Nature Podcast

The unexpected origins of a 4000-year-old people, protecting your ‘digital presence’ and what to expect from COP26.In this episode:00:48 The origins of the mysterious Tarim mummiesFor decades there has been debate about the origins of a group of 4000-year-old individuals known as the Tarim Basin mummies. Their distinct appearance and clothing has prompted scientists to hypothesise they had migrated from the North or West. Now, a team of researchers have used modern genomics to shed new light on this mystery and reveal that migration was not the mummies’ origin.Research article: Zhang et al.News and Views: The unexpected ancestry of Inner Asian mummies08:59 Research HighlightsMaking wood mouldable, and how ancient snakes diversified their diets.Research Highlight: Moulded or folded, this wood stays strongResearch Highlight: Finicky no more: ancient snakes ate their way to success11:09 How a regular ‘digital-hygiene’ check can protect your reputationAttaching a researcher’s name to a paper without them knowing

People that have recovered from COVID are seeing stronger immune responses after vaccination than those that never contracted the virus. Researchers are now racing to unpick what is behind this powerful 'hybrid immunity'. In this episode of Coronapod, we discuss a series of studies which are offering up some possibile explanations, and ask how this might inform publish health policy in the future. News: COVID super-immunity: one of the pandemic’s great puzzlesSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An ancient solar storm helps pinpoint when Vikings lived in the Americas, and using magnets to deftly move non-magnetic metals.In this episode:00:53 Pinpointing Viking presence in North AmericaIt’s well-understood that Vikings went to North America around a thousand years ago. However, working out a precise date has proven difficult. Now, thanks to an ancient solar storm, researchers have been able to identify an individual year when Vikings were definitely living on the continent.Research article: Kuitems et al.14:57 Research HighlightsHow shoulder muscles gave Pterosaurs an aerodynamic edge, and mysterious radio waves coming from near the centre of the Milky Way.Research Highlight: How ancient reptiles were streamlined for flightResearch Highlight: A mysterious radio signal object is beaming radio waves into the Milky Way17:45 Magnets move non-magnetic metalsScientists have created an array of magnets capable of moving non-metallic objects in 6 dimensions. They hope their new approach could one day be

Hundreds of scientists have responded to a survey asking about harassment and abuse during the pandemic. The results paint a picture which is as concerning as it is shocking. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss the kinds of abuse scientists are facing, try to pick apart where it is comes from and ask what can be done about it?News Feature: ‘I hope you die’: how the COVID pandemic unleashed attacks on scientistsCareers feature: Real-life stories of online harassment — and how scientists got through itSurvey data tableSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The neurons behind acupuncture’s effect on inflammation, and how antibiotics affect gut bacteria.In this episode:00:54 The neuronal basis for acupuncture’s effect on inflammationIn mice, electroacupuncture has been shown to reduce inflammation, but only when certain points on the body are stimulated. Why this is has puzzled scientists, but now, researchers have identified the specific neurons that are involved. They hope that this knowledge could be used in future to help treat certain inflammatory-related diseases.Research article: Liu et al.News and Views: Electroacupuncture activates neurons to switch off inflammation07:28 Research HighlightsThe Aztec origins of an obsidian ‘spirit mirror’, and the damage done by a Soviet plutonium complex.Research Highlight: A ‘spirit mirror’ used in Elizabeth I’s court had Aztec rootsResearch Highlight: Cold-war spy pictures reveal a Soviet nuclear ‘cloud generator’10:18 Assessing antibiotics’ collateral damage.Antibiotics are known to cause damage to the communities of

