Podcasts about nature briefing

In this episode:00:46 A giant, ancient whale necropolisResearch article: Peng et al.News & Views: A vast whale necropolis has been found08:52 Research HighlightsNature: Babies' birth weight improves with help of payments to parentsNature: Earliest signs of vision recorded in ancient sea-floor tracks11:11 Turning plant material into chemical building-blocksResearch article: Mains et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:23 Fossil evidence that spinosaurs had an aquatic lifestyleScience: Some spinosaurs cried salty tears to thrive in brackish waters04:57 The explosive immune cells that kill in minutesNature: Bang! Exploding immune cells splatter potent toxins everywhereSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:57 How your smartphone's camera could measure your heart rateResearch article: Liao et al.08:55 Research HighlightsNature: A star gone rogue tears through the GalaxyNature: Gold keeps glittering courtesy of surface chemistry11:04 Should you try something new in a restaurant? Maths has the answerNature: Feynman solved the ‘restaurant dilemma' 50 years ago — now a study confirms his mathematicsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:46 Meet the AI scientists designed to accelerate researchResearch article: Ghareeb et al.Research article: Gottweis et al.Nature: Teams of AI agents boost speed of researchEditorial: Why AI cannot do good science without humansNature: Do you hate or love AI? Take Nature's poll13:25 Research HighlightsNature: Dried to survive: desiccated tardigrades tolerate high heatNature: Pristine Antarctic ice records the Solar System's travels15:35 Using LiDAR to look around cornersResearch article: Somasundaram et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:34 What questions remain about the hantavirus outbreak?Nature: Hantavirus outbreak exposes uncertainty about how disease spreadsNature: There is no vaccine for deadly hantavirus: what that means for future outbreaksSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:42 Is red-light therapy all hype?Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein by Juanita Anders are those of the speaker and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of War.Nature: The surprising science behind red-light therapy — and how it really works10:52 Research HighlightsNature: Trafficked pangolins can be traced to their source by DNA — even to a specific forestNature: A wispy wrapper for a chilly, Pluto-like world13:11 The complex story of global obesity ratesResearch article: NCD Risk Factor CollaborationSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:31 The science of attention spansNature Feature: Are attention spans really shrinking? What the science says04:54 Data centres in space?Nature News Explainer: AI data hubs in space: when will they take flight?Nature Comment: Space diplomacy: bridging the operating gaps between myriad missionsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:27 How a parasite unveiled a mitochondrial secretNature: Mitochondria can spawn new ‘organelles' — hinting at how modern cells evolved06:13 The extinct cephalopods that could have been enormousNature: Did kraken-like octopuses rule Cretaceous seas? Massive jaw fossils offer cluesSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:45 How eating can boost the immune systemResearch Article: Kumar et al.08:28 Research HighlightsNature: Cosmic-ray detection heralds era of mega-observatories for neutrinosNature: Little ants groom big ones in a desert spa10:53 The pressing need to plan for future nuclear disastersWorld View: Forty years after Chornobyl, more nuclear disasters are inevitable — plan for themSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:45 The table-tennis robot that can mix it with the prosResearch Article: Dürr et al.News and Views: Robot can beat elite players at table tennisVideo: This robot can beat you at table tennis14:13 Research HighlightsNature: Venus's impenetrable haze could be made of cosmic dustNature: Graves reveal plague's inequitable toll16:21 Why physicists can't agree on the strength of Big GNature: How big is Big G? Mystery deepens after ten-year effort to measure gravity's strengthResearch Article: Schlamminger et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:30 The penguins measuring environmental PFASScience: Penguins become marine detectives, thanks to pollutant-detecting anklets05:14 Treating autoimmune diseases with CAR-TNature: One woman, three autoimmune diseases: CAR-T therapy vanquishes ultra-rare disease trio10:34 Why an anglerfish's lure might have two usesScience: Why do anglerfish have glowing lures? It might be sexSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:46 A massive trial assessing the outcomes of ‘off label' cancer treatmentResearch Article: Verkerk et al.12:49 Research HighlightsNature: Microbial hockey: bacteria can spin a ‘puck' just by swimmingNature: Regular physical activity in midlife cuts risk of early death15:14 