In this episode: 00:45 Why losing the Y chromosome makes bladder cancer more aggressive Loss of the Y chromosome in bladder cancer cells is associated with increased severity of disease, but the reasons behind this have been unclear. Now researchers show that the loss of this chromosome helps tumour cells evade the immune system. However, this mechanism also makes the cells more vulnerable to certain chemotherapy treatments, and the researchers hope their findings could help improve outcomes for...
Jun 21, 2023•29 min
In this episode: 00:47 How to make quantum computers ready for real world applications Quantum computers have long held the promise of being able to perform tasks that classical computers can’t. However, despite this promise, there have been few applications that can only be accomplished by a quantum computer. Now though, researchers show that a quantum computer can resolve a physics problem concerning the orientation of quantum particles in a 2D material, which is difficult to accomplish with a...
Jun 14, 2023•30 min
In this episode: 00:46 The mouse brain circuit controlling infanticidal behaviour In mammals, infanticide is a relatively common behaviour, but not a default one. For example, virgin female mice will often kill young produced by other females, but this behaviour disappears when they become mothers themselves. To understand this switch, researchers have identified a brain circuit associated with infanticidal behaviour that gets switched off after mice give birth. They hope that by better understa...
Jun 07, 2023•32 min
In this episode: 00:46 An AI that predicts gene interactions Mapping the network of genes that control cellular processes can be difficult to do when gene-expression data is sparse, such as in rare diseases or those affecting tissues that are hard to clinically sample. To overcome this, a team has developed an artificial intelligence system trained on a large, general dataset, and used it to make predictions about gene interactions in data-limited situations. As a test-case they look at the hear...
May 31, 2023•21 min
Shocked by the impact of online misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, several researchers are launching efforts to survey scientists’ thinking on issues from vaccine safety to climate change. They hope that their projects will make scientific debate, and degrees of consensus, more visible and transparent, benefiting public conversation and policymaking. However, others suggest that these attempts might merely further politicize public debate. This is an audio version of our Feature: ...
May 26, 2023•17 min
In this episode: 00:45 Tree islands bring biodiversity benefits for oil-palm plantation Global demand for palm oil has resulted in huge expansion of the palm plantations needed to produce it, causing widespread tropical deforestation and species loss. To address this, researchers planted islands of native trees among the palms in a large plantation, and showed that this approach increases ecosystem health, without affecting crop yields. The team say that while protecting existing tropical rainfo...
May 24, 2023•23 min
In this episode: 00:46 What JWST has revealed about an ancient galaxy Researchers have pointed the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at JD1, one of the universe's most distant known galaxies. The power of JWST has filled in some of the gaps in what was known about the galaxy, giving greater insight into its age, structure and composition. The team behind the work hope that learning more about how early galaxies like JD1 formed will help explain how the universe evolved into its present state. Re...
May 17, 2023•30 min
Many researchers have been critical of the biases that the publication process can introduce into science. For example, they argue that a focus on publishing interesting or significant results can give a false impression of what broader research is finding about a particular field. To tackle this, some scientists have championed the publication of Registered Reports. These articles split the peer review process in two, first critically assessing the methodology of a research study before data is...
May 12, 2023•26 min
In this episode: 00:45 Making a more diverse human genome The first draft of the human genome ushered in a new era of genetics research. Since its publication, researchers have constructed ever more accurate ‘reference genomes’ – baselines against which others are compared. But these are based on the DNA of a small number of people, and don’t represent the genetic variation known to exist across human populations. To address this, a consortium of researchers have published the first draft of a ‘...
May 10, 2023•21 min
In this episode: 00:47 A focus on women’s health Nature ’s Kerri Smith and Heidi Ledford join us to discuss two Features published in Nature looking at topics surrounding women’s health. The first looks at efforts to understand how menopause affects brain health, while the second takes a deep-dive into research funding and shows how conditions affecting women more than men receive less money. Feature: How menopause reshapes the brain Feature: Women’s health research lacks funding – these charts ...
