Nature Podcast
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Briefing Chat: The Bunsen burner myth that turns out to be just hot air
Nature staff discuss an AI tool that can assess the impact of nine billion mutations — plus, how the Bunsen burner’s reputation for sterilization may be based on tradition alone.
00:21 Deepmind’s new tool helps scientists find the impact of mutations
Nature:DeepMind’s new genome ‘atlas’ charts effects of all nine billion human gene mutations
07:10 Bacteria can still contaminate plates near to active Bunsen burners
Nature:Bunsen burners’ reputation for sterilizing workplaces flames out
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Phone tutoring boosts math scores when schools are forced to close
In this episode:
00:46 How telephone teaching could boost education during school shutdowns
Nature:Pick up the phone! Phone calls with tutors keep kids learning when schools shut down
11:42 Research Highlights
Nature:Super-precise optical clocks in four nations tick in harmony
Nature:These greenhouse-gas sources have trotters and snouts
14:15 Why atlases might need an update
Nature:Hello Equal Earth: what the UN’s new world map will change
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Briefing Chat: How 1,000 pairs of buried underpants helped measure soil health
In this episode:
00:21 Our picks of this year’s Ig Nobel prizes
Nature:Buried underpants and a new definition of kissing win 2026 Ig Nobel prizes
07:47 Massive xenon experiment detects tantalizing hint of dark matter
Nature:Is this the first glimpse of dark matter? Data point excites physicists
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Audio long read: Could mending damaged DNA prolong life?
Scientists are amassing evidence that unrepaired or poorly repaired DNA damage underlies many of the hallmarks of ageing. This has led to research into whether boosting DNA repair can keep people healthy for longer.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Could mending damaged DNA prolong life?
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Briefing Chat: How Dolly Parton left her mark on science
In this episode:
00:18 Researchers celebrate Dolly Parton's contributions to science
Nature:Dolly Parton dies aged 80 — researchers celebrate her contributions to science
08:40 Phase III trial of melanoma vaccine shows promise
Nature:Moderna cancer vaccine stops melanoma returning: what’s next for personalized treatments?
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Highest-ever ocean temperatures recorded as El Niño intensifies
Why extreme temperatures are expected to weaken ocean carbon sinks — plus, how mitochondrial injections could treat vision loss.
00:46 The world’s oceans reach a record temperature
Nature:Ocean temperatures set to break all-time record: what’s next?
10:05 Research Highlights
Nature:Astronaut vest cuts radiation exposure in half
Nature:Earth-shaking thunder probes underground geology
12:54 How mitochondrial injections could treat vision loss
Nature:Patient’s own mitochondria injected into eyes in attempt to restore vision
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Briefing Chat: New narcolepsy drug could unlock host of novel brain therapies
Naturestaff discuss how an FDA-approved drug for narcolepsy could have promise beyond the condition, and the longest-lived human brain organoids yet.
00:28 The promise of a new narcolepsy drug
Nature:First-of-its-kind narcolepsy drug opens door to new therapies for the brain
05:53 Human brain organoids kept alive for over five years
Nature:Human organoids that mimic brain development grown for years in lab
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A black hole's spin could finally be measured by a high-speed star
Star orbiting close to Sagittarius A* could reveal its spin — plus, how exoskeletons might change the way humans move.
00:46 The star that could reveal a black hole’s spin
Research article:Dayem et al.
13:23 Research Highlights
Nature: Rattlesnakes’ own antivenom could protect humans too
Nature: Shipping on rivers packs a surprisingly large climate punch
15:40 Commercial exoskeletons are hitting the market — what now?
Nature: Will you be wearing an exoskeleton in ten years? The tech that could change how we move
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Briefing Chat: Anthropic rolls out new AI watermark — will it make a difference?
In this episode:
00:29 What does Anthropic’s new watermark mean for research?
Nature:Can Anthropic’s invisible watermarks curb ‘AI slop’? Researchers remain sceptical
10:57 Ticklishness is a distinct, specialized body sensation, research finds
Nature:Where are you ticklish? Researchers map the sensation across cultures
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The probiotic bacteria engineered to treat diabetes
Genetically modified bacteria lower high blood-sugar in animal trials — plus, how to safely watch a solar eclipse.
00:45 A living diabetes treatment
Research article:Guan et al.
