Nature Podcast

This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science. In the early 1990s, a team of astrophysicists led by Carl Sagan looked at data from the Galileo spacecraft and saw the signatures of life on a planet in our galaxy. Historian of science David Kaiser and astrobiologists...

This week, a computer beats the best human players in StarCraft II, and a huge study of insects and other arthropods. In this episode: 00:45 Learning to play By studying and experimenting, an AI has reached Grandmaster level at the video game Starcraft II. Research Article:  Vinyals et al. ;  News Article: Google AI beats experienced human players at real-time strategy game StarCraft II...

As part of Nature 's 150th anniversary celebrations, we look back at an important moment in the history of science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a milestone in quantum computing, and rethinking early mammals. In this episode: 00:43 A quantum computing milestone A quantum computer is reported to have achieved ‘quantum supremacy’ – performing an operation that’s essentially impossible for classical computers.  Research Article:  Arute et al. ;  News and Views:  Quantum computing takes flight ;  Editorial:&...

This week, investigating child mortality rates at a local level, and building genes from non-coding DNA. In this episode: 00:43 A regional view of childhood mortality Researchers map countries' progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Developmental Goals.  Research Article:  Burstein et al. ;  World View:  Data on child deaths are a call for justice ;  Editorial:  Protec...

This week, a method for predicting follow-up earthquakes, and the issues with deep learning systems in AI. In this episode: 00:47 Which is the big quake? A new technique could allow seismologists to better predict if a larger earthquake will follow an initial tremor.  Research Article:  Real-time discrimination of earthquake foreshocks and aftershocks ;  News and Views:  Predic...

In this Podcast Extra, we speak to John B Goodenough, from the University of Texas at Austin, in the US. Today, John was announced as one of the joint winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Reporter Benjamin Thompson went along to the Royal Society in London to chat with him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we speak to physicist Didier Queloz, who was announced today as one of the joint winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics. Shortly after the winners were announced, Didier took part in a press conference to talk about his award. Reporter Benjamin Thompson went along to chat with him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, how new species may form by sexual imprinting, and a previously unknown way for mosquitoes to migrate. In this episode: 00:43 New species by sexual imprinting? A Central American frog chooses mates resembling its parents, a possible route for new species to form.  Research Article:  Yang et al. ;  News and Views:  Leapfrog to speciation boosted by mother’s influence...

This year,  Nature  celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our  PastCast  series, highlighting key moments in the history of science. Earthquakes, volcanoes, the formation of mountains; we understand all these phenomena in terms of plate tectonics (large-scale movements of the Earth’s crust). But when a German geologist first...

This week, diamond-containing rocks may help uncover secrets of the Earth’s mantle, and a reflection on science since the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was published. In this episode: 00:46 Earth’s Evolution Explosive eruptions have allowed researchers to study Earth’s mysterious mantle.  Research Article:  Woodhead et al. ;  News and Views:  Enigmatic origin of diamond-beari...

How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems is the new book from XKCD cartoonist Randall Munroe. In this Podcast Extra, Randall talks about the book, its inspiration and the bizarre thought experiments it contains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:44 A global media collaboration This week, Nature is taking part in the Covering Climate Now project. What is it, and why has Nature joined? Editorial: Act now and avert a climate crisis 05:49 ‘Climate change’ vs ‘climate emergency’ In early 2019, The Guardian changed the wording they use when covering climate stories. Our panel discusses the importance of phrasing, and how it...

This week, absurd advice from XKCD’s Randall Munroe, and a conversation with climate lawyer turned activist Farhana Yamin. In this episode:   00:46 How to do things (badly) Cartoonist Randall Munroe tell us about his new book: How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems . 08:21 Research Highlights How insemination makes honeybee queens lose their way, and ‘toe maps’ in the...

This week, modelling embryonic development, and an analysis of male dominated conferences. In this episode: 00:44 Imitating implantation Researchers have created a system that uses stem cells to model the early stages of pregnancy.  Research article:  Zheng et al. ;  News and Views:  Human embryo implantation modelled in microfluidic channels 08:03 Research Highlights Traces of...

This week, Salmonella spreading antibiotic resistance, and the drivers of urban heat islands. In this episode:   00:46 Antibiotic resistance reservoirs Researchers have identified how  Salmonella  ‘persister’ cells can spread antibiotic resistance genes in mice intestines. Research article:  Bakkeren et al. 08:12 Research Highlights Bright barn owls stun prey, and the evolution...

This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science. They’re found in home-testing kits for pregnancy, hospital tests for MRSA, and in six out of ten of the best-selling drugs today. But monoclonal antibodies have kept a surprisingly low profile since their debut in a Na...

This week, a computer chip based on carbon nanotubes, and the potential pitfalls of sequencing ancient-human remains. In this episode:   00:45 A nanotube microprocessor Scientists are looking beyond silicon, by constructing a computer chip using carbon nanotubes. Research article: Shulaker et al. News and Views: Nanotube computer scaled up   08:38 Research Highlights Weighing neutri...

This week, the resilience of internet hate groups, and searching for early life. In this episode: 00:46 Tackling internet hate Researchers have been modelling how hate groups interact online, and have come up with suggestions to combat this activity.  Research article:  Johnson et al. ;  News and Views: Strategies for combating online hate 08:55 Research Highlights Gallstone growth,...

This week, spilling nuclear secrets, and a mysterious period in the Universe’s history. In this episode: 00:46 "The most dangerous spy in history" We hear the story of Klaus Fuchs, who gave away the details of building an atomic bomb.  Books and Arts:  The scientist-spy who spilt secrets of the bomb 08:00 Research Highlights Environmental impacts of electric scooters, and the Goliath fro...

This week, a mindset to improve school performance, and the complex story of how mercury accumulates in fish. In this episode: 00:46 Growth Mindset How a one hour course could improve academic achievement.  Research article:  Yeager et al. 11:47 Research Highlights An extinct giant parrot, and hacking Manhattan’s traffic.  Research Highlight:  Polly wants many crackers: fo...

This week, whether the placenta is lacking microbes, and new hardware for artificial intelligence. In this episode: 00:43 Microbe-free placentas? New research suggests that the placenta is sterile.  Research article:  de Goffau et al. ; News and Views:  No bacteria found in healthy placentas 07:12 Research Highlights Antacids and allergies, and the source of unexplained radioactivit...

This episode was first broadcast in July 2013. This year, Nature celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark this anniversary we’re rebroadcasting episodes from our PastCast series, highlighting key moments in the history of science. During the Second World War, scientists worked on secret projects such as the development of radar. Their efforts were hinted at in the pages of Nature but the details, of...

This week, how the climate has changed throughout history, and why enforcing vaccination should be done with care. In this episode: 00:39 Climate through time Researchers have modelled how climate has changed throughout the past 2000 years.  Research article:   Neukom et al. ; Research article: Neukom et al. ; News and Views:   The aberrant global synchrony of present-day...

In this episode: 01:01 Breaking News The first image of a black hole took the world by storm, but what was it like reporting such a quickly developing story?  News:  Black hole pictured for first time — in spectacular detail ;  Video:  The first image of a black hole: A three minute guide ;  Video:  How scientists reacted to the first-ever image of a black hole 09:01...