New data suggests that inexpensive, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can effectively scrub SARS-CoV-2 particles from the air in hospital COVID wards. The result validates previous studies carried out in controlled conditions. Currently, HEPA filters are not routinely used in hospital settings, but researchers suggest they could could help mitigate the risk of tramission of airborne viruses.In addition a new study has demonstrated the effectiveness of mask wearing, with surgical masks proving more effective than those made of cloth. The trial, which involved 350,000 participants in Bangladesh, is the latest in a long line of studies demonstrating mask efficacy - but this is the first randomised control trial of its kind. We ask if this gold-standard trial will prove to be the final word on the effectiveness of masks.News: Real-world data show that filters clean COVID-causing virus from airNews: Face masks for COVID pass their largest test yetSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable d

AI weather forecasters, mapping the human brain and the 2021 science Nobel prizes.In this episode:00:52 Improving the accuracy of weather forecasts with AIShort-term rain predictions are a significant challenge for meteorologists. Now, a team of researchers have come up with an artificial-intelligence based system that weather forecasters preferred to other prediction methods.Research article: Ravuri et al.08:02 Research HighlightsThe vaping robot that could help explain why some e-cigarettes damage lungs, and the sea-slugs that steal chloroplasts to boost egg production.Research Highlight: This robot vapes for scienceResearch Highlight: Solar-powered slugs have a bright reproductive future10:29 A map of the motor cortexA group of researchers are undertaking an enormous task: to make a cellular atlas of the entire brain. This week, they publish a suite of papers that has accomplished this feat for one part of the brain — the motor cortex.Research Article: BRAIN Initiative Cell Census NetworkNews and Views: A

Starting up in science: behind the scenesIn this bonus episode, the four Nature reporters behind Starting up in science discuss how the project came about, what it was like to follow two scientists for three years, and what the series has achieved.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 4Ali interviews for a critical grant. While she is waiting for the result, the pandemic throws their labs into chaos. Then comes a personal crisis.Read a written version of Starting up in science  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 3As newly-minted principal investigators, Ali and Dan have grand plans for their research – but science is slow, especially when other demands loom large: hiring staff, mentoring and teaching students and, of course, the race to secure funding.Read a written version of Starting up in science  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 2Ali and Dan have landed positions as the heads of their very own labs. But how did they get to the starting line? Every scientist’s journey is different, and in this episode we hear Ali and Dan’s, which covers years, thousands of miles, and some very difficult decisions.Read a written version of Starting up in science  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Every year, thousands of scientists struggle to launch their own labs. For three years, a reporting team from Nature documented the lives of married couple Alison Twelvetrees and Daniel Bose as they worked to get their fledgling research groups off the ground.Frustrations over funding, a global pandemic, and a personal trauma have made this journey anything but simple for Ali and Dan. Listen to their story in Starting up in science.Episode 1What does it take to start up in science? Meet two biologists fighting the odds to build their careers and break new ground. But their first priority is getting grants – without them, their labs might not stay afloat.Read a written version of Starting up in science  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Australian scientists are developing new technologies to help protect coral from climate change.Earlier this year, a team of researchers used a mist-machine to artificially brighten clouds in order to block sunlight above Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The project is the world’s first field trial of marine cloud brightening and is among a number of techniques and technologies being developed to save the country’s reefs from the worst effects of climate change.This is an audio version of our feature: Can artificially altered clouds save the Great Barrier Reef?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Less than 1% of those in low income countries are fully vaccinated, and that number only rises to 10% in low-middle income countries. Meanwhile more than half of the population in wealthier countries have received a double dose with several now rolling out third dosess.In this episode of Coronapod we look at the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Drug companies are facing increased pressure to partner with manufacturing firms in the global south but most are reluctant to relinquish control. We ask what needs to change to help address the global disparity in vaccine access.News: The fight to manufacture COVID vaccines in lower-income countries  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How tiny seed-like sensors could monitor the environment, and the latest from the Nature Briefing.In this episode:00:45 Spinning seeds inspire floating electronicsResearchers have developed miniature electronic-chips with wings that fall like seeds, which could be a new way to monitor the environment.Research article: Kim et al.Video: Seed-inspired spinners ride the wind and monitor the atmosphere06:02 Research HighlightsHow humans can adjust to an energy-efficient walking pace almost without thinking, and the viral shell that excels at delivering genome-editing tools.Research Highlight: Humans walk efficiently even with their heads in the cloudsResearch Highlight: A CRISPR fix for muscles hatches from a viral shell08:34 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the mystery of the Sun’s super-hot corona, and the latest efforts to toilet-train cows.Physics World: The enduring mystery of the solar coronaThe Guardian: Cows ‘potty-trained’ in experiment to reduce greenhouse gas