May 03, 2023•41 min
Last year, researchers announced that the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab lowered the amount of amyloid protein plaques associated with the disease in the brains of participants in a clinical trial, and slowed their cognitive decline. Now, researchers are looking to drug combinations, vaccines and gene therapy to tackle different stages of the disease, as they forge the next generation of treatments for the condition. This is an audio version of our Feature: Conquering Alzheimer’s: a look at the ther...
Apr 28, 2023•18 min
In this episode: 00:57 Franklin’s real role When it comes to the structure of DNA, everyone thinks they know Rosalind Franklin’s role in its discovery. The story goes that her crucial data was taken by James Watson without her knowledge, helping him and Francis Crick solve the structure. However, new evidence has revealed that this wasn’t really the case. Rosalind Franklin was not a ‘wronged heroine’, she was an equal contributor to the discovery. Comment: What Rosalind Franklin truly contribute...
Apr 26, 2023•34 min
In this episode: 00:45 A new method to break down plastic polymers Plastic waste is an enormous problem, with much of it being incinerated or ending up in landfill. One way to give plastics another life is to break them down into their individual components using heat, but this method yields low amounts of usable product. Now, a team demonstrates a proof-of-concept method of heating that wicks the plastic like a candle through a layer of carbon material. They show that this method is more effici...
Apr 19, 2023•21 min
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 misinformation and what can be done to prevent people being duped, particularly by the falsehoods found online. We discuss how misinformation messages are crafted, why they can be hard to shake once someone is exposed, and how Star Wars : Episode 3 helped in the fight against them… Foolproof , Sander van der Linden, Fourth Estate (2023) Music supplied ...
Apr 14, 2023•24 min
00:44 The unusual receptors that let octopuses hunt by touch Researchers have shown that the suckers of octopuses are covered with specialised receptors that allow them to taste by touching things. Similar receptors are also found in squid, but there are differences that mirror differences in the animals’ hunting behaviours; while octopuses feel for their prey, squid pull things towards themselves before deciding whether or not to eat it. Research article: Kang et al. Research article: Allard et...
Apr 12, 2023•27 min
00:46 A pair of supermassive black holes in the distant universe Supermassive black holes are found at the centre of galaxies across the universe. But observations of galaxies with more than one – caused by the merging of two galaxies – have been rare. Now, researchers have combined data from a number of telescopes and satellites, to reveal a pair of supermassive blackholes farther from Earth than any pair detected previously. They hope this will offer insights into how galaxies form. Research a...
Apr 05, 2023•32 min
Last month, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing an estimated 50,000 people. Two decades ago, researchers suggested that an earthquake in this area was likely, but exactly where and when it would strike were unknown. This shows both the promise — and limitations — of the science of earthquake forecasting. Years of research suggest that it may be impossible to predict exactly when an earthquake will occur. As a result, many in the field have now shifted to identifying ...
Mar 31, 2023•12 min
00:48 Tiny syringes for drug delivery A team of researchers have repurposed tiny syringe-like structures produced by some bacteria to deliver molecules directly into human cells. They hope that this method could be used to overcome a big challenge in modern medicine, namely ensuring that therapeutics are delivered into the precise cells that need to be treated. Research article: Kreitz et al. News and Views: Mix-and-match tools for protein injection into cells 07:05 Research Highlights A diamond...
Mar 29, 2023•25 min
00:46 A new test to get autonomous vehicles on the road Truly autonomous vehicles, ones that don't require a driver to be present and are driven by AI, aren't yet safe for public use. Part of the reason for this is it has been difficult to train them to deal with rare dangerous situations. Now researchers are unveiling a new approach to present lots of these infrequent events to the AI very rapidly, speeding up the training and testing process. Research Article: Feng et al. News and Views: Hazar...
Mar 22, 2023•19 min
00:47 An edited genetic code that prevents viral infection Researchers have engineered bacteria with synthetic genomes to be immune to viral infection. The team streamlined the bacteria’s genetic code, and re-engineered the protein-producing machinery to insert the wrong amino acid if used by a virus, effectively making the bacteria ‘speak’ a different language to any invaders. It’s hoped that this technique could be used to reduce unwanted sharing of genes from modified organisms. Research arti...