08:03 Research Highlights
Nature:Pumas are drivers’ guardian angels
Nature:How a steady drip-drip can erode the hardest stone
10:29 What eclipses might reveal about the Sun’s corona
Nature:Solar eclipse offers rare chance to solve Sun’s magnetic-field mysteries
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Briefing Chat: Is DNA repair the secret to a long life? Whales and mole-rats offer tantalizing hints
Naturestaff discuss how animal studies are starting to uncover how DNA repair could prolong life, and how COVID-19 can reawaken dormant viruses.
00:25 Could reawakened viruses have a link to long-COVID?
Nature:COVID can wake up a slew of dormant viruses inside you
05:57 DNA damage can cause ageing, could boosting repair boost longevity?
Nature: Could mending damaged DNA prolong life?
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Junk plastic turns into high-value commodity with chemistry trick
Researchers untangle the chemistry behind turning PVC into high-grade motor lubricant — plus, how engineered yeast can help make a cancer drug.
00:45 The chemistry behind converting PVC into lubricant
Research article:Munyaneza et al.
09:15 Research Highlights
Nature: Engineered yeast that make cancer drugs could spare a rare flower
Nature: Sickle-cell disease linked to prematurely aged stem cells in mice
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Briefing Chat: Orcas smashed a sunfish to bits — researchers aren't sure why
In this episode:
00:24 The quest to count the Amazon's insects
Nature: Tiny patch of Amazon likely holds 40,000 insect species — many new to science
07:31 The orcas that exploded a sunfish
The Guardian:Orcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing game
Tiktok:Orcas vs sunfish
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Earthworks spotted in the Amazon hint at huge ancient civilization
In this episode:
00:45 Ancient structures hidden beneath the Amazon’s canopy
Research article:Pärssinen et al.
09:15 Research Highlights
Nature:It’ll grow on you: live fungi formed into sustainable fashion
Physical Review Fluids:Gourmandie et al.
11:48 Tiny fossils represent the earliest-known squid ancestor
Research article:Song et al.
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Briefing Chat: Baby T. rex were killers from birth, suggest new fossils
Naturestaff discuss the young but deadly dinosaur kings, the prowess of ancient Egyptian princesses, and how London is becoming the world’s AI safety capital.
00:34 London is transforming into an AI-safety hub
Nature:A global capital for AI safety is emerging — and it’s not in Silicon Valley
05:52 Bones reveal that ancient Egyptian princesses weren’t pampered
Scientific American:Ancient Egyptian princesses were ‘powerful’ weapon users, new analysis suggests
9:30 T. rex was born ready to kill
Discover magazine:Fossil Evidence Indicates Baby T. rex Were Tiny, but Deadly
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What counts as a moon? Huge ‘exosatellite’ sparks debate
00:45 The discovery of a moon-like object in a distant star system
Research article:Hoy et al.
10:34 Research Highlights
Nature:Moving floors keep buildings from swaying with the wind
Nature:Wearable sensors on the face are invisible to the eye
13:07 A discovery of a new type of rare transmissible-cancer
Research article:Curd et al.
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Briefing Chat: Sweet! Elusive sugar molecules found in space
In this episode:
00:24 A sweet discovery near the Milky Way’s centre
Nature:First ‘true sugar’ molecule found in space — offering hints to life’s origins
05:05 Mathematical texts give insights into Maya mathematical prowess
Nature:Mathematics formula found on Maya wall rivals insights of ancient masters
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‘Holy grail’ of naked mole-rat research reveals how queens rule
00:45 The secret scent behind a naked mole-rat's rule
Research article:Khallaf et al.
08:34 Research Highlights
Nature:Pair of ‘super-puff’ planets are lighter than candyfloss
Nature:Alpine crossing took a heavy toll on Hannibal’s elephants and troops
10:59 The psychology behind a brand-new board game: the behaviour of beginners
Research article:Collins et al.
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Briefing Chat: The 30 year-legacy of a science icon – Dolly the sheep
In this episode:
00:29 Dolly the sheep’s 30-year legacy
Metro:Dolly the sheep at 30: The clone that changed science (and celebrity petdom)
Nature:From cloning to gene-editing: the enduring legacy of Dolly the sheep
05:20 The ocean floor caught in the act of splitting at the seams
Nature:Ocean floor witnessed splitting apart for the first time — releasing lava
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Nukes in space? Orbital detector could sniff out warheads
In this episode:
00:45 A neutron detector could sniff out a secret space nuke
Research article:Danagoulian
11:52 Research Highlights
Nature:Volcanic magma sculpts eerie domes on the sea floor
Nature:Clues to the sloth’s sloth found in its genome
14:18 How indigenous knowledge in the Amazon could disappear
Research article:Cámara-Leret et al.