10,000 years of western Eurasian evolutionNature: Landmark ancient-genome study shows surprise acceleration of human evolutionResearch Article: Akbari et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music or your favourite podcast app. An RSS feed for the Nature Podcast is available too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:On Monday, reporter Alexandra Witze was in the heart of the Artemis II mission's science operations. She tells us about the experience and what NASA's researchers have learnt from the mission so far.Nature: I was with Artemis II's scientists during the Moon fly-by. Here's what I sawNature: First photos from Artemis II: see stunning ‘Earthset' and moreNature: Historic Artemis II Moon fly-by — Nature's live coverage as it happenedSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:41 Exosome therapies could deliver drugs to hard to reach placesNature: Eye drops made from pig semen deliver cancer treatment to mice5:08 The impact of parenthood on women's academic careersNature: Motherhood derails women's academic careers — these data reveal how and why10:34 The unusual suction that lets Sunbirds drinkScience: These birds suck—literallySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast we'll talk about NASA's Artemis II launch, which has ushered in a new era of lunar exploration.Nature: Lift off! Artemis II mission sends humans to the Moon — opening a new era of explorationNature: Artemis II mission is about to fly humans to the Moon — here's the science they'll doNature: Humanity is heading back to the Moon — why aren't more scientists thrilled?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:46 Collecting contrails at 30,000 feetResearch Article: Voigt et al.11:23 Research HighlightsNature: Sunken Soviet nuclear submarine's radioactive releaseNature: History of ‘forever' chemicals is written in Antarctic snow13:34 Fakery in scienceApril Fakes DaySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nature staff discuss some of the week's top science news.00:18 ‘Zombie cells' revived with genome transplantNature: ‘Zombie cells' return from the dead — after a genome transplant05:27 A limit to cloning, in miceNature: Can a mouse be cloned indefinitely? Decades-long experiment has answersSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:44 Why insects aren't massiveResearch Article : Snelling et al.11:39 Research HighlightsNature: Faster ticking of ‘biological clock' predicts shorter lifespanNature: Mighty mini-magnet is low in cost and light on energy use14:05 CRISPR creates CAR-T cancer therapy inside miceResearch Article: Nyberg et al.News & Views: A gene-editing method generates immunotherapeutic CAR T cells in the bodyNature: CRISPR makes enhanced cancer-fighting immune cells inside miceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:22 Exploring how gut microorganisms contribute to ageingNature: Memory loss is fuelled by gut microbes in ageing mice04:30 How good jokes are in short supply during academic conferencesNature: Knock knock, no one's there. Study finds scientists' jokes mostly fall flatSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:26 Why researchers keep using Doom in their researchNature: How the classic computer game Doom became a tool for scienceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A study reveals how the asexual Amazon molly defies evolutionary expectations — plus, evidence of what may be powering superluminous supernovae.In this episode:00:46 Unravelling the genetics of an asexual fish that should be extinctResearch Article: Ricemeyer et al.News and Views: How an all-female fish species defies evolutionary expectations10:19 Research HighlightsNature: ​​​​​​​Jam-packed star system is most compact of its kind ever foundNature: ​​​​​​​Peanut-processing microbes ward off dangerous allergic shock11:31 How a superluminous supernova got so brightResearch Article : ​​​​​​​Farah et al.News and Views: ​​​​​​​Ultra-bright supernova wobbles like a spinning topSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday: https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:25 How paediatricians' antibodies could treat serious viral infectionsNew Scientist: Paediatricians' blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds04:22 Galileo's annotations in an ancient textScience: Galileo's handwritten notes found in ancient astronomy textSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Injectable fluid safely fills area in which blood clots can form, in animal trials — plus, strong evidence that an elusive form of diamond has been made in the lab.00:47 A magnetic seal to stop clots forming in the heartResearch Article : Wang et al.News and Views: Magnetic fluid offers better seal in heart-plugging medical procedure07:02 Research HighlightsNature: Sewage systems secretly waft pollution into the airNature: This ant species is composed of only queens — no workers or males11:31 Making hexagonal diamondResearch Article: Lai et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:15 How Pokémon inspired fields as diverse as evolution, biodiversity and research integrity.Nature: Pokémon turns 30 — how the fictional pocket monsters shaped scienceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

