory’ and transport them to other labs, something currently impossible due to antimatter being destroyed upon contact with matter. The team showed the feasibility of their approach by using the system to safely transport particles of matter and are now looking to adapt it to ferry antimatter particles.
Research article:Leonhardt et al.
11:45 Research Highlights
How a tradition of female diving on a South Korean island might have shaped the genomes of the island’s population, and a poison-dart frog that curiously seems to be monogamous.
Research Highlight:How Korea’s female divers have adapted to cold plunges
Research Highlight:A ‘hidden gem’ of the Amazon is a frog with odd habits
13:46 The mathematics of a near-miss between black holes
Physicists have tackled a longstanding problem in physics — understanding how two black holes gravitationally interact as they fly past each other — which could help with future detections of the gravitational waves that would be created by these events. Rather than repeatedly running expensive computer simulations to approximate the answer to this problem, a team of theorists have come up with a mathematical formula to describe a black hole fly-by, which can be run in a matter of seconds. Their results could be used to identify the tell-tale signatures of these events when they actually occur.
Research article:Driesse et al.
22:10 Briefing Chat
How physicists turned lead into gold, for a microsecond and at tremendous cost, and the genetics of the skunk cabbage’s foul odour.
Nature:Physicists turn lead into gold — for a fraction of a second
Video:Scientists turn lead into gold
Nature:How skunk cabbages and other smelly plants brew their foul odour
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NSF terminates huge number of grants and stops awarding new ones
In this Podcast Extra, we examine recent developments US National Science Foundation, which has seen significant numbers of research grants terminated. In addition, there have been freezes on funding for new grants and any additional money to existing ones. We also discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which calls for disproportionately large cuts to federal science funding.
News: Exclusive: NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones
News: Trump proposes unprecedented budget cuts to US science
News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature
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Herring population loses migration 'memory' after heavy fishing
00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of Herring
Selective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas hundreds of kilometres to the north. Researchers have concluded that too many older fish have been removed from these waters, preventing the knowledge of the best spawning grounds being passed to younger, less experienced fish. This finding shows how human activity can affect animal migration, which could have serious consequences for the delicately balanced ecosystems built around them.
Research article: Slotte et al.
10:37 Research Highlights
Archaeologists have identified tools that the ancient Maya may have used for tattooing, and the self-assembling stable structures that may help ‘forever chemicals’ persist in nature.
Research Highlight: Tattoo-making tools used by ancient Maya revealed
Research Highlight: ‘Forever’ molecules bunch themselves into cell-like structures
13:02 How might AI companions affect users’ mental health?
AI companions — apps where humans build relationships with computers — are hugely popular, with millions of people around the world using them. But despite increased social and political attention, research investigating how these systems can affect users has been lacking. We find out about the latest research in this space.
News Feature: Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI companions affect our mental health
24:52 Briefing Chat
A technique that lets researchers directly edits proteins within living cells, and how a fibre-rich, low-fat diet could help replenish populations of gut microbes ravaged by antibiotics.
Nature: Powerful protein editors offer new ways of probing living cells
Nature: How to fix a gut microbiome ravaged by antibiotics
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The dismantling of US science: can it survive Trump 2.0?
In this episode:
00:46 What will be left of US science after Trump 2.0?
100 days into his term, President Donald Trump and his administration have already caused the biggest shakeup in modern scientific history, slashing funding, bringing large swathes of US research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. But many fear these actions are just the beginning. We look at what the long-term impacts of these decisions might be for science in the United States and the world.
Nature: Will US science survive Trump 2.0?
13:42 Research Highlights
A distant planet that orbits two stars, at a right angle, and how fringe-lipped bats’ hearing helps them find palatable amphibians.
Research Highlight: ‘Tatooine’-like planet orbits two stars ― but at a weird angle
Research Highlight: For these bats, eavesdropping is a valuable learnt skill
16:07 Briefing Chat
The first skeletal evidence from bones that Roman gladiators fought lions, and scientists finally pinpoint the genes responsible for three of the pea traits studied by Gregor Mendel.
BBC News: Bites on gladiator bones prove combat with lion
Nature: Century-old genetics mystery of Mendel’s peas finally solved
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Audio long read: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health?