How aquatic foods could help tackle world hunger, and how Australian wildfires spurred phytoplankton growth in the Southern Ocean.In this episode:00:45 The role of aquatic food in tackling hungerAhead of the UN’s Food Systems Summit, Nature journals are publishing research from the Blue Food Assessment, looking at how aquatic foods could help feed the world's population in a healthy, sustainable and equitable way.We speak to Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, who tells us about the role of blue foods in future food systems.Immersive feature: Blue FoodsNature's Blue Food collection12:27 Research HighlightsThe ingestible capsule that injects drugs straight into stomach tissue, and a soft material that changes colour when twisted.Research Highlight: An easily swallowed capsule injects drugs straight into the gutResearch Highlight: Flowing crystals for quick camouflage14:52 How Australian wildfires spurred phytoplankton bloomsThe devastating Australia

A new theory to explain missing geological time, the end of leaded petrol, and the ancient humans of Arabia.In this episode: 00:29 Unpicking the Great UnconformityFor more than 150 years, geologists have been aware of ‘missing’ layers of rock from the Earth’s geological record. Up to one billion years appear to have been erased in what’s known as the Great Unconformity. Many theories to explain this have been proposed, and now a new one suggests that the Great Unconformity may have in fact been a series of smaller events.BBC Future: The strange race to track down a missing billion years05:23 The era of leaded petrol is overIn July, Algeria became the final country to ban the sale of leaded petrol, meaning that the fuel is unavailable to buy legally anywhere on Earth. However despite this milestone, the toxic effects of lead petrol pollution will linger for many years to come.Chemistry World: Leaded petrol is finally phased out worldwide 08:26 The ancient humans who lived in a wetter ArabiaWhile much of m

How insects help release carbon stored in forests, and the upcoming biodiversity summit COP 15.In this episode:00:44 Fungi, insects, dead trees and the carbon cycleAcross the world forests play a huge role in the carbon cycle, removing huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But when those trees die, some of that carbon goes back into the air. A new project studies how fast dead wood breaks down in different conditions, and the important role played by insects.Research Article: Seibold et al.09:37 Research HighlightsMassive stars make bigger planets, and melting ice moves continents.Research Highlight: Why gassy planets are bigger around more-massive starsResearch Highlight: So much ice is melting that Earth’s crust is moving12:04 The UN’s Convention on Biological DiversityAfter several delays, the fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, is now slated to take place next year. Even communicating the issues surrounding biodiversity loss

As women’s soccer, rugby and other sports gain in popularity a growing body of evidence suggests that female athletes are at a greater risk of traumatic brain injury than men - what's more they tend to fare worse after a concussion and take longer to recover. Now researchers are racing to get to the bottom of why and ask how treatment might need to change.This is an audio version of our feature: Why sports concussions are worse for women  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Delta has quickly become the dominant COVID variant in many countries across the world, in this episode we ask why. Over the past few weeks, a slew of studies have started to shed more light on how the Delta variant differs from its cousins and even the mechanisms behind its rampant spread. We dig into studies on the epidemiology and molecular biology of Delta to ask some key questions surrounding its transmissibility, lethality and what all this might mean for vaccine roll outs.News: The mutation that helps Delta spread like wildfireNews: COVID vaccines protect against Delta, but their effectiveness wanes News: How do vaccinated people spread Delta? What the science saysNews: Delta coronavirus variant: scientists brace for impactNews: Delta’s rise is fuelled by rampant spread from people who feel fineSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy an