Omicron is spreading quickly and once again we’re facing another wave of infections and restrictions over the holiday period. The team says although it’s early days, we’re beginning to get a handle on why this covid-19 variant is so good at dodging immunity, and they unpack ‘misleading’ reports that it causes milder infections. Climate journalist Emily Atkin joins the team to discuss Netflix’s new satire Don’t Look Up, which follows the story of two astronomers and their attempts to warn humanity of an approaching comet that will destroy the planet. As well as that, renowned cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker joins the pod to discuss his new book ‘Rationality’, which outlines the major forces underlying our irrational tendencies. The team also brings you the bubbling sounds of melting glaciers, and they share news of a new kind of GPS that uses cosmic rays. On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Michael Le Page and Chelsea Whyte. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.