Nature Podcast
Episodes
Why we need to rethink how we talk about cancer
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For over a century, cancer has been classified by areas of the body - lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer etc. And yet modern medical researc...
Cancer's power harnessed — lymphoma mutations supercharge T cells
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:0:46 Borrowing tricks from cancer could help improve immunotherapyT cell based immunotherapies have revolutionised the treatment of ce...
Cervical cancer could be eliminated: here's how
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cervical cancer is both treatable and preventable, and the WHO has called for countries to come together to to eliminate the disease in the next centu...
Ancient DNA solves the mystery of who made a set of stone tools
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:0:48 How hominins spread through EuropeAncient stone tools are often uncovered in Europe, but it can be difficult to identify who craf...
Audio long read: Long COVID is a double curse in low-income nations — here’s why
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence so far suggests that the prevalence of long COVID in low- and middle-income countries could be similar to that of wealthier countries. For ex...
Toxic red mud could be turned into 'green' steel
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:0:46 Turning a toxic by-product into ironRed mud is a toxic by-product of aluminium manufacture, and millions of tonnes of it is produ...
This AI just figured out geometry — is this a step towards artificial reasoning?
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:0:55 The AI that deduces solutions to complex maths problemsResearchers at Google Deepmind have developed an AI that can solve Interna...
The science stories you missed over the holiday period
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on some science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing.We chat about: a...
Science in 2024: what to expect this year
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2024. We'll hear about the mass of the n...
Audio long read: A new kind of solar cell is coming — is it the future of green energy?
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Perovskites are cheap, abundant photovoltaic materials that some have hailed as the future of green energy.Around the world, companies are layering pe...
The Nature Podcast highlights of 2023
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:54 Franklin’s real roleWhen it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discove...
How AI works is often a mystery — that's a problem
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many AIs are 'black box' in nature, meaning that part of all of the underlying structure is obfuscated, either intentionally to protect proprietary in...
The Nature Podcast Festive Spectacular 2023
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:01:55 “Oh GPT”In the first of our festive songs, we pay homage to LLMs, the generative AI chat bots which have taken 2023 by storm...
Navigating planets, plays and prejudice — a conversation with Aomawa Shields
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, astronomer Aomawa Shields discusses her memoir Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in ...
Inhaled vaccine prevents COVID in monkeys
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Current COVID-19 vaccines offer great protection from serious illness, but they don't prevent people from becoming infected in the first place. B...
Cat parasite Toxoplasma tricked to grow in a dish
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:48 A new way to grow a tricky parasite in the labToxoplasma gondii, the parasite that causes the zoonotic disease toxoplasmosis, ha...
The world’s smallest light-trapping silicon cavity
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:48 A gap for trapping lightConfining photons within materials opens up potential applications in quantum computing and telecommunic...
Sanitary products made from plants could help tackle period poverty
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Around 500 million people are estimated to be in period poverty, lacking adequate access to sanitary products. Many of these people rely on donations,...
Why COP28 probably won't keep the 1.5 degree dream alive
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:49 What to expect at COP28.The UN’s annual climate change conference is starting soon in Dubai. This time will be the first time ...
Audio long read: Apple revival — how science is bringing historic varieties back to life
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers have been resurrecting apple trees to revive forgotten varieties of the fruit. They hope that sequencing these apples' genomes could uncov...
Polio could be eradicated within 3 years — what happens then?
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 What happens after polio is eradicatedSince 1988, cases of polio have fallen by more than 99%, and many observers predict that t...
Dust: the tiny substance with enormous power
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, writer and researcher Jay Owens joins us to discuss her book Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Part...
How to 3D print fully-formed robots
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 Machine vision enables multi-material 3D printing3D printers are capable of producing complex shapes, but making functioning obj...
How to tame a toxic yet life-saving antifungal
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 Modifying a fungal drug to make it less toxicAmphotericin B is a drug used to treat life-threatening fungal infections. But whil...
Nature's Take: How will ChatGPT and generative AI transform research?
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the past year, generative AIs have been taking the world by storm. ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E and more, are changing the nature of how content is produc...
A new hydrogel can be directly injected into muscle to help it regenerate
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 An injectable gel for healing musclesSevere muscle injury can be debilitating, with long recuperation periods. Now, researchers ...
