Nature Podcast

Shocked by the impact of online misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, several researchers are launching efforts to survey scientists’ thinking on issues from vaccine safety to climate change. They hope that their projects will make scientific debate, and degrees of consensus, more visible and transparent, benefiting public conversation and policymaking. However, others suggest that these attempts might merely further politicize public debate. This is an audio version of our Feature: Can giant surveys of scientists fight misinformation on COVID, climate change and more? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Tree islands bring biodiversity benefits for oil-palm plantation Global demand for palm oil has resulted in huge expansion of the palm plantations needed to produce it, causing widespread tropical deforestation and species loss. To address this, researchers planted islands of native trees among the palms in a large plantation, and showed that this approach increases ecosystem health, without affecting crop yields. The team say that while protecting existing tropical rainforests should remain a priority, tree islands represent a promising way to restore ecosystems. Research article: Zemp et al. 09:42 Research Highlights The oldest identified ‘blueprints’ depict vast hunting traps with extraordinary precision, and fossil evidence that pliosaurs swimming the Jurassic seas may have been as big as whales. Research Highlight: Oldest known ‘blueprints’ aided human hunters 9,000 years ago Research Highlight: This gigantic toothy reptile terrorized the Jurassic oceans 12:08 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how shredded nappies could partially replace sand in construction, and how CRISPR helped crack the mystery of the death cap mushrooms’s deadly toxin. Nature News: World’s first house made with nappy-blended concrete Nature News: Deadly mushroom poison might now have an antidote — with help from CRISPR 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 What JWST has revealed about an ancient galaxy Researchers have pointed the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at JD1, one of the universe's most distant known galaxies. The power of JWST has filled in some of the gaps in what was known about the galaxy, giving greater insight into its age, structure and composition. The team behind the work hope that learning more about how early galaxies like JD1 formed will help explain how the universe evolved into its present state. Research article: Roberts-Borsani et al. 10:09 Research Highlights Why your choice of soap might make you irresistible to mosquitoes, and how tardigrade-inspired claws help tiny robots cling to blood-vessels. Research Highlight: Your favourite soap might turn you into a mosquito magnet Research Highlight: Claws like a tardigrade’s give swimming microrobots a grip 12:34 How coral reef fish evolved to grow more quickly Fish that live in coral reefs are some of the fastest growing in the world, despite the environment they live in being relatively nutrient poor. This contradiction has long puzzled researchers, but now, a team has looked deep into the evolutionary history of the fish and discovered a critical point in time when they shifted towards faster growth, much earlier than was previously thought. Research article: Siqueira et al. 21:29 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the first frog thought to pollinate flowers, and a field-trial to vaccinate wild koalas against chlamydia. Scientific American: This Frog May Be the First Amphibian Known to Pollinate Flowers Associated Press: Koalas are dying from chlamydia. A new vaccine effort is trying to save them 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.