High-speed footage reveals shoe squeaks can start with a tiny bolt of lightning — plus, evidence that a debated brain phenomenon exists in humans.00:44 The science of squeaky shoesResearch Article : Djellouli et al.Basketball sound effects via Bradley Kanaris/Getty.09:05 Research HighlightsNature: Runaway black hole leaves a trail of starsNature: Super-sticky feet help a robot to climb the walls11:31 Evidence of hippocampal neurogenesisResearch Article: Disouky et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:25 How brains differ by sex and ageNature: Brain differences between sexes get more pronounced from puberty07:14 Bumblebees ‘fan themselves' during flight to keep coolScience: How do busy bees avoid overheating from flying?Video: Birds gliding through bubbles reveal aerodynamic trickSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Data stored in glassNature: Microsoft Research Project Silica TeamNature: Microsoft team creates 'revolutionary' data storage system that lasts for millennia08:09 Research HighlightsNature: Parasitic wasps use tamed virus to castrate caterpillarsNature: Flexible joints: robot morphs into a range of cyborg species10:10 An mRNA vaccine for Triple-Negative Breast CancerNature: Sahin et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:26 Moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk, study suggestsNature: Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people04:15 Using AI to work out the rules of a long-forgotten board gameScientific American: Rules of mysterious ancient Roman board game decoded by AISubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:46 The immune cells that eat waste fats from fruit flies' brainsNature: Cho et al.10:21 Research HighlightsNature: Beetle is locked into an eternal dance ― with an antNature: Super-sniffer aeroplane finds oil fields' hidden emissions12:41 Ancient DNA evidence reveals a nuanced story of the Bell Beaker ExpansionNature: Olalde et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:42 External, artificial-lung system keeps patient alive for transplantNature: 48 hours without lungs: artificial organ kept man alive until transplant06:22 How lung cancer in mice hijacks neurons to outwit the immune systemNature: How tumours trick the brain into shutting down cancer-fighting cellsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Understanding how rete ridges form in the skinNature: Thompson et al.09:32 Research HighlightsNature: Genetically engineered ‘stinkweed' comes up roses for making seed oilNature: Largest galaxy survey yet confirms that the Universe is not clumpy enough11:52 The open-source AI that performs scientific literature reviewsNature: Asai et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:36 Study probes genetics of extreme longevityNature: Still working at 107: supercentenarian study probes genetics of extreme longevity05:32 Controlling fluorescent proteins' brightness with magnetsNature: ‘Remote controlled' proteins illuminate living cellsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:46 Why completing difficult tasks feels rewardingNature: Touponse et al.11:34 Research HighlightsNature: Disappearing ‘planet' reveals a solar system's turbulent timesNature: Getting to the (square) root of stock-market swings13:43 How extreme weather events could threaten malaria elimination effortsNature: Touponse et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:24 How babies share their gut microbesNature: Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiome05:25 First evidence of tool use in cattleScience: No bull: This Austrian cow has learned to use toolsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:40 The rock samples destined to remain on MarsNature: NASA won't bring Mars samples back to Earth: this is the science that will be lost05:24 The genetics of dogs' droopy earsNature: Do their ears hang low? The genetics of dogs' adorable floppy earsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:47 AI can boost research productivity — at what cost?Research article: Hao et al.10:10 Research HighlightsNature: Ancient ‘snowball' Earth had frigidly briny seasNature: Putting immune cells into ‘night mode' reduces heart-attack damage12:41 JWST images are full of red dots, what are they?Nature: Rusakov et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:54 Turning an undersea cable into a seismic detectorResearchers have shown that they can piggyback a signal on a 4,400-kilometer-long telecom cable that runs from California to Hawaii, allowing it to act like 44,000 separate seismic-activity detectors. Their method takes advantage of impurities found in glass fibre-optic cables, which reflect light differently when they are stretched and