Research shows that, over the past two decades, rates of mental illness have been increasing in adolescents in many countries. While some scientists point to soaring use of smartphones and social media as a key driver for this trend, others say the evidence does not show a large effect of these technologies on teenagers’ psychological health.
At the heart of the dispute is a large, complex and often conflicting body of research that different researchers interpret in different ways. This has left parents unsure what to do.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health?
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A brand-new colour created by lasers, a pig-liver transplant trial gets the green light, and a nugget-sized chunk of lab-grown meat
00:27 Five people see ‘olo’, a brand-new colour
Using a laser system to activate specific eye cells, a team has allowed five study participants to perceive a vibrant blue-greenish hue well outside the natural range of colours seen by humans. Although the setup required to accomplish this feat is currently complicated, this finding could provide more understanding about how the brain perceives colour and could one day help boost the vision of people with colour blindness.
Nature News: Brand-new colour created by tricking human eyes with laser
08:30 US regulator greenlights pig-liver transplant trial
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first trial to test whether genetically modified pig livers can be used safely to treat people with organ failure. In the initial phase of the trial, four people with severe liver failure will be temporarily connected to an external pig liver that will filter their blood. Participants will then be monitored for a year for safety and changes in liver function. The organs have been genetically modified to make them more compatible with humans.
Nature News: Pig livers for people: US regulator greenlights first safety trial
14:08: A chunk of lab-grown chicken
Using a designer ‘circulatory system’, a team of researchers have created what they think is the largest piece of meat grown in the laboratory yet. One of the challenges to producing larger pieces of lab-grown meat has been providing cells with sufficient oxygen and nutrients, something the team’s new setup helps overcome. They used it to grow a chunk of chicken muscle about the size of a nugget, but multiple challenges remain before meat produced in this way could make it to market.
Nature News: Winner, winner, lab-made dinner! Team grows nugget-sized chicken chunk
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‘Dark matter’, 'Big Bang' and ‘spin’: how physics terms can confuse researchers
Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky.
But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, and how the names chosen by scientists can help, or hinder, communication with the public.
In episode three, we're looking at how the names chosen for concepts in physics can inadvertently send researchers down very specific research avenues while distracting them from others. In this podcast we hear five stories about the importance of names and how much can be lost in translation when physicists try and label the unknown.
For a list of sources and music used, please visit the podcast show notes
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What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spud
In this episode:
00:46 A potato pangenome
Researchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the team to combine sequences, allowing them to look for subtle differences in between varieties.
Research Article:Sun et al.
09:57 Research Highlights
How ancient DNA analysis revealed that unusually bound medieval books are covered in sealskin, and top quarks and their antimatter counterparts are detected after nuclear smash-ups at the Large Hadron Collider.
Research Highlight:Mystery of medieval manuscripts revealed by ancient DNA
Research Highlight:Top quarks spotted at mega-detector could reveal clues to early Universe
12:30 The top cited twenty-first century research papers
Analysis from Nature reveals the 25 highest-cited papers published this century and explores why they are breaking records. We hear about the field that got the highest number of papers on the list, and whether any feature in the all-time top citation list.
News Feature:Exclusive: the most-cited papers of the twenty-first century
News Feature:These are the most-cited research papers of all time
News Feature:Science’s golden oldies: the decades-old research papers still heavily cited today
21:47 Briefing Chat
Re-analysis of a cosmic collision shows evidence of a planet spiralling into its host star, and how shrugging off lighting strikes gives tonka bean trees an evolutionary edge.
Science:Astronomers spot a planetary ‘suicide’
Live Science:Tropical tree in Panama has evolved to kill its 'enemies' with lightning
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Long-awaited ape genomes give new insights into their evolution — and ours
00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes
Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers.
Research Article: Yoo et al.
News and Views: Complete ape genomes offer a close-up view of human evolution
News: What makes us human? Milestone ape genomes promise clues
08:47 Research Highlights
How sunflower stars are evading a mysterious epidemic, and how solar panels made of moon dust could power lunar bases.