Mar 15, 2023•32 min
00:47 Wildfire smoke’s chemical composition enhances ozone depletion Smoke from the devastating Australian wildfires of 2019-2020 led to a reduction in ozone levels in the upper atmosphere, but it’s been unclear how. Now, a team proposes that smoke’s particulate matter can enhance the production of ozone depleting chemicals, matching satellite observations during the Australian fires. The results spark concerns that future wildfires, which are set to grow more frequent with ongoing climate chang...
Mar 08, 2023•27 min
00:47 How a racing heart could trigger anxiety Anxiety can make the heart beat faster, but could the reverse be true as well? That question has been much debated, but hard to test. Now, a team has shown that artificially increasing a mouse’s heart rate can induce anxiety-like behaviours, and identified an area in the brain that appears to be a key mediator of this response. They hope that this knowledge could help to improve therapies for treating anxiety-related conditions in the future. Resear...
Mar 01, 2023•19 min
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 many studies. In recent months though, the site has been in turmoil after a swathe of policy changes in light of Elon Musk's takeover. Never a stranger to misinformation and abuse, these problems have reportedly gotten worse. Additionally, the ability to use Twitter as a source of data is in peril, and malfunctions are more commonplace. In this episod...
Feb 27, 2023•26 min
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 again. Studies are showing how imprinting shapes people’s responses to SARS-CoV-2; those infected with earlier strains can mount weaker responses to a later Omicron infection. This phenomenon is dampening the hope that variant-tailored boosters will markedly reduce transmission of the virus, although researchers agree that variant-tailored boosters ...
Feb 24, 2023•16 min
00:45 A new microscope to look for ‘magic’ angles To better visualise how electrons are ‘moving’ in materials, a team have developed the Quantum Twisting Microscope. This instrument puts two 2D layers of atoms into close contact, allowing them to interact, which can give useful information about their properties. The microscope can also rotate one of the layers, helping researchers look for so-called ‘magic angles’, where 2D materials like graphene can exhibit extraordinary properties. Research ...
Feb 22, 2023•29 min
00:47 A metadevice for faster electronics In the past, increasing the speeds of electronics required designing smaller components, but further reductions in size are being hampered by increasing resistance. To get around this, researchers have demonstrated a ‘metadevice’, which prevents resistance building up by concentrating the flow of signals into specific regions of the device. The hope is that this meta-method could be used to create even smaller electrical components in the future. Researc...
Feb 15, 2023•30 min
0:46 The mysterious ring in the distant Solar System Quaoar is a small, rocky object that lies beyond Neptune’s orbit. In an unexpected discovery, researchers have shown that this object has its own orbiting ring, similar to those seen encircling planets like Saturn. However, Quaoar’s ring shouldn’t exist, as it is at a distance far outside the theoretical limit at which rings are thought to be stable, and researchers are trying to figure out why. Research article: Morgado et al. News and Views:...
Feb 08, 2023•28 min
In this episode: 00:47 Chemical analysis of ancient embalming materials Mummification was a significant part of ancient Egyptian culture but, despite decades of research, much is unknown about the substances and methods used during the process. Now a team have analysed the contents of ceramic vessels uncovered in an embalming workshop that dates back to around 600 BC. The results reveal that some substances assumed to be a single thing were actually mixtures, while some came from far outside Egy...
Feb 01, 2023•30 min
A new generation of anti-obesity medications are displaying striking results: drastically diminishing weight, without the serious side effects of previous medications. These drugs have raised hopes the weight can be pharmacologically altered in a safe way, but some researchers are concerned about the drugs' high cost, and that these medications could feed into some societies' obsessions with thinness. This is an audio version of our Feature: The ‘breakthrough’ obesity drugs that have stunned res...
Jan 30, 2023•18 min
00:45 The role of serine in diabetic neuropathy Nerve damage is a common complication of diabetes, and can even lead to limb amputation. Thus far, the only way for people to slow its onset is by managing their diet and lifestyle. Now though, research in mice shows how the amino acid serine may be key to this nerve damage, suggesting a potential role for the molecule in future therapeutics. Research article: Handzlik et al. News and Views: Serine deficiency causes complications in diabetes 06:47 ...
Jan 25, 2023•19 min