Many researchers have been critical of the biases that the publication process can introduce into science. For example, they argue that a focus on publishing interesting or significant results can give a false impression of what broader research is finding about a particular field. To tackle this, some scientists have championed the publication of Registered Reports. These articles split the peer review process in two, first critically assessing the methodology of a research study before data is collected, and again when the results are found. The idea being to encourage robust research regardless of the outcome. In this episode of Nature's Take we discuss Nature's recent adoption of the format, the pros and cons of Registered Reports, and what more needs to be done to tackle publication bias. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:45 Making a more diverse human genome The first draft of the human genome ushered in a new era of genetics research. Since its publication, researchers have constructed ever more accurate ‘reference genomes’ – baselines against which others are compared. But these are based on the DNA of a small number of people, and don’t represent the genetic variation known to exist across human populations. To address this, a consortium of researchers have published the first draft of a ‘pangenome’, which combines the genomes of 47 genetically diverse individuals. This draft provides a more complete picture of the human genome, and is the starting point for a project that aims to include sequences from 350 individuals. Research article: Liao et al. Research article: Vollger et al. Research article: Guarracino et al. News and Views Forum: Human pangenome supports analysis of complex genomic regions 08:33 Research Highlights A wearable sensor that lets users see infrared light, and how a vulture’s culture can influence its dining habits. Research Highlight: Wearable sensor gives a glimpse of ‘invisible’ light Research Highlight: What drives a scavenger’s diet? Vulture culture 11:06 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a new phosphate-storing organelle found in fruit fly cells, and how extracted DNA revealed who held a deer-tooth pendant 20,000 years ago. Nature News: New cellular ‘organelle’ discovered inside fruit-fly intestines Nature News: Prehistoric pendant’s DNA reveals the person who held it 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: 00:47 A focus on women’s health Nature’s Kerri Smith and Heidi Ledford join us to discuss two Features published in Nature looking at topics surrounding women’s health. The first looks at efforts to understand how menopause affects brain health, while the second takes a deep-dive into research funding and shows how conditions affecting women more than men receive less money. Feature: How menopause reshapes the brain Feature: Women’s health research lacks funding – these charts show how 18:15 Research Highlights The herb that could be a new source of cannabinoid compounds, and the vibrating crystal that confirms Schrödinger’s cat. Research Highlight: Old and new cannabis compounds are found in an African herb Research Highlight: Schrödinger’s cat is verified by a vibrating crystal 20:34 The planet swallowed by a star Stars have a finite lifespan, and for many their fate is to expand as they reach the end of their lives. It’s long been speculated that these growing stars will consume any planets in their way, but this process has never been seen directly. Now though, a chance observation led to a team catching a dying star in the act of eating a Jupiter-like planet in the distant Milky Way. Research article: De et al. 30:25 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a clearer image of the supermassive black hole M87*, and how elephant seals catch some shut-eye while diving. Nature News: Black-hole image reveals details of turmoil around the abyss New York Times: Elephant Seals Take Power Naps During Deep Ocean Dives 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.

Last year, researchers announced that the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab lowered the amount of amyloid protein plaques associated with the disease in the brains of participants in a clinical trial, and slowed their cognitive decline. Now, researchers are looking to drug combinations, vaccines and gene therapy to tackle different stages of the disease, as they forge the next generation of treatments for the condition. This is an audio version of our Feature: Conquering Alzheimer’s: a look at the therapies of the future Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:57 Franklin’s real role When it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discovery. The story goes that her crucial data was taken by James Watson without her knowledge, helping him and Francis Crick solve the structure. However, new evidence has revealed that this wasn’t really the case. Rosalind Franklin was not a ‘wronged heroine’, she was an equal contributor to the discovery. Comment: What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure 13:41 Research Highlights How the growth of tiny iodine-engined satellites could damage the ozone layer, and how a pill-like detector that could measure radiotherapy dosages. Research Highlight: How CubeSats could harm the ozone layer Research Highlight: An easy-to-swallow pill monitors X-ray dosage 16:06 Why multisensory experiences can make stronger memories It’s recognized that multisensory experiences can create strong memories and that later-on, a single sensory experience can trigger memories of the whole event, like a specific smell conjuring a visual memory. But the neural mechanisms behind this are not well understood. Now, a team has shown that rich sensory experiences can create a direct neural circuit between the memory regions of fruit fly brains. This circuit increases memory strength in the flies, and helps explain how sense and memories are