Research Highlight: Revealed: where rare and giant starfish hide from an enigmatic killer
Research Highlight: Solar cells made of Moon dust could power up a lunar base
11:36 How to make a competitive laser-plasma accelerator
After decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales.
Research article: Winkler et al.
19:55 Briefing Chat
A drug that makes blood poisonous to mosquitoes, and how an AI worked out how to solve key challenges in Minecraft by ‘imagining’ solutions.
Science Alert: Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison
Nature: AI masters Minecraft: DeepMind program finds diamonds without being taught
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Vote for How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved
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From Hippocrates to COVID-19: the scientific fight to prove diseases can be airborne
Science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer's latest book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe dives into the invisible maelstrom of microbial life swirling in the air around us — examining how it helped shape our world, and the implications that breathing it in can have on human health. Carl joined us to discuss historical efforts to show that diseases could spread large distances through the air, the staunch resistance to this idea, and what the rivalry between these two groups meant for public health.
Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe Carl Zimmer Dutton (2025)
Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images
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Trump team removes senior NIH chiefs in shock move
In this Podcast Extra, we hear the latest on how decisions by the Trump administration are affecting science in the US. Most recently, a purge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership has seen the chiefs of multiple institutes and centres removed from their posts.
Plus, after cancelling nearly all NIH projects studying transgender health, the White House has directed the agency to focus on studying “regret” after a person transitions to align their body with their gender identity.
News: ‘One of the darkest days’: NIH purges agency leadership amid mass layoffs
News: Exclusive: Trump White House directs NIH to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition
News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature
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World’s tiniest pacemaker could revolutionize heart surgery
00:46 Millimetre-sized pacemaker fits inside syringe
Researchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures. This new device is injectable, requires no external power and is controlled using light shone through the skin. The tiny pacemaker has shown promise in animal and heart models, and the team think it could also be used in other situations where electrical stimulation is needed, like the brain.
Research Article: Zhang et al.
08:19 Research Highlights
Measurements show that global warming is causing lakes to lose their oxygen, and a massive, 30-year analysis showing that a diet of plant-rich foods is associated with healthy ageing
Research Highlight: Life-giving oxygen is wafting out of lakes worldwide
Research Highlight: The best foods for healthy ageing ― and the worst
10:21 Shingles vaccine linked to reduced dementia risk
A large-scale population study suggests that getting a shingles vaccine reduces the probability of someone getting dementia by around one-fifth. By taking advantage of the way a shingles vaccine was rolled out in Wales, a team were able to compare dementia outcomes in vaccine-eligible people to those born just a few weeks earlier who were ineligible. Although more tests will be needed to confirm this finding and to understand the mechanisms behind it, the team hope that vaccination against this viral infection could represent a cost-effective way to for preventing or delaying dementia.
Research article: Eyting et al.
20:20 Briefing Chat
Data suggests that racial profiling plays a role in whether someone receives a traffic citation or fine, and studies suggest that paying researchers who review manuscripts could speed up the peer-review process, without affecting the quality of reviews.
Ars Technica: Study of Lyft rideshare data confirms minorities get more tickets
Nature: Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find?
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Audio long read: How quickly are you ageing? What molecular ‘clocks’ can tell you about your health
With money pouring in and an unprecedented level of public attention and excitement, scientists are publishing a steady stream of papers on ways to measure how rapidly a person’s body is declining.
However, there are mixed feelings of enthusiasm and apprehension among researchers about efforts to develop tests that measure the impact of ageing on the body, as they are often interpreted and presented without a full reckoning of the uncertainties that plague them.
This is an audio version of our Feature: How quickly are you ageing? What molecular ‘clocks’ can tell you about your health
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New lasso-shaped antibiotic kills drug-resistant bacteria
In this episode:
00:46 Newly discovered molecule shows potent antibiotic activity
Researchers have identified a new molecule with antibiotic activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria, including those resistant to existing drugs. The new molecule — isolated from soil samples taken from a laboratory technician’s garden — is called lariocidin due to its lasso-shaped structure. The team say that in addition to its potent antibiotic activity, the molecule also shows low toxicity towards human cells, making it a promising molecule in the fight against drug-resistant infections.
Research Article:Jangra et al.
