Scientists have grave concerns over ethical and societal impacts of facial-recognition technology. In this surveillance special, we dig into the details. In this episode: 03:24 Standing up against ‘smart cities’ Cities across the globe are installing thousands of surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition technology. Although marketed as a way to reduce crime, researchers worry that these systems are ripe for exploitation and are calling for strict regulations on their deployment. Fea...
Nov 18, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast New fossil finds and new techniques reveal evidence that early animals were more complex than previously thought. The Cambrian explosion, around 541 million years ago, has long been regarded as a pivotal point in evolutionary history, as this is when the ancient ancestors of most of today’s animals made their first appearances in the fossil record. Before this was a period known as the Ediacaran – a time when the world was believed to be populated by strange, simple organisms. But now, modern mo...
Nov 13, 2020•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Researchers try to unpick the complex relationship between sensory pollutants and bird reproduction, and how to combat organised crime in fisheries. In this episode: 00:46 Sensory pollution and bird reproduction Light- and noise-pollution have been shown to affect the behaviour of birds. However, it’s been difficult to work out whether these behavioural changes have led to bird species thriving or declining. Now, researchers have assembled a massive dataset that can begin to give some answers. R...
Nov 11, 2020•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Astronomers pin down the likely origins of mysterious fast radio bursts, and the latest on what the US election means for science. In this episode: 00:46 The origins of mysterious fast radio bursts The detection of a brief but enormously-powerful radio burst originating from within the Milky Way could help researchers answer one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries. Research article: Bochenek et al. ; News: Astronomers spot first fast radio burst in the Milky Way 07:59 Coronapod At the start of the ...
Nov 04, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In the third and final episode we try to get to the bottom of how journalists, communicators and policymakers influence how science is perceived. We discuss the danger of politicization and ask the question - can science be part of the political narrative without compromising its values? Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc This episode was prod...
Oct 30, 2020•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In this episode we're asking how politics shapes the life of a working scientist. Be it through funding agendas, cultural lobbies or personal bias, there's a myriad of ways in which politics can shape the game; influencing the direction and quality of research, But what does this mean for the objective ideals of science? Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.n...
Oct 29, 2020•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Science and politics are not easy bedfellows - "Stick to the science" is a three part series which aims to find out why. In this episode we delve into the past, and uncover the complicated relationship between science, politics and power. Along the way, we come up against some pretty big questions: what is science? Should science be apolitical? And where does Nature fit in? Tell us what you think of this series: https://go.nature.com/2HzXVLc This episode was produced by Nick Howe, with...
Oct 28, 2020•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast The chances of mini-brains becoming sentient, and a UK government decision threatens gender diversity in academia. In this episode: 00:59 The ethics of creating consciousness Brain organoids, created by culturing stem cells in a petri dish, are a mainstay of neuroscience research. But as these mini-brains become more complex, is there the chance they could become conscious, and if so, how could we tell? News Feature: Can lab-grown brains become conscious? 09:01 Coronapod So called ‘herd immunity...
Oct 28, 2020•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast The structure of a beetle’s super-strong exoskeleton could open up new engineering applications, and efforts to address diversity and equality imbalances in academia. In this episode: 01:17 Insights into an armoured insect The diabolical ironclad beetle has an exoskeleton so strong, it can survive being run over by a car. Researchers have identified how the structure of the exoskeleton provides this strength, and show that mimicking it may lead to improved aerospace components. Research Article:...
Oct 21, 2020•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode: 00:44 Room-temperature superconductivity For decades, scientists have been searching for a material that superconducts at room temperature. This week, researchers show a material that appears to do so, but only under pressures close to those at the centre of the planet. The paper covered in this podcast has been retracted following concerns surrounding data processing steps. Read more in this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03066-z The retracted paper can be ...
Oct 14, 2020•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Researchers are aligning data on animal neuronal activity with behavioural information recorded on millisecond timescales, to uncover the signatures of internal brain states associated with things like moods and motivation. This is an audio version of our feature: Inside the mind of an animal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 09, 2020•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast A conversation about the US election and the possible fallout for science, and are maternal behaviours learned or innate? In this episode: 00:46 US election In the United States the presidential race is underway, and Nature is closely watching to see what might happen for science. We speak to two of our US based reporters to get their insight on the election and what to look out for. News Feature: A four-year timeline of Trump’s impact on science ; News Feature: How Trump damaged science — and w...
Oct 07, 2020•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast How current and future ice loss in Greenland compares to the past, and using graphene to make ultra-sensitive radiation detectors. In this episode: 00:45 Greenland’s historic ice loss Climate change is accelerating the loss of ice and glaciers around the world leading to unprecedented levels of disappearance. Researchers have drilled samples from deep in the Greenland ice sheet, to model how current, and future, losses compare to those seen in the last 12,000 years. Research Article: Briner et a...
Sep 30, 2020•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Coaxing tiny colloid particles into a diamond structure, and manipulating cell death and homeostasis in neurodegenerative disease. In this episode: 00:45 Creating colloidal crystals For decades, researchers have attempted to create crystals with a diamond-like structure using tiny colloid particles. Now, a team thinks they’ve cracked it, which could open the door for new optical technologies. Research Article: He et al. 07:50 Coronapod Rapid antigen tests for coronavirus have been described in s...
Sep 23, 2020•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mapping the migration of the Vikings, and the world’s smallest ultrasound device. In this episode: 00:45 Following the Viking footprint across Europe To better understand who the Vikings were, and where they went, researchers have mapped genomes from hundreds of archaeological artifacts. Research Article: Margaryan et al. 08:00 Coronapod Phase III trials of a leading coronavirus vaccine were abruptly paused last week – we discuss how news of the event leaked out, and the arguments for transparen...