interlinked. Research article: Okray et al. 23:44 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how video calls could help parrots feel less isolated, and a new method for recycling wind turbine blades. The Guardian: Parrots taught to video call each other become less lonely, finds research Nature Video: How to recycle a wind turbine in a test tube 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: 00:45 A new method to break down plastic polymers Plastic waste is an enormous problem, with much of it being incinerated or ending up in landfill. One way to give plastics another life is to break them down into their individual components using heat, but this method yields low amounts of usable product. Now, a team demonstrates a proof-of-concept method of heating that wicks the plastic like a candle through a layer of carbon material. They show that this method is more efficient and could be an additional way of breaking down waste plastics. Research article: Dong et al. 08:48 Research Highlights Physicists model the best way to soar on a playground swing, and how wearing ‘perfume’ helps male orchid bees find a mate. Research Highlight: Physicists’ advice on how to swing high at the playground Research Highlight: Better than Chanel: perfumed male bees draw more mates 11:20 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the runaway supermassive black hole that’s racing through the cosmos, and the bizarre genomes of yellow crazy ants. Scientific American: Astronomers Spy a Giant Runaway Black Hole’s Starry Wake Nature News: Crazy ants’ strange genomes are a biological first Help us win a People’s Voice award in this year’s Webbies Vote for How the Black Death got its start in the ‘Best Individual Episode: Science & Education’ category. Vote for Racism in Health: the harms of biased medicine in the ‘Limited-Series & Specials: Health, Science & Education’ category. 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 the latest episode of Nature hits the books, psychologist Sander van der Linden joins us to discuss his new book Foolproof, which focuses on misinformation and what can be done to prevent people being duped, particularly by the falsehoods found online. We discuss how misinformation messages are crafted, why they can be hard to shake once someone is exposed, and how Star Wars: Episode 3 helped in the fight against them… Foolproof, Sander van der Linden, Fourth Estate (2023) Music supplied by Airae/Epidemic Sound/Getty images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:44 The unusual receptors that let octopuses hunt by touch Researchers have shown that the suckers of octopuses are covered with specialised receptors that allow them to taste by touching things. Similar receptors are also found in squid, but there are differences that mirror differences in the animals’ hunting behaviours; while octopuses feel for their prey, squid pull things towards themselves before deciding whether or not to eat it. Research article: Kang et al. Research article: Allard et al. Nature video: How octopuses taste with their arms 08:48 Research Highlights How climate change has been linked to a devastating avalanche in the Italian Alps, and evidence of hallucinogenic drug use in prehistoric Europe. Research Highlight: A glacier’s catastrophic collapse is linked to global warming Research Highlight: Hair buried in a cave shows hallucinogen use in ancient Europe 11:31 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what climate scientists can learn from medieval descriptions of lunar eclipses; how to retrieve rock samples from the surface of Mars; and the ongoing debate about whether T. rex had lips. Nature News: Medieval accounts of eclipses shine light on massive volcanic eruptions Nature News: Mars rocks await a ride to Earth — can NASA deliver? Nature News: Facelift for T. rex: analysis suggests teeth were covered by thin lips Help us win a People’s Voice award in this year’s Webbies Vote for How the Black Death got its start in the ‘Best Individual Episode: Science & Education’ category. Vote for Racism in Health: the harms of biased medicine in the ‘Limited-Series & Specials: Health, Science & Education’ category. 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 pair of supermassive black holes in the distant universe Supermassive black holes are found at the centre of galaxies across the universe. But observations of galaxies with more than one – caused by the merging of two galaxies – have been rare. Now, researchers have combined data from a number of telescopes and satellites, to reveal a pair of supermassive blackholes farther from Earth than any pair detected previously. They hope this will offer insights into how galaxies form. Research article: Chen et al. News and Views: Distant supermassive black holes spotted in galaxy merger 10:53 Research Highlights Why appetite can increase after dieting, and gliding mammals’ flight-associated genes. Research Highlight: Can’t keep off lost weight? Blame your ‘hunger cells’ Research Highlight: How gliding mammals developed the flaps for ‘flight’ 13:35 A clinical trial of an AI heart assessor A team of researchers and clinicians report results of a clinical trial designed to test the ability of an AI to accurately interpret echocardiogram images – a technique frequently used to assess heart health. The results showed that the AI was as good at measuring a metric of cardiac function as a trained human, but was able to speed up the diagnosing process, suggesting this method could play a role in improving healthcare in future. Research article: He et al. 20:42 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we hear the ultrasonic sounds that stressed plants make, and discuss a 3D printed glass made from amino acids. Nature News: Stressed plants ‘cry’ — and some animals can probably hear them Nature News: 3D-printable glass is made from proteins and biodegrades 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.

