Nature Podcast

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