distorted by the pressure of seismic waves.Science: Seafloor telecom cable transformed into giant earthquake detector04:17 The origin of an ancient boatChemical analysis of the caulking found on the wood an ancient boat has helped researchers identify the origins of the vessel, that sank off the coast of Denmark 2,400 years ago. The team's analysis suggests it voyaged from much farther away that had been thought — perhaps coming from the Baltic Sea region. The team also found a fingerprint left in the caulk, although who it belonged to is unknown.LiveScience: Fingerprint of ancient seaborne raider found on Scandinavia's oldest plank boat08:29 How heating up helps some plants pollinateSome plants called cycads (Zamia spp.) heat up to attract the beetles that pollinate them. These beetles have heat-seeking sensors in their antennae, which they use locate the plants. Male cycads warm up around 3 hours before females, meaning that beetles head to them before first carrying pollen over to the females.Science: Heat-seeking beetles drawn to plants that glow in infrared13:08 The exoplanet shaped like a lemonThe discovery of exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b reveals how unusual other worlds can be. This exoplanet takes just 7.8 hours to orbit an ultra-dense pulsar whose intense gravity pulls PSR J2322-2650b into a lemon shape.New Scientist: Strange lemon-shaped exoplanet defies the rules of planet formationSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2026. We'll hear about: small-scale AI models that could outcompete Large Language Models in reasoning, clinical trials of gene editing to treat rare human disorders, a sample collection mission from Phobos, and how changes to US policy by the Trump team are expected to impact science.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:40 What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spudResearchers 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.Nature Podcast: 16 April 2025Research Article: Sun et al.10:28 Hundreds of physicists on a remote island: we visit the ultimate quantum partyAccording 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.Nature Podcast: ​​​​​​​13 June 202519:54 Research HighlightsA minuscule robot that can manipulate liquid droplets, and the discovery of ancient puppets on the remains of a large pyramid offers a glimpse into rituals in Mesoamerica.Research Highlight: This tiny robot moves mini-droplets with easeResearch Highlight: Ancient puppets that smile or scowl hint at shared rituals23:03 These malaria drugs treat the mosquitoes — not the peopleResearchers 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.Nature Podcast: ​​​​​​​21 May 2025Research article: ​​​​​​​Probst et al.33:49 Briefing ChatThe first skeletal evidence that Roman gladiators fought lions.BBC News: Bites on gladiator bones prove combat with lionSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 The gifts that sparked a love of scienceNature put a call out for readers to tell us about memorable presents that first got them interested in science, or mementos of their life in research. These include telescopes, yeast-themed wedding rings, and... cows' eyes.Nature: The gift that shaped my career in science08:12 “I am the Very Model of a Miniature Tyrannosaur”In the first of our annual festive songs celebrating the science of the past year, we tell the story of a diminutive dinosaur that turned out to be its own species.Nature Podcast: Meet the ‘Wee-rex'. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own speciesNature Video: Hotly debated dinosaur is not a tiny T. rex after all11:43 A very scientific quizAn all-star cast competes for the glory or being the winner of the Nature Podcast's 2025 festive quiz.Nature: Meet the ‘Wee-rex'. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own speciesNature: This company claimed to ‘de-extinct' dire wolves. Then the fighting startedNature Podcast: 3D-printed fake wasps help explain bad animal mimicryNature Video: ‘Aqua tweezers' manipulate particles with water wavesNature Podcast: Sapphire anvils squeeze metals atomically-thinNature Video: Vesuvius volcano turned this brain to glassNature Podcast: Ancient viral DNA helps human embryos developNature Video: Magnetic fibres give this robot a soft gripNature: These contact lenses give people infrared vision — even with their eyes shutNature Video: Is this really the world's largest mirror? Researchers put it to the testNature Podcast: World's tiniest pacemaker could revolutionize heart surgeryNature Podcast: Earth's deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the seaNature Podcast: Nature goes inside the world's largest ‘mosquito factory' — here's the buzzNature Podcast: Apocalypse then: how cataclysms shaped human societiesNature Podcast: Honey, I ate the kids: how hunger and hormones make mice aggressive25:21 “Hard the Hydrogel is Stuck”Our second festive song is an ode to a rubber duck that was stuck to a rock, thanks to a newly designed, super-adhesive hydrogel.Nature Podcast: Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck testNature Video: Why did researchers stick a duck to a rock? To show off their super glue28:42 Nature's 10Each year, Nature's 10 highlights some of the people who have helped shape science over the past 12 months. We hear about a few of the people who made the 2025 list, including: a civil servant who stood up for evidence-based public-health policy; the science sleuth who revealed a retraction crisis at Indian universities; and the baby whose life was saved by the first personalized CRISPR therapy.Nature: Nature's 10Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How satellite mega-constellations could ruin space-based astronomyThe ability of space-based telescopes to image the distant Universe could be in peril, according to new research investigating the impacts of light-pollution from future satellites. Streaks of reflected light from satellites currently in low-Earth orbit are already seen in telescope images, and planned launches could raise the number of satellites from around 15,000 to over half-a-million. Computer modelling revealed that this drastic increase would result in images taken by instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope becoming unusable by astronomers. The team propose a series of strategies to help mitigate these impacts, preventing this future becoming reality.Research Article: Borlaff et al.11:08 Research HighlightsHow researchers have sped up the trapping of antimatter atoms — plus, how hydrogen fuel emission benefits vary considerably from sector to sector.Research Highlight: Laser cooling traps more antimatter atoms than ever beforeResearch Highlight: Hydrogen fuel isn't always the green choice13:41 The negative consequences of video call glitchesGlitches in video calls are an annoying feature of everyday life, but these brief interruptions could have serious real-world impacts, according to analysis from a team of researchers. In one experiment, the team found that video calls with glitches decreased the likelihood of someone being hired for a job. Analysis of other data suggested glitchy calls were associated with lower chances of individuals being granted parole. The team behind the work think that these visual errors break the illusion that a video call is a real face-to-face conversation, potentially impairing judgements about the quality of the information discussed.Research article: Brucks et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Martian ‘micro-lightning'The sounds of ‘micro-lightning' have been recorded by NASA's Perseverance rover, ending a long search for the phenomenon on Mars. A lack of suitable equipment has made it difficult to gather evidence of lightning on the red planet, but a team of researchers realized that a microphone on Perseverance should be able to pick up the characteristic sounds of electrical discharges. In total they found 55 such examples, along with signs of electrostatic interference indicative of the phenomenon. They dubbed the electric bursts ‘micro-lightning', as they are far smaller than the lighting seen on Earth, due to the thin Martian atmosphere. The team believe this finding could help better understand Martian chemistry and how best to design equipment to explore the planet's surface.Research Article: Chide et al.News and Views: Is there lightning on Mars?11:03 Research HighlightsHow the biology of male seahorses' brood pouches appears similar to mammalian pregnancy— plus, why Neanderthals' jaws were so beefy.Research Highlight: The origin of male seahorses' brood pouchResearch Highlight: Neanderthal DNA reveals how human faces form13:36 The key takeaways from COP30The UN's climate conference, COP30, came to a close last week in Brazil. Nature reporter Jeff Tollefson tells us what was and wasn't agreed during the final negotiations.Nature: What happened at COP30? 4 science take-homes from the climate summit22:27 Why women may retract less than menA new analysis suggests that female authors retract fewer medical science papers than their male counterparts. Women are known to be underrepresented in the medical sciences, but even accounting for this an AI-tool revealed that female authors featured on far fewer retracted research articles. Reporter Jenna Ahart has been investigating and told us why this might be, and what it means for research more broadly.Nature: Women seem to retract fewer papers than men — but why?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A molecule that delivers insulin through the skinResearchers have developed a skin-permeable polymer that can deliver insulin into the body, which they say could one day offer an alternative to injections for diabetes management. The skin's structure presents a formidable barrier to the delivery of large drugs but in this work a team show that their polymer can penetrate though the different layers without causing damage. Insulin attached to this polymer was able to reduce blood glucose levels in animal models for diabetes at a comparable speed to injected insulin. While further research is required on the long-term safety of this strategy, the team hope it could offer a way to non-invasively deliver other large-molecule drugs into the body.Research Article: Wei et al.09:23 Research HighlightsHow extreme drought may be humanity's biggest challenge after a huge volcanic eruption — plus, turning a bacterium into a factory for a colour-changing pigmentResearch Highlight: Volcano mega-eruptions lead to parched timesResearch Highlight: Dye or die: bacterium forced to make pigment to stay alive11:42 How language lights up the brain, whatever the tongueThe human brain responds in a similar way to both familiar and unfamiliar languages, but there are some key differences, according to new research — a finding that may explain why learning a language can be difficult. A study looking involving 34 people showed that listening to an unfamiliar language triggers similar neural activity to listening to their native tongue. The finding implies that human speech triggers a common reaction in the brain regardless of understanding. However, there were subtle differences when listening to a known language that may help explain how people actually understand words.Research Article: Bhaya-Grossman et al.Neuron: Zhang et alSounds used under CC BY 4.027:18 Briefing ChatSigns that greenhouse-gas emissions may peak around 2030 — plus, evidence of dog breeding by ancient humans.Nature: Global greenhouse-gas emissions are still rising: when will they peak?Nature: How ancient humans bred and traded the first domestic dogsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 A coronal mass ejection from a distant starResearchers have detected what they say is the strongest evidence yet of a coronal mass ejection (CME) coming from a star other than our Sun. CMEs are massive bursts of fast-moving plasma that can be detected thanks to the characteristic radio signal they produce. However, despite decades of searching, these signals have only been identified from the Sun. Now a team has identified a similar signal coming from a distant star in the Milky Way. They hope their discovery will lead to better understanding of the impact these colossal events might have on the atmospheres of exoplanets, and their chances of being habitable.Research Article: Callingham et al.12:28 Research HighlightsVideo footage of a devastating earthquake provides a first-of-its-kind glimpse of a dramatic ground rupture — plus, a flock of comets seen outside our Solar System.Research Highlight: Single video camera tells the story of deadly Myanmar quakeResearch Highlight: A host of ‘exocomets' swarms a distant star14:29 The rare genetic variants that may increase the risk of ADHDAttention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects around 1 in 20 young people, but its underlying causes are not fully understood. Now, a team of researchers show that three rare genetic variants are implicated in an increased risk of ADHD, which may play a role in the neurons involved in dopamine signalling. While this work provides a better understanding of the complex genetics at play, the authors caution more research is needed to unpick the complex interplay other factors involved in ADHD.Research Article: Demontis et al.18:41 Briefing ChatA high-resolution digital map for Roman roads, and how speaking more than one language could slow brain ageing.Nature: ‘Google Maps' for Roman roads reveals vast extent of ancient networkNature: Want a younger brain? Learn another languageSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 The debate around NanotyrannusA hotly debated species of dinosaur, assumed by many to be a juvenile T. rex, is actually a separate species, according to new research. Nanotyrannus was a dinosaur anatomically similar to T. rex, but about a tenth of the size, leading many to argue it was a young version of the iconic species. However, examination of the limb bones of a well-preserved Nanotyrannus fossil suggests it was close to finishing its growth and so would never become as large as a T. rex, leading the authors to argue that it is, in fact, a different species.Research Article: Zanno and NapoliNews and Views: T. rex debate settled: contested fossils are smaller rival species, not juvenilesNews: ‘Teenage T. rex' fossil is actually a different speciesVideo: Hotly debated dinosaur is not a tiny T. rex after all08:46 Research HighlightsAn artificial ‘neuron' could pave the way to build a brain-inspired computer — plus, how bats buck the trend by hunting prey their own size.Research Highlight: Artificial brains with less drainResearch Highlight: By the time you hear these bats, it's too late11:19 A less invasive way to prevent breast cancerAn ‘anti-hormone' therapy has shown promise in halting the onset of hallmarks associated with breast cancer, in a small trial. Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women worldwide, but preventative measures, such as mastectomies, are invasive. A new study examined the efficacy of a treatment that blocks progesterone, a hormone thought to play an important role in breast cancer progression. The therapy reduced both specific clinical markers of breast cancer and the number of cells that can become cancerous. Larger, longer trials are needed to show that this treatment could ultimately become part of a breast cancer prevention strategy, but the team think that this work shows the promise of this approach.Research Article: Simões et al.18:41 Briefing ChatA new approach to speed up CRIPSR therapies reaching clinical trials, and how vocal cords could be healed using a tiny 3D printer.Nature: Personalized gene editing helped one baby: can it be rolled out widely?Nature: World's smallest 3D bioprinter could rebuild tissue during surgerySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 How bowhead whales live so longResearchers have uncovered a protein that enhances DNA repair and may explain how bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. The protein, cold-induced RNA-binding protein, was shown to enhance repair of double stranded DNA breaks, a particularly troublesome kind of damage. The team showed that this protein could also extend the lives of Drosophila flies and enhance repair in human cells. More needs to be understood about how this protein works, but the researchers hope that it could, one day, help prevent cancer and ageing in humans.Research Article: Firsanov et al.News: This whale lives for centuries: its secret could help to extend human lifespan11:22 Research HighlightsA precise way to grow crystals, with lasers — plus, the specialist organ that allows stinkbugs to protect their eggs from wasps.Research Highlight: How to grow crystals when and where you want themResearch Highlight: Stinkbug ‘ear' actually hosts parasite-fighting fungi13:31 An antivenom against a broad range of snakebitesResearchers have used ‘nanobodies' to create an antivenom that works against 17 snake species' venom. Snakebites kill millions each year, so getting the right antivenom can be life or death. But they are difficult to produce and often are very specific. Now, using nanobodies from llamas, researchers created an antivenom against a broad range of snake species' venom. The new antivenom can now even be produced without the llamas, and the team hope it will pave the way for a more universal antivenom.Research Article: Ahmadi et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 How hunger, hormones and aggression interact in mouse brainsResearchers have uncovered the neural mechanisms that underlie an aggressive behaviour in mice prompted by hunger and hormonal state. Virgin female mice can become aggressive towards mouse pups when they are food deprived, but it seems that the relevant amounts of pregnancy hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, also played a role. By investigating the neurons involved, neuroscientists showed how hunger and hormones are integrated by the brain to lead to aggressive behaviour. This could help researchers understand more about how multiple stimuli are interpreted by the brain, something much harder to study than single stimulus effects.Research Article: Cao et al.09:35 Research HighlightsThe overlooked environmental costs of wastewater treatment facilities — plus, an ancient communal hunting system that lasted well into the eighteenth century.Research Highlight: Wastewater treatment produces surprising amounts of greenhouse gasesResearch Highlight: Andean peoples hunted and gathered long after they embraced farming11:53 What generative AI could mean for higher educationAround the world, universities and students are scrambling to adapt to the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. And while there is optimism that these tools could improve education, there are also concerns about the ways they could stifle independent, critical thought. We hear about the studies trying to unpick the potential impact of this new technology.News Feature: Universities are embracing AI: will students get smarter or stop thinking?21:26 Briefing ChatA blood test for Alzheimer's, and what should be the next ‘test' for AI after the Turing test?Nature: Blood tests are now approved for Alzheimer's: how accurate are they?Nature: AI language models killed the Turing test: do we even need a replacement?