Last month, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing an estimated 50,000 people. Two decades ago, researchers suggested that an earthquake in this area was likely, but exactly where and when it would strike were unknown. This shows both the promise — and limitations — of the science of earthquake forecasting. Years of research suggest that it may be impossible to predict exactly when an earthquake will occur. As a result, many in the field have now shifted to identifying high risk fault segments to help policymakers take steps to avoid death and destruction. This is an audio version of our Feature: What Turkey’s earthquake tells us about the science of seismic forecasting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:48 Tiny syringes for drug delivery A team of researchers have repurposed tiny syringe-like structures produced by some bacteria to deliver molecules directly into human cells. They hope that this method could be used to overcome a big challenge in modern medicine, namely ensuring that therapeutics are delivered into the precise cells that need to be treated. Research article: Kreitz et al. News and Views: Mix-and-match tools for protein injection into cells 07:05 Research Highlights A diamond-like material could protect spacecraft from intense radiation, and how gene editing could help in the treatment of a rare genetic condition. Research Highlight: A gem of a material could provide a shield for spacecraft Research Highlight: Gene editing holds promise for babies with deadly immune disease 09:30 Chronic pain Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and it can be debilitating. Research into the condition has come a long way in the past few years, but this knowledge hasn’t necessarily resulted in better outcomes for those with chronic pain. Nature’s Lucy Odling-Smee has written a Feature article on the topic, and she joined us to discuss why this disparity exists, and about her own experiences of chronic pain. News Feature: Chronic pain: the long road to discovery Resources for chronic pain: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/chronic-pain; https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/pain/ways-to-manage-chronic-pain/ If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out. You can find help through a suicide-prevention line: see https://findahelpline.com for information. 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 new test to get autonomous vehicles on the road Truly autonomous vehicles, ones that don't require a driver to be present and are driven by AI, aren't yet safe for public use. Part of the reason for this is it has been difficult to train them to deal with rare dangerous situations. Now researchers are unveiling a new approach to present lots of these infrequent events to the AI very rapidly, speeding up the training and testing process. Research Article: Feng et al. News and Views: Hazards help autonomous cars to drive safely Video: The driving test for driverless cars 08:23 Research Highlights How bird-flu is adapting to mammals, and the effect of negative headlines. Research Highlight: Bird-flu virus makes itself at home in Canada’s foxes and skunks Research Highlight: It’s bad! Awful! Negative headlines draw more readers 10:43 Why bat research is taking off Bats are known to tolerate a lot of viruses that are deadly to humans without much issue. With the ongoing pandemic, this has driven researchers to dive more into the world of bats in the hopes of applying bats' tolerance to humans. Reporter Smriti Mallapaty has been writing about this renewed interest and she joined us to tell us more. News Feature: Bats live with dozens of nasty viruses — can studying them help stop pandemics? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 An edited genetic code that prevents viral infection Researchers have engineered bacteria with synthetic genomes to be immune to viral infection. The team streamlined the bacteria’s genetic code, and re-engineered the protein-producing machinery to insert the wrong amino acid if used by a virus, effectively making the bacteria ‘speak’ a different language to any invaders. It’s hoped that this technique could be used to reduce unwanted sharing of genes from modified organisms. Research article: Nyerges et al. News & Views: Synthetic bacterial genome upgraded for viral defence and biocontainment 07:42 Research Highlights Estimating the methane output of an enormous wetland ecosystem, and how honeybees improve their dance moves with a little help from their elders. Research Highlight: Methane from one of Earth’s largest wetland complexes is set to soar Research Highlight: Watch them waggle: bees dance better after lessons from elders 10:02 How mini-MRI scanners could improve access to imaging Magnetic resonance imaging is a standard technique in clinical care. However many people, particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries have limited access to this technology. To address this, new types of smaller MRI scanners are being designed that are more affordable and practical for use in rural settings or small clinics. We hear from a researcher working on one of these systems about ways improve them and ensure they are available to all. Comment: Five steps to make MRI scanners more affordable to the world 18:11 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, how researchers