Nature Podcast

Analysis of hundreds of thousands of job searches shows that recruiters will discriminate based on ethnicity and gender, and the neural circuitry behind a brief period of forgetting. In this episode: 00:47 Hiring discrimination A huge dataset has shown that widespread discrimination occurs in job hiring, based on ethnicity and gender. This backs up decades of research, showing that people from minority backgrounds tend to get contacted far less by employers. Research Article: Hangartner...

Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Elie Dolgin discuss RNA vaccines. In this episode: 01:16 How RNA vaccines came to prominence In less than a year, two RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were designed, tested and rolled out across the world. We discuss these vaccines’ pros and cons, how RNA technology lends itself to rapid vaccine development, and what this means for the fight against other diseases. News feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines 09:20 The hurdles for trialling...

DNA clues point to how dire wolves went extinct, and a round-up of the main impacts of Brexit on science. In this episode: 00:45 Dire wolf DNA Dire wolves were huge predators that commonly roamed across North America before disappearing around 13,000 years ago. Despite the existence of a large number of dire wolf fossils, questions remain about why this species went extinct and how they relate to other wolf species. Now, using DNA and protein analysis, researchers are getting a better...

Lessons from Iceland, which utilised huge scientific resources to contain COVID-19. When COVID reached the shores of Iceland back in March, the diminutive island brought it to heel with science. Here’s how they did it, and what they learnt. This is an audio version of our feature: How Iceland hammered COVID with science See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Nature Podcast team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months. In this episode: 00:32 Following the Viking footprint across Europe In September, we heard about the researchers mapping ancient genomes to better understand who the Vikings were, and where they went. Nature Podcast: 16 September 2020 Research Article: Margaryan et al. 08:09 Mars hopes In July, the UAE launched its first mission to Mars. We spoke to the mission leads to learn about the aims of the...

Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Traci Watson discuss some of 2020's most significant coronavirus research papers. In the final Coronapod of 2020, we dive into the scientific literature to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers have discovered so much about SARS-CoV-2 – information that has been vital for public health responses and the rapid development of effective vaccines. But we also look forward to 2021, and the critical questions that remain to be answered about the...

A video game provides players with insights into pandemic responses, and our annual festive fun. In this episode: 01:02 Balancing responses in a video game pandemic In the strategy video-game Plague Inc: The Cure, players assume the role of an omnipotent global health agency trying to tackle outbreaks of increasingly nasty pathogens. We find out how the game was developed, and how it might help change public perception of pandemic responses. Plague Inc: The Cure from Ndemic...

How water chemistry is shifting researchers' thoughts on where life might have arisen, and a new model to tackle climate change equitably and economically. In this episode: 00:46 A shallow start to life on Earth? It’s long been thought that life on Earth first appeared in the oceans. However, the chemical complexities involved in creating biopolymers in water has led some scientists to speculate that shallow pools on land were actually the most likely location for early life. News...

Erna Solberg on fisheries, fossil fuels and the future of the oceans. This week, world leaders are announcing a series of pledges to protect and sustainably use the world’s oceans. The pledges form the crowning achievement of the ‘High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’ a multinational group formed back in 2018. The panel has sought to bring together research, published in a number of so-called ‘blue papers’ and special reports by scientists, policy- and legal-experts from around...

A trio of genes may be key to making cells young again, and ultra precise measurement of a fundamental physics constant. In this episode: 00:47 Reversing ageing Researchers claim to have identified a method to revert cells in mice eyes back to a younger state. Research article: Lu et al. News and Views: Sight restored by turning back the epigenetic clock News: Reversal of biological clock restores vision in old mice 09:39 Coronapod We discuss emergency-use approvals for COVID-19...

Scientists have finally confirmed the existence of a CNO cycle fusion reaction in the Sun, and why women’s contraception research needs a reboot. In this episode: 00:47 Detection of CNO neutrinos Since the 1930s it has been theorised that stars have a specific fusion reaction known as the CNO cycle, but proof has been elusive. Now, a collaboration in Italy report detection of neutrinos that show that the CNO cycle exists. Research article: The Borexino Collaboration News and Views:...

In this episode: 00:44 An increase in survival rates The COVID-19 mortality rate is falling around the world. We discuss the reasons behind this – the role of new drugs, the treatment strategies the have been learned, or re-learned, and the ever-present worry that these hard won victories could be undone by rising infection rates. News Feature: Why do COVID death rates seem to be falling? 10:53 More vaccine good news This week, Moderna released preliminary results for its COVID-19...

Scientists have grave concerns over ethical and societal impacts of facial-recognition technology. In this surveillance special, we dig into the details. In this episode: 03:24 Standing up against ‘smart cities’ Cities across the globe are installing thousands of surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition technology. Although marketed as a way to reduce crime, researchers worry that these systems are ripe for exploitation and are calling for strict regulations on their...

New fossil finds and new techniques reveal evidence that early animals were more complex than previously thought. The Cambrian explosion, around 541 million years ago, has long been regarded as a pivotal point in evolutionary history, as this is when the ancient ancestors of most of today’s animals made their first appearances in the fossil record. Before this was a period known as the Ediacaran – a time when the world was believed to be populated by strange, simple organisms. But now,...

Researchers try to unpick the complex relationship between sensory pollutants and bird reproduction, and how to combat organised crime in fisheries. In this episode: 00:46 Sensory pollution and bird reproduction Light- and noise-pollution have been shown to affect the behaviour of birds. However, it’s been difficult to work out whether these behavioural changes have led to bird species thriving or declining. Now, researchers have assembled a massive dataset that can begin to give some...

Astronomers pin down the likely origins of mysterious fast radio bursts, and the latest on what the US election means for science. In this episode: 00:46 The origins of mysterious fast radio bursts The detection of a brief but enormously-powerful radio burst originating from within the Milky Way could help researchers answer one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries. Research article: Bochenek et al.; News: Astronomers spot first fast radio burst in the Milky Way 07:59 Coronapod At the...

Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In the third and final episode we try to get to the bottom of how journalists, communicators and policymakers influence how science is perceived. We discuss the danger of politicization and ask the question - can science be part of the political narrative without compromising its values? Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc This episode...

Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In this episode we're asking how politics shapes the life of a working scientist. Be it through funding agendas, cultural lobbies or personal bias, there's a myriad of ways in which politics can shape the game; influencing the direction and quality of research, But what does this mean for the objective ideals of science? Tell us what you think of this series:...

Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In this episode we delve into the past, and uncover the complicated relationship between science, politics and power. Along the way, we come up against some pretty big questions: what is science? Should science be apolitical? And where does Nature fit in? Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc This episode was produced by Nick Howe, with...

The chances of mini-brains becoming sentient, and a UK government decision threatens gender diversity in academia. In this episode: 00:59 The ethics of creating consciousness Brain organoids, created by culturing stem cells in a petri dish, are a mainstay of neuroscience research. But as these mini-brains become more complex, is there the chance they could become conscious, and if so, how could we tell? News Feature: Can lab-grown brains become conscious? 09:01 Coronapod So called...