Audio long read: Why BMI is flawed — and how to redefine obesity
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, BMI — calculated by dividing weight by height squared — has been as an international standard to determine healthy weights.However, B...
Martian sounds reveal the secrets of the red planet's core
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For years, researchers have been listening to Mars and the quakes that ripple through it, to understand the planet's internal structure and uncover it...
Sounds of recovery: AI helps monitor wildlife during forest restoration
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 An automated way to monitor wildlife recoveryTo prevent the loss of wildlife, forest restoration is key, but monitoring how well...
An anti-CRISPR system that helps save viruses from destruction
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 An RNA-based viral system that mimics bacterial immune defencesTo protect themselves against viral infection, bacteria often use...
Gene edits move pig organs closer to human transplantation
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 Engineered pig kidneys show transplantation promiseKidneys from genetically-engineered miniature pigs have been transplanted int...
'This doesn't just fall on women': computer scientists reflect on gender biases in STEM
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this Podcast Extra, two computer scientists, Shobhana Narasimhan and Sana Odeh, join Nature's Anne Pichon to discuss the barriers that women and ge...
Astronomers are worried by a satellite brighter than most stars
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 A bright satellite is concerning researchersSatellites reflect sunlight down to Earth, and some do so with such intensity it ris...
Audio long read: These animals are racing towards extinction. A new home might be their last chance
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's swamp tortoise is one of the most endangered species in the world. This species lives in wetlands that are under threat due to rising temp...
This isn't the Nature Podcast — how deepfakes are distorting reality
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 How to tackle AI deepfakesIt has long been possible to create deceptive images, videos or audio to entertain or mislead audience...
Why does cancer spread to the spine? Newly discovered stem cells might be the key
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 A new insight into cancers' selective spreadCancer cells can spread to bones in the late stages of disease and in many cancers, ...
A mussel-inspired glue for more sustainable sticking
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 A sustainably-sourced, super-strong adhesiveThe modern world is held together by adhesives, but these fossil-fuel derived materi...
Our ancestors lost nearly 99% of their population, 900,000 years ago
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:30 Early humans pushed to brink of extinctionAround 900,000 years ago the ancestors of modern humans were pushed to the brink of ex...
Physicists finally observe strange isotope Oxygen 28 – raising fundamental questions
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 First observation of oxygen 28Oxygen 28 is an isotope of oxygen with 20 neutrons and eight protons. This strange isotope has lon...
Audio long read: Medicine is plagued by untrustworthy clinical trials. How many studies are faked or flawed?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Investigations suggest that, in some fields, at least one-quarter of clinical trials might be problematic or even entirely made up. Faked or unreliabl...
Brain-reading implants turn thoughts into speech
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 The brain-computer interfaces that help restore communicationPeople with certain neurological conditions can lose the ability to...
Fruit flies' ability to sense magnetic fields thrown into doubt
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:49 The search for animals’ magnetic sense sufferers a potential setbackExactly how animals sense Earth’s magnetic field has lon...
Racism in health: the roots of the US Black maternal mortality crisis
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A perfect storm of factors has led to huge racial disparities in maternal healthcare. In the USA, as abortion clinics continue to close, this inequity...
How welcome are refugees in Europe? A giant study has some answers
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 A measure of refugees’ welcome in EuropeWith repeated humanitarian crises displacing millions of people, researchers have been...
How to get more women in science, with Athene Donald
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of Nature hits the books, physicist Athene Donald joins us to discuss her book Not just for the boys, why we need more women in ...
Audio long read: Lab mice go wild — making experiments more natural in order to decode the brain
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Neuroscientists are creating more naturalistic experiments that they hope will provide a more nuanced understanding of animal — and human — behavi...
Facebook ‘echo chamber’ has little impact on polarized views, according to study
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:How tweaking social media algorithms affects polarizationSocieties are becoming increasingly polarized, with people reportedly shunnin...
AI-enhanced night-vision lets users see in the dark
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 How to see in the dark like it’s daytimeThere are many methods for better night-vision, but often these rely on enhancing ligh...
Disrupting snail food-chain curbs parasitic disease in Senegal
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 A sustainable solution for schistosomiasis controlSchistosomiasis is a serious parasitic disease that affects millions of people...
ChatGPT can write a paper in an hour — but there are downsides
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:23 Using ChatGPT to generate a research paper from scratchA pair of scientists have produced a research paper in less than an hour ...
Even a 'minimal cell' can grow stronger, thanks to evolution
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 The effects of evolution on a minimal genomeIn 2016, researchers created a ‘minimal cell’ bacterium with a genome that only ...
Audio long read: ‘Almost magical’ — chemists can now move single atoms in and out of a molecule’s core
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the past two years, there has been an explosion in the number of papers published relating to 'skeletal editing', a technique that allows chemists ...
Do octopuses dream? Neural activity resembles human sleep stages
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 Inside the brains of sleeping octopusesResearchers have probed the brains of octopuses and confirmed previous reports suggesting...
Why bladder cancer cells that shed their Y chromosome become more aggressive
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 Why losing the Y chromosome makes bladder cancer more aggressiveLoss of the Y chromosome in bladder cancer cells is associated w...
What IBM's result means for quantum computing
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 How to make quantum computers ready for real world applicationsQuantum computers have long held the promise of being able to per...
A brain circuit for infanticide, in mice
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 The mouse brain circuit controlling infanticidal behaviourIn mammals, infanticide is a relatively common behaviour, but not a de...
AI identifies gene interactions to speed up search for treatment targets
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 An AI that predicts gene interactionsMapping the network of genes that control cellular processes can be difficult to do when ge...
Audio long read: Can giant surveys of scientists fight misinformation on COVID, climate change and more?
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shocked by the impact of online misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, several researchers are launching efforts to survey scientists’ th...
‘Tree islands’ give oil-palm plantation a biodiversity boost
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 Tree islands bring biodiversity benefits for oil-palm plantationGlobal demand for palm oil has resulted in huge expansion of the...
JWST shows an ancient galaxy in stunning spectroscopic detail
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:46 What JWST has revealed about an ancient galaxyResearchers have pointed the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at JD1, one of the ...
Nature's Take: Can Registered Reports help tackle publication bias?
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many researchers have been critical of the biases that the publication process can introduce into science. For example, they argue that a focus on pub...
‘Pangenome’ aims to capture the breadth of human diversity
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 Making a more diverse human genomeThe first draft of the human genome ushered in a new era of genetics research. Since its publi...
Menopause and women’s health: why science needs to catch up
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 A focus on women’s healthNature’s Kerri Smith and Heidi Ledford join us to discuss two Features published in Nature looking ...
Audio long read: Conquering Alzheimer’s — a look at the therapies of the future
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, researchers announced that the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab lowered the amount of amyloid protein plaques associated with the disease in th...
How Rosalind Franklin’s story was rewritten
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:57 Franklin’s real roleWhen it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discove...
A smarter way to melt down plastics?
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 A new method to break down plastic polymersPlastic waste is an enormous problem, with much of it being incinerated or ending up ...
How to battle misinformation with Sander van der Linden
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 misinf...
Octopuses hunt by 'tasting' with their suckers
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:44 The unusual receptors that let octopuses hunt by touchResearchers have shown that the suckers of octopuses are covered with specialised receptor...
Giant black-hole pair from the early Universe gives clues to how galaxies form
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:46 A pair of supermassive black holes in the distant universeSupermassive black holes are found at the centre of galaxies across the universe. But ...
Audio long read: What Turkey’s earthquake tells us about the science of seismic forecasting
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing an estimated 50,000 people. Two decades ago, researchers suggested that a...
Bacterial ‘syringes’ could inject drugs directly into human cells
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:48 Tiny syringes for drug deliveryA team of researchers have repurposed tiny syringe-like structures produced by some bacteria to deliver molecules...
How to make driverless cars safer — expose them to lots of dangerous drivers
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:46 A new test to get autonomous vehicles on the roadTruly autonomous vehicles, ones that don't require a driver to be present and are driven by AI,...
How to build a virus-proof cell
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:47 An edited genetic code that prevents viral infectionResearchers have engineered bacteria with synthetic genomes to be immune to viral infection....
How the Australian wildfires devastated the ozone layer
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:47 Wildfire smoke’s chemical composition enhances ozone depletionSmoke from the devastating Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 led to a reduction ...
How an increased heart rate could induce anxiety in mice
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:47 How a racing heart could trigger anxietyAnxiety can make the heart beat faster, but could the reverse be true as well? That question has been mu...
Nature's Take: How Twitter's changes could affect science
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 man...
Audio long read: How your first brush with COVID warps your immunity
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
A twisting microscope that could unlock the secrets of 2D materials
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:45 A new microscope to look for ‘magic’ anglesTo better visualise how electrons are ‘moving’ in materials, a team have developed the Quantu...
How 'metadevices' could make electronics faster
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:47 A metadevice for faster electronicsIn the past, increasing the speeds of electronics required designing smaller components, but further reductio...
This mysterious space rock shouldn’t have a ring — but it does
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
0:46 The mysterious ring in the distant Solar SystemQuaoar is a small, rocky object that lies beyond Neptune’s orbit. In an unexpected discovery, re...
How mummies were prepared: Ancient Egyptian pots spill secrets
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 Chemical analysis of ancient embalming materialsMummification was a significant part of ancient Egyptian culture but, despite de...
Audio long read: The ‘breakthrough’ obesity drugs that have stunned researchers
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new generation of anti-obesity medications are displaying striking results: drastically diminishing weight, without the serious side effects of prev...
Amino acid slows nerve damage from diabetes, in mouse study
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
00:45 The role of serine in diabetic neuropathyNerve damage is a common complication of diabetes, and can even lead to limb amputation. Thus far, the ...
Laser 'lightning rod' diverts strikes high in the Alps
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 Laser-guided lightningScientists have shown that a specially designed laser can divert the course of lightning strikes in a real...
The science stories you missed over the past four weeks
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Nature Podcast, we catch up on some science stories from the holiday period by diving into the Nature Briefing.We’ll hear: ho...
Science in 2023: what to expect this year
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2023. We'll hear about vaccines, multiple Moo...
The Nature Podcast’s highlights of 2022
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:53 How virtual meetings can limit creative ideasIn April, we heard how a team investigated whether switching from face-to-face to v...
The Nature Podcast Festive Spectacular 2022
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
01:07 “Artemis and Dart”In the first of our festive songs, we celebrate some of the big space missions from this year: Artemis which aims to get p...
COVID deaths: three times the official toll
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:47 Estimating pandemic-associated mortalityThis week, a team of researchers working with the World Health Organization have used st...
Oldest DNA reveals two-million-year-old ecosystem
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:00:45 World’s oldest DNA shows that mastodons roamed ancient GreenlandDNA recovered from ancient permafrost has been used to reconst...
Gaia Vince on how climate change will shape where people live
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of Nature hits the books, science writer and broadcaster Gaia Vince joins us to talk about her new book Nomad Century, which loo...
Mysterious fluid from ant pupae helps feed colony
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
00:45 Inert ant pupae produce a previously unobserved fluidAnt larvae metamorphose into adults by pupating. It was assumed that these inert pupae don’...
Audio long read: Science and the World Cup — how big data is transforming football
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Big data is playing an increasingly important role in football, with technologies capturing huge amounts of information about players' positions and a...
The satellite-free alternative to GPS
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
00:45 Precision positioning without satellitesSatellite navigation has revolutionized how humans find their way. However, these systems often struggle...
How a key Alzheimer's gene wreaks havoc in the brain
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
00:46 Artemis 1 is go!NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has successfully reached Earth orbit. After weeks of delays and issues, and a nail biting launch, the...
Audio long read: She was convicted of killing her four children. Could a gene mutation set her free?
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kathleen Folbigg has spent nearly 20 years in prison after being convicted of killing her four children. But in 2018, a group of scientists began gath...
Molecular cages sift 'heavy' water from near-identical H2O
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
00:49 Separating heavy water with molecular cagesHeavy water is molecule very similar to H2O but with deuterium isotopes in the place of hydrogen atom...
Audio long read: The controversial embryo tests that promise a better baby
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Companies are offering genetic tests of embryos generated by in vitro fertilization that they say allow prospective parents to choose those with the l...
Flies can move their rigid, omnidirectional eyes – a little
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
00:46 How flies can move their eyes (a little)It's long been assumed flies’ eyes don’t move, and so to alter their gaze they need to move their he...
Racism in Health: the harms of biased medicine
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When COVID-19 hit it didn't kill indiscriminately. In the US, being Black, Hispanic, or Native American meant you had a much greater risk of death tha...