Nature Podcast

In this episode:00:21 When witnesses identify suspects from police line-ups, confidence mattersNature: Memory on trial: the new science of when to trust eyewitness testimony07:15 Registered Reports: how this ‘double peer review’ process could benefit scientists and their resultsNature: Nature is expanding Registered Reports to all the fields in which we publish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 17 May the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an ongoing Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Centred on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the outbreak has seen mounting numbers of suspected cases and deaths linked to the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.In this podcast we hear what's currently known about the outbreak and the efforts of clinicians, researchers and public health officials to halt its progress.Nature: Ebola outbreak is a global health emergency: what happens nextNature: Race begins to trial Ebola drugs amid current outbreakNature: Ebola outbreak spirals out of control: how might it have started?Nature: Will this Ebola outbreak be the biggest yet? 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.

Although scientists have long been able to gather DNA from water and soil, it's only recently that they've started to see the air as a source of genetic information.Airborne DNA is already being used to monitor individual species, but researchers hope its abundance could have multiple uses, including judging the success of conservation efforts or attacks with biological weapons.However, there remains much to understand, such as how far DNA travels in the air, and the ethics involved in the potential identification of a person's genetic information.This is an audio version of our Feature: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for 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:00:42 Probing the unconscious brain’s processing abilityResearch Article: Katlowitz et al.Nature: Even the unconscious brain can learn — and predict what you’ll say next12:32 Research HighlightsNature: An electrifying test to find a good coffeeNature: ​​​​​​​Forest pests hit trees hard as temperatures rise 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 of Nature hits the books, we speak with Nature's Helen Pearson whose book Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works looks at the history of using evidence, rather than opinion, in decision making.The book traces the course of the movement in various disciplines, such as the rise of evidence-based medicine in the 90s, looking at the rebels who led the charge, the barriers they faced, and why the use of evidence is crucial at a time when misinformation is rife.Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works Helen Pearson Princeton University Press (in the press)Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images 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.

In this episode:00:46 Piecing together a biochemical puzzleResearch Article : Lombe et al.12:26 Research HighlightsNature: Electric-vehicle batteries toughen up to beat the heatNature: Live parrots were carried across the Andes before the Incas’ rise 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 procedureVideo: Magnetic gel injected into the heart could stop strokes07:02 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.

This is an audio version of our Feature: Many people have no mental imagery. What’s going on in their brains? 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 integrityNature: 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.

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: Symons 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.

This is an audio version of our Feature: ‘I rarely get outside’: scientists ditch fieldwork in the age of AI 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.

00:46 Protein-sized superposition surpasses previous experimentsNature: Pedalino et al.News: Schrödinger's cat just got bigger: quantum physicists create largest ever 'superposition'11:46 Research HighlightsNature: Ancient pottery reveals early evidence of mathematical thinkingNature: Gifted dogs learn new words by overhearing humans14:11 How Trump’s second term has impacted researchNature: US science after a year of TrumpNature: US science in 2026: five themes that will dominate Trump’s second year 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. S

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.

Anecdotal stories suggesting that weight-loss drugs can help people shake long-standing addictions have been spreading fast in the past few years, through online forums, weight-loss clinics and news headlines. And now, clinical data are starting to back them up.Over a dozen randomized clinical studies testing whether GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic can suppress addiction are now under way, and neuroscientists are working out how these weight-loss drugs act on brain regions that control craving, reward and motivation.Scientists warn that the research is still in its early stages, but some researchers and physicians are excited, as no truly new class of addiction medicine has won approval from regulators in decades.This is an audio version of our Feature: Will blockbuster obesity drugs revolutionize addiction treatment? 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: ​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09039-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blan

Nature: Asteroids, antibiotics and ants: a year of remarkable scienceIn this episode:1:58 Evidence of ancient brine on an asteroidSamples taken from the asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft suggest the parent body it originated from is likely to have contained salty, subsurface water. This finding provides insights into the chemistry of the early Solar System, and suggests that brines might have been an important place where pre-biotic molecules were formed.News & Views: Asteroid Bennu contains salts from ancient brineNature Podcast: Asteroid Bennu contains building blocks of life08:01 How gene expression doesn't always reflect a cell's functionCells are often grouped into categories according to the RNA molecules they produce. However a study of zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains revealed that cells can be functionally diverse even if they appear molecularly similar. This finding adds more nuance to how a cell's ‘type’ is ultimately defined.News & Views: Does a cell’s gene expression always reflect its function?12:01 The disproportionate mortality risks of extreme rainfallAn assessment of death rates in India’s coastal megacity of Mumbai revealed that the impact of extreme rainfall events will be highest for women, young children and residents of informal settlements. This situation is likely to become more pronounced as a result of climate change.News & Views: Extreme rainfall poses the biggest risk to Mumbai’s most vulnerable people14:46 An AI-designed underwater glueInspired by animals like barnacles and aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. To demonstrate its properties, researchers applied it to a rubber duck, which stuck firmly to a rock on a beach despite being battered by the sea.News & Views: AI learns from nature to design super-adhesive gels that work underwaterNature Podcast: Underwater glue shows it

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: <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01630-x" rel="noopener noreferrer" targ

00:46 Evidence of the earliest fire Baked soil, ancient tools, and materials that could be used to start fires show that Neanderthals were making fire in the UK 400,000 years ago — the earliest evidence of this skill found so far. Ancient humans are known to have used naturally occurring fires, but evidence of deliberate fire-starting has been hard to come by. A new suite of evidence pushes back the date of fire mastery by 350,000 years. The team behind the finding believe it helps create a more nuanced picture of Neanderthals, who perhaps gathered round fires and told stories in ancient Europe. Research Article: Davis et al.News and Views: Oldest known evidence of the controlled ignition of fire11:31 Research HighlightsMachine-learning algorithms can help to identify traces of life in ancient rocks — plus, why paintings containing a vivid green pigment lose their lustre over time. Research Highlight: AI finds signs of life in ancient rocksResearch Highlight: The mystery of emerald green — cracked13:55 How AI chatbots can sway voters with ease Research suggests that artificial-intelligence chatbots can influence voters’ political views and have a bigger effect than conventional campaigning and advertising. One study found that chatbot conversations swung participants’ candidate preferences by up to 15 percentage points, while another revealed that the chatbots’ effectiveness stems from their ability to synthesize a lot of information in a conversational way.  Nature: AI chatbots can sway voters with remarkable ease — is it time to worry?  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.Nature: Satellite swarms set to photobomb more than 95% of some telescopes’ images11:08 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 <a style='color