09:36 Research Highlights
A reduction in ships' sulfur emissions linked to a steep drop in thunderclouds, and the epic sea-voyage that let iguanas reach Fiji.
Research Highlight:Ship-pollution cuts have an electrifying effect: less lightning at sea
Research Highlight: Iguanas reached Fiji by floating 8,000 kilometres across the sea
13:54 Assessing the nuances of humans’ biodiversity impacts
A huge study analysing data from thousands of research articles has shown that the human impacts on biodiversity are large but are in some cases context dependent. The new study reveals that at larger scales, communities of living things are becoming more similar due to human influence, but at the smaller scale they are becoming more different. "These are generally unwanted effects on biodiversity," says study author Florian Altermatt, "this is one more very strong argument that stopping and reducing these pressures to halt and reverse biodiversity declines is needed."
Research article:Keck et al.
21:45 Briefing Chat
How a proposed green-energy facility in Chile could increase light pollution at one of the world’s most powerful telescopes, and how a calving Antarctic iceberg revealed an unseen aquatic ecosystem.
Nature:Light pollution threatens fleet of world-class telescopes in Atacama Desert
Scientific American:Stunning Antarctic Sea Creatures Discovered after Iceberg Breaks Away
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Tiny satellite sets new record for secure quantum communication
00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secure
A tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleagues over 12,000 km away. This key allowed scrambled messages to be decrypted — including one containing a picture of the Great Wall of China. The team’s system is drastically smaller and cheaper that previous attempts, and they think it represents a big step towards the creation of a global network of secure, quantum communication.
Research Article: Li et al.
News: Mini-satellite paves the way for quantum messaging anywhere on Earth
09:53 Research Highlights
How storms known as ‘atmospheric rivers’ could replenish Greenland’s ice, and a prosthetic hand that can distinguish objects by touch almost as well as a human.
Research Highlight: Mega-storm dumps 11 billion tonnes of snow ― and builds up a melting ice sheet
Research Highlight: Robotic fingers can tell objects apart by touch
12:27 An AI that gives other AIs helpful feedback
Researchers have created an AI system called TextGrad which can provide written feedback on another AI’s performance. This feedback is interpretable by humans, which could help researchers tweak the incredibly complicated, and sometimes inscrutable models that underpin modern AIs. “Previously optimising machine learning algorithms requires quite a lot of human engineering,” says James Zou, one of the team behind this work, “but with TextGrad, now the AI is able to self-improve to a large extent.”
Research Article: Yuksekgonul et al.
20:55 How the Trump administration’s cuts are affecting science
The first two months of Donald Trump’s presidency has seen swingeing cuts to US federal funding for research, particularly to research associated with DEI. We hear the latest on these cuts and their impact from reporter Max Kozlov.
Nature: ‘My career is over’: Columbia University scientists hit hard by Trump team’s cuts
Nature: How the NIH dominates the world’s health research — in charts
Nature: ‘Scientists will not be silenced’: thousands protest Trump research cuts
Nature: Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants
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Sapphire anvils squeeze metals atomically-thin
00:46 2D metals made using sapphire press
Taking inspiration from industrial forging, researchers have demonstrated a way to squeeze molten metals into atomically-thin layers, creating relatively large flakes of 2D metals. Using a hydraulic press containing two sapphire anvils, a team was able to create sub-nanometer thick sheets of different metals — these sheets had diameters exceeding 0.1 mm, orders of magnitude larger than other methods have achieved. 2D metals have been theorized to possess several useful properties not seen in their larger, 3D counterparts, but have been difficult to make at scale, something this method may help overcome.
Research Article: Zhao et al.
News and Views: Metals squeezed to thickness of just two atoms
09:36 Research Highlights
The discovery of ancient puppets on remains of a large pyramid offers a glimpse into rituals in Mesoamerica, and how the presence of a certain pattern of sleep brainwaves might help predict which people will recover from an unresponsive state.
Research Highlight: Ancient puppets that smile or scowl hint at shared rituals
Research Highlight: Who’s likely to wake up from a coma? Brainwaves provide a clue
12:17 The virology lessons learnt from the COVID pandemic
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has become one of the most closely examined viruses on the planet. In the five years since the pandemic, over 150,000 articles have been written about it, and 17 million genome sequences have been generated. We discuss the lessons virologists have learnt from this intense study of a single organism, and how these might help the world prepare for future pandemics.