have developed embryos from two male mice and new claims of room-temperature superconductivity. News: The mice with two dads: scientists create eggs from male cells Quanta Magazine: Room-Temperature Superconductor Discovery Meets With Resistance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:47 Wildfire smoke’s chemical composition enhances ozone depletion Smoke from the devastating Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 led to a reduction in ozone levels in the upper atmosphere, but it’s been unclear how. Now, a team proposes that smoke’s particulate matter can enhance the production of ozone depleting chemicals, matching satellite observations during the Australian fires. The results spark concerns that future wildfires, which are set to grow more frequent with ongoing climate change, will undo much of the progress towards restoration of the ozone layer. Research article: Solomon et al. News & Views: How wildfires deplete ozone in the stratosphere 08:27 Research Highlights A global analysis of bats reveals the species most likely to be hunted by humans, and the stem cells that allow deer antlers to regrow. Research Highlight: Big bats fly towards extinction with hunters in pursuit Research Highlight: Mice grow ‘mini-antlers’ thanks to deers’ speedy stem cells 10:53 Modelling food systems with ‘digital twins’ Recent global crises have highlighted the fragility of the interconnected systems involved in getting food from farm to fork. However, siloed datasets have made it hard to predict what the exact impacts of these events will be. In a World View for Nature, researcher Zia Mehrabi argues that precise virtual models like those used in the aerospace industry should be developed for food systems. These so-called ‘digital twins’ could inform global food policy before emergencies unfold. World View: Sims-style ‘digital twin’ models can tell us if food systems will weather crises 18:17 Briefing Chat We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what the stray dogs of Chernobyl could reveal about the effects of chronic radiation exposure, and the debate surrounding the fate of Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’. News: What Chernobyl’s stray dogs could teach us about radiation News: Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’ spark conservation row 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.

00:47 How a racing heart could trigger anxiety Anxiety can make the heart beat faster, but could the reverse be true as well? That question has been much debated, but hard to test. Now, a team has shown that artificially increasing a mouse’s heart rate can induce anxiety-like behaviours, and identified an area in the brain that appears to be a key mediator of this response. They hope that this knowledge could help to improve therapies for treating anxiety-related conditions in the future. Research article: Hsueh et al. News & Views: How an anxious heart talks to the brain 08:32 Research Highlights The chance discovery of the smallest rock seen so far in the Solar System, and the first brain recording from a freely swimming octopus. Research Highlight: Asteroid photobombs JWST practice shots Research Highlight: How to measure the brain of an octopus 10:57 How NASA’s DART mission beat expectiations In September 2022, NASA’s DART spacecraft smashed into a space rock known as Dimorphos, which orbits a near-Earth asteroid. The aim of the mission was to test whether asteroids could be redirected as a method to protect Earth against future impacts. This week, multiple papers have been published describing what researchers have learnt about the impact and its aftermath. Reporter Alex Witze joined us to round up the findings. News: Asteroid lost 1 million kilograms after collision with DART spacecraft Research article: Thomas et al. Research article: Daly et al. Research article: Li et al. Research article: Cheng et al. Research article: Graykowski 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.

Twitter has become indispensable to many scientists. It is a place to share findings, raise their profile, and is even used as a source of data in many studies. In recent months though, the site has been in turmoil after a swathe of policy changes in light of Elon Musk's takeover. Never a stranger to misinformation and abuse, these problems have reportedly gotten worse. Additionally, the ability to use Twitter as a source of data is in peril, and malfunctions are more commonplace. In this episode of Nature's Take we discuss how these changes are affecting the platform and the knock-on effects on science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imprinting is a quirk of the immune system in which someone’s initial exposure to a virus biases their immune response when they meet the same virus again. Studies are showing how imprinting shapes people’s responses to SARS-CoV-2; those infected with earlier strains can mount weaker responses to a later Omicron infection. This phenomenon is dampening the hope that variant-tailored boosters will markedly reduce transmission of the virus, although researchers agree that variant-tailored boosters are worth getting because they still provide some immunity, and prevent serious illness. This is an audio version of our Feature: How your first brush with COVID warps your immunity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.