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Togetherness: How co-operation built the world
In this episode, we speak with science journalist Rowan Hooper, whose book Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life's Greatest Collaborationstakes a deep-dive into the world of co-operation between organisms.
In the book, he argues that collaboration in nature has often been overlooked in favour of competition, and that organisms working together have played a vital role in making the world the way it is.
Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life's Greatest Collaborations Rowan Hooper Fern Press(2026)
Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images
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Audio long read: Is the peptide craze backed by science? The promise behind the hype
Peptides — short chains of amino acids — have become huge online. The popularity of these molecules has skyrocketed and they are now the latest cure-all trend on social media.
But what does the science say about their effectiveness? Animal research suggests that that some of these experimental peptides hold promise, but evidence they work in people is lacking.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Is the peptide craze backed by science? The promise behind the hype
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Briefing Chat: What tickling a chimpanzee can tell us about the evolution of speech
Nature staff discuss how apes share a rhythm of laughter, and how AI use may degrade skills in medicine and computer science.
00:32 Early evidence suggests that AI use causes skills to atrophy
Nature:Is AI ruining our skills? Early results are in — and they’re not good
06:42 Humans and chimps share a laugh
Nature:Oo oo, ha ha: why humans and great apes giggle alike when tickled
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Medical records could be revealed by AI training-data vulnerability
In this episode:
00:46 How sensitive information can be gleaned from medical AIs
Research article:Knolle et al.
Correction: The story about medical AI-data privacy incorrectly stated that the number of individuals at high risk of a membership inference attack increases as training-dataset size grows. It should have stated that the increase in risk occurs when the AI model increases in capacity and size.
11:31 Research Highlights
Nature:A long-lived butterfly’s secret to graceful ageing
Nature:It slices! It dices! Sashimi-Bot handles seafood with ease
13:57 Across the Universe, galaxies clump together more than physicists thought they should
Research article:Labini & Galoppo
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Briefing Chat: Testosterone and sperm may get a boost from obesity drugs
Nature staff discuss preliminary data on the effects of GLP-1 drugs on male fertility plus a two-year trial of a brain-computer interface.
00:18 Brain-computer interface makes a life-changing impact
Nature:At-home brain implant gives man with motor neuron disease his daily life back
05:39 The possible benefits of obesity drugs on testosterone
Nature:The latest benefit of obesity drugs: boosting testosterone and sperm quality
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DNA from hunter-gatherer teeth reveals secrets of ancient plague
In this episode:
00:45 Ancient evidence of deadly plague outbreaks
Research article:Macleod et al.
12:33 Research Highlights
Nature:Bones of Iron Age skeleton were whittled into tools
Nature:Giant crustacean of the deep sea steals a trick from bacteria
14:52 A prototype atom interferometer
Research article:Baynham et al.
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Briefing Chat: The epic journey of Stonehenge’s central stone
In this episode:
00:37 Evidence that Stonehenge's Altar Stone travelled by glacier
BBC Science Focus:We may have just cracked one of Stonehenge's greatest mysteries
05:44 Fossilized faeces reveal DNA from ancient ecosystem
Nature:Ancient ground squirrels feasted on carcasses like ‘zombies of the Pleistocene’
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Newly-discovered whale graveyard dates back millions of years
In this episode:
00:46 A giant, ancient whale necropolis
Research article:Peng et al.
News & Views:A vast whale necropolis has been found
08:52 Research Highlights
Nature:Babies’ birth weight improves with help of payments to parents
Nature:Earliest signs of vision recorded in ancient sea-floor tracks
11:11 Turning plant material into chemical building-blocks
Research article:Mains et al.
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Briefing chat: Spinosaurs with salt glands could have lived in marine environments
In this episode:
00:23 Fossil evidence that spinosaurs had an aquatic lifestyle
Science:Some spinosaurs cried salty tears to thrive in brackish waters
04:57 The explosive immune cells that kill in minutes
Nature:Bang! Exploding immune cells splatter potent toxins everywhere
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Your phone can use tiny skin-colour changes to measure your heart rate
In this episode:
00:57 How your smartphone’s camera could measure your heart rate
Research article:Liao et al.
08:55 Research Highlights
Nature:A star gone rogue tears through the Galaxy
Nature:Gold keeps glittering courtesy of surface chemistry
11:04 Should you try something new in a restaurant? Maths has the answer
Nature:Feynman solved the ‘restaurant dilemma’ 50 years ago — now a study confirms his mathematics
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