News Feature: Four ways COVID changed virology: lessons from the most sequenced virus of all time
23:36 Briefing Chat
How an AI alert-system could help researchers train their telescopes on a neutron star collision, and how expiration dates on plastic food-waste helped biologists age birds’ nests.
Nature: How AI could let us watch epic star collisions in real time
Science: Plastic waste in bird nests can act like a tiny time capsule
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Earliest crafted bone tools date back 1.5 million years
00:46 Ancient humans made bone tools 1.5 million years ago
A 1.5-million-year-old cache of animal-bone tools reveals that ancient humans systematically crafted with this material much earlier than previously thought. Researchers uncovered 27 bone artefacts in Tanzania honed into sharp tools almost 40 cm long. This discovery pushes back the dedicated manufacture of bone tools by around a million years and could have helped these early humans develop new kinds of technology. “This raises a lot of interesting questions,” says study author Ignacio de la Torre.
Research Article: de la Torre et al.
09:11 Research Highlights
Cane toads’ remarkable homing abilities, and evidence that the block of rock that makes up southern Tibet originated in what is now Australia.
Research Highlight: Take me home, country toads
Research Highlight: Lhasa′s rocks reveal an Australian birthplace
11:45 A trove of antibacterial molecules hidden in human proteins
To help protect against infection, cells in the body will selectively cut proteins to produce molecules known as antimicrobial peptides, according to new research. A team has found that many potential peptides appear to be locked up within proteins — to get them out, cells shift the activity of a waste-disposal system called the proteasome, known for its role in protein degradation and recycling. In tests, one of these peptides showed efficacy at protecting mice from infection, indicating that these molecules could one day have therapeutic potential.
Research Article: Goldberg et al.
News and Views: Protein waste turned into antibiotics as a defence strategy of human cells
21:08 Briefing Chat
An update on two missions heading to the Moon to look for water, and why fears that a crucial ocean-current system will collapse in the face of climate change may be incorrect.
Nature: Meet the ice-hunting robots headed for the Moon right now
Nature: Iconic ocean-current system is safe from climate collapse ― for now
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Audio long read: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play
Over the past two decades, research has emerged showing that opportunities for risky play are crucial for children's healthy physical, mental and emotional development. However, because play is inherently free-form it has been difficult to study. Now, scientists are using innovative approaches, including virtual reality, to probe the benefits of risky play, and how best to promote it.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play
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If your heart stops, this smartwatch-AI can call for help
00:47 A ‘smart’ way to quickly detect cardiac arrest
Google researchers have developed an AI for a smartwatch that will call for help if its wearer is having a cardiac arrest. Trained, in part, on data gained when patients had their hearts deliberately stopped during a medical procedure, the team’s machine learning algorithm can automatically detect the telltale signs of cardiac arrest. The team think this system could save lives, although more testing is required. "Our hope is that as these capabilities expand it provides a new way to keep people safer,” says Jake Sunshine, one of the researchers behind the study.
Research Article: Shah et al.
09:15 Research Highlights
Evidence that a low dose of yellow fever vaccine might be enough to provide lasting immunity, and the odd umbrella-shaped tree fossil that suggests that early plants may have been more complex than previously thought.
Research Article: Kimathi et al.
Research Article: Gastaldo et al.
11:10 Briefing Chat
Microsoft’s new AI that helps create video game ‘worlds’, and why dogs blink more when other dogs do the same.
Nature: Microsoft builds AI that creates ‘impressive’ video-game worlds
Science: Dogs, like people, may use blinking to bond
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Racist ratings linger in five-star systems — a thumbs up could fix that
01:14 A simple switch to reduce racist ratings
A study of almost 70,000 ratings showed that racial discrimination could be eliminated from an online platform by switching from a five-star rating system to a thumbs up or down. The platform connected customers to workers who performed home repair jobs, and prior to the shift people categorised by the study authors as ‘non-white’ had lower ratings and got paid less than their white counterparts. Through follow up studies the authors also showed that the five-star system allowed people to impart their personal opinions, whereas a thumbs up or down just focused them on whether a job was good or bad. The team hopes this could be an easy-to-implement shift to tackle racial discrimination.