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 A multi-variant avian flu vaccine that could enhance pandemic preparednessA vaccine capable of protecting against multiple strains of avian influenza virus may be a step closer, according to new research. The H5 subtype of avian influenza viruses has spilled over into mammals and is particularly concerning to researchers due to the risk of them evolving to cause another pandemic. But because there are multiple variants of these viruses, it has been hard to pre-prepare vaccines. Now, a team have used information on how these viruses evolved over time to design a vaccine that in animal studies provided protection against different H5 strains. They hope their approach could be applied to create stockpiles of vaccine that could be used in the event of a pandemic, regardless of the strain that causes it.Research Article: Kok et al.10:53 Research HighlightsMaking muon beams without a huge particle accelerator — plus, the bats hunting migrating birds in mid-air.Research Highlight: Portable muon beam could accelerate archaeology scansResearch Highlight: European bats capture migrating birds and eat them on the wing13:34 Briefing ChatA new search engine that can sift through the staggering volumes of biological data, and the multiple failings revealed by an assessment of 25 years of carbon offsetting data.Nature: ‘Google for DNA' brings order to biology's big dataThe Guardian: Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable' systemic problems, study says​​​​​​​Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 The stereotypes hidden in Internet imagesStereotyped assumptions about women's ages and their perceived job suitability are enhanced by Internet imagery, according to new research. A study of hundreds of thousands of online images shows that women appear younger than men. This stereotype extends to the jobs that people perceive women do, with men being associated with roles such as CEO or head of research, while women were linked to occupations like cook or nurse. The research shows that these biases have been embedded into the training data for AI models and could affect future hiring. The researchers caution that society is at risk of creating a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy' where these stereotypes shape the real world.Research Article: Guilbeault et al.News and Views: Distorted representations of age and gender are reflected in AI models13:24 Research HighlightsA very hungry planet — plus, how climate change is leading to larger trees in the Amazon.Research Highlight: ‘Rogue' planet is fastest-growing ever observedResearch Highlight: Trees of the Amazon are becoming even mightier15:49 Astronomers name their favourite exoplanetThirty years ago, astronomers announced the discovery of the first exoplanet around a Sun-like star, sparking a renewed passion into spotting these planets that lie beyond our Solar System. In celebration, Nature asked researchers to tell us about their favourites.News: These alien planets are astronomers' favourites: here's whyHear the music of a distant planetary system25:51 Nobel newsFlora Graham from the Nature Briefing joins us to talk about the winners of this year's science Nobel prizes.Nature: Medicine Nobel goes to scientists who revealed secrets of immune system ‘regulation'Nature: Groundbreaking quantum-tunnelling experiments win physics NobelNature: Chemistry Nobel for scientists who developed massively porous ‘super sponge' materialsNature: Will AI ever win its own Nobel? Some predict a prize-worthy science discovery soonSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:50 How ancient viruses drive modern human developmentResearch suggests that ancient viral-DNA embedded in the human genome is playing a key role in early embryo development. Around 8% of our genome consists of endogenous retrovirus DNA — the remnants of ancient infections, but knowledge of their activity is limited. Now, a team show that these sequences are required for the correct development of lab-derived embryo analogues, and for the switching on of human-specific genes.Research Article: Fueyo et al.News and Views: Ancient viral DNA in the human genome shapes early development10:39 Research HighlightsLonger whale mothers are more likely to give birth to daughters — plus, how the stink of the corpse flower waxes and wanes to attract pollinators.Research Highlight: Big mother whales have more daughters than sonsResearch Highlight: Corpse flowers waft out stinky compounds as fast as landfills do13:05 How heat can fuel DNA computersResearchers have developed a way to use heat to recharge DNA-based computer circuits, which could help overcome one of the stumbling blocks preventing this technology from being scaled up. Although DNA strands have been used to perform computational tasks for some time, current methods can run out of energy or build up waste products, preventing their continued use. Now, using just heat a team have demonstrated a reuseable neural network based on DNA. They hope that ultimately this could be a step in the development of bigger and more powerful DNA computers that could be used to power targeted clinical therapies.Research Article: Song & Qian22:20 Briefing ChatA one-time gene therapy for Huntington's disease show promise at slowing the brain disorder's progression — plus, how mitochondria throw out ‘tainted' DNA.Nature: Huntington's disease treated for first time using gene therapyNature: Mitochondria expel tainted DNA — spurring age-related inflammationSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.