Research Article: Botelho et al.
News and Views: Racial bias eliminated when ratings switch from five stars to thumbs up or down
11:24 Research Highlights
Experimental evidence that cockatoos like flavouring their food, and the harsh climate of sixteenth century Transylvania.
Research Highlight: Gourmet cockatoos like to fancy up their food
Research Highlight: Transylvanian diaries reveal centuries-old climate extremes
14:05 An analysis of retraction hotspots
A Nature investigation has revealed where the most retractions come from, with hospitals in China and institutions in India and Pakistan topping the list. Retractions are a normal part of science and may be a sign of necessary scrutiny, but they can also signal misconduct and use of paper mills. Features Editor Richard Van Noorden joins us to discuss what this means for science and tackling sloppy research.
Nature: Exclusive: These universities have the most retracted scientific articles
22:43 Briefing Chat
Layoffs in the US’s Environmental Protection Agency, reactions to the DEI purge at NASA, and what RFK Jr.’s role as secretary of Health and Human Services could mean for health research.
Nature: ‘Targeted and belittled’: scientists at US environmental agency speak out as layoffs begin
Nature: NASA embraced diversity. Trump’s DEI purge is hitting space scientists hard
Nature: Vaccine sceptic RFK Jr is now a powerful force in US science: what will he do?
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Record-breaking neutrino detected by huge underwater telescope
In this episode:
00:45 An elusive, cosmic neutrino with a record-breaking energy
An enormous array of detectors, deep under the Mediterranean Sea, has captured evidence of the highest-energy neutrino particle ever recorded, although researchers aren’t sure exactly where in the cosmos it originated. Calculations revealed this particle had over 30 times the energy of previously detected neutrinos. The team hopes that further study and future detections will help reveal the secrets of high-energy phenomena like supernovae.
Research Article: The KM3NeT Collaboration
11:34 Research Highlights
How bonobos adjust their communication to account for what other individuals know, and the discovery of a huge collection of beads adorning the attire of the powerful Copper Age women in Spain.
Research Highlight: Bonobos know when you’re in the know ― and when you’re not
Research Highlight: Record-setting trove of buried beads speaks to power of ancient women
14:15 US judge puts NIH grant cuts on hold
A judge has blocked a policy that would have slashed billions of dollars of funding for US research institutions, which come as part of President Donald Trump’s controversial crackdown on government spending. We discuss the reasoning behind the proposed cuts and the impacts they may have if enacted. We also look at the effects that President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and funding are having across the US.
Nature: ‘Devastating’ cuts to NIH grants by Trump’s team put on hold by US judge
Nature: Have Trump’s anti-DEI orders hit private funders? HHMI halts inclusive science programme
Nature: Scientists globally are racing to save vital health databases taken down amid Trump chaos
25:50 Briefing Chat
Why the latest odds on asteroid 2024 YR4’s chance of impacting Earth are so hard to calculate, and how the latest version of DeepMind's AlphaGeometry AI has reached the gold-medal level in geometry.
New York Times: Why the Odds of an Asteroid Striking Earth in 2032 Keep Going Up (and Down)
Nature: DeepMind AI crushes tough maths problems on par with top human solvers
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From viral variants to devastating storms, how names shape the public's reaction to science
In episode 2 of 'What's in a name' we look how choosing names can help, or hinder, attempts to communicate important messages.
Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky.
But names have consequences. In our series What’s in a name we explore naming in science and how names impact the world — whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, or even how the names of scientific concepts can drive the direction of research itself.
In episode two, we're looking at how the names chosen by scientists help, or hinder, communication with the public.
Well chosen names can quickly convey scientific concepts or health messages — in emergency situations they can even save lives. We'll hear how the systems of naming tropical storms and Covid-19 variants came to be, and how they took different approaches to achieve the same outcome.
We'll also consider the language used to talk about climate change, and how the ways of describing it have been used to deliberately introduce uncertainty and confusion.
Listen to the first episode Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals
For a list of sources please visit the the episode's webpage
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