Sep 16, 2020•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Keeping electronics from overheating, and how to include minority populations in genetic analyses. In this episode: 00:46 Cool computers Keeping components cool is a major hurdle when it comes to increasing electronic power. This week, we find out about a new way to integrate tiny microfluidic channels directly into circuits, to help keep them cool. Research Article: van Erp et al. 06:57 Coronapod By comparing coronavirus genomes taken from people around the world, researchers are getting an ide...
Sep 09, 2020•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Engineering yeast to produce medicines, and the mechanism of anaesthetic action. In this episode: 00:44 Making medicine with yeast The tropane alkaloids are an important class of medicine, but they are produced agriculturally leaving them vulnerable to extreme weather and world events. Now, researchers have engineered yeast to produce these important molecules. Research Article: Srinivasan and Smolke 06:36 Coronapod We discuss the complex story of immunity to COVID-19, and how this may affect va...
Sep 02, 2020•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Protecting delicate quantum bits, and a competition to replicate findings from ancient computer code. In this episode: 01:04 Quantum computers vs ionizing radiation The quantum bits, or ‘qubits’, central to the operation of quantum computers are notoriously sensitive. Now, researchers have assessed the damaging effects that ionizing radiation can have on these qubits and what can be done about it. Research Article: Vepsäläinen et al. 08:15 Coronapod We discuss the US Food and Drug Administration...
Aug 26, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new way to produce aerogels opens up their use, and understanding how sulfur can change state between two liquids. In this episode: 01:05 Printing aerogels Aerogels are materials with impressive insulating properties, but they’re difficult to handle, due to their innate fragility. Now, researchers have shown a new way to 3D print the most common form of aerogel, opening up a range of potential new applications. Research Article: Zhao et al. 07:00 Coronapod To provide targeted public health int...
Aug 19, 2020•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Triggering swarming behaviour in locusts, and new insights into how humans synchronize. In this episode: 01:56 Understanding swarming behaviour Swarms of migratory locusts regularly devastate crops across the world, but why these swarms form has been a mystery. Now, a team of researchers have identified a compound that causes solitary locusts to come together in their billions - a finding that could have practical applications for preventing this behaviour. Research article: Guo et al. ; News &a...
Aug 12, 2020•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2015, after a nine-and-a-half-year journey, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft raced past Pluto, beaming images of the dwarf planet back to Earth. Five years after the mission, researchers are poring over images of Pluto’s far-side, which was shrouded in shadow during New Horizon’s flypast. They hope that these images will help give a better understanding of how Pluto was born and even whether a hidden ocean resides beneath the world’s icy crust. This is an audio version of our feature: Pluto’s d...
Aug 07, 2020•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Skin's unusual response to stretching is finally explained, and the latest in a huge effort to map DNA. In this episode: 01:06 Stretching skin For decades it’s been known that stretching skin causes more skin to grow, but the reasons why have been a mystery. Now, researchers have uncovered a mechanism to explain the phenomenon. Research Article: Aragona et al. ; News and Views: Stretch exercises for stem cells expand the skin 07:49 Coronapod We discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has affe...
Jul 29, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast New evidence may push back the date on human arrival to the Americas, and an examination of science’s flaws. In this episode: 00:59 Ancient Americans Two papers suggest that humans were present in the Americas thousands of years before many people have thought. We examine the evidence. Research Article: Ardelean et al. ; Research Article: Becerra-Valdivia and Higham ; News and Views: Evidence grows that peopling of the Americas began more than 20,000 years ago...
Jul 22, 2020•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Probing the superconducting properties of graphene and bacteria that can use manganese to grow. 01:15 Magic angle graphene If you sandwich two sheets of graphene together and twist one in just the right way, it can gain some superconducting properties. Now, physicists have added another material to this sandwich which stabilises that superconductivity, a result that may complicate physicists’ understanding of magic angles. Research Article: Arora et al. 08:22 Coronapod With evidence ...
Jul 15, 2020•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode: 01:47 Disaster in San Quentin San Quentin prison is facing a massive outbreak, we dig into how they got there. The crisis has arisen despite warnings from experts, and offers of free tests, which were declined. We ask why? And what can be done now? News: California's San Quentin prison declined free coronavirus tests and urgent advice — now it has a massive outbreak 29:51 One good thing For the last episode of Coronapod, our hosts pick out ways that the pandemic has change...
Jul 10, 2020•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s podcast, an ambitious Mars mission from a young space agency, and how crumbling up rocks could help fight climate change. In this episode: 00:46 Mars hopes In a few weeks the UAE’s first mission to Mars is due to launch. We speak to the mission leads to learn about the aims of the project, and how they developed the mission in under six years. News Feature: How a small Arab nation built a Mars mission from scratch in six years ; News Feature: Countdown to M...
Jul 08, 2020•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Next week, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show. In this episode: 02:15 Simulating pandemics Researchers have run numerous military-style simulations to predict the consequences of fictitious viral outbreaks. We discuss how these simulations work, what recommendations come out of them and if any of these warnings have been heeded. 24:08 One good thing Our hosts pick out things that have made them smile in th...
Jul 03, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s podcast, how the molecular structure of tooth enamel may impact decay, and a mysterious planetary core from a half-formed gas giant. In this episode: 00:46 Unravelling tooth enamel Researchers have been looking into the structure and composition of enamel in an effort to better understand tooth decay. Research Article: DeRocher et al. 07:02 Research Highlights An adhesive patch to help heal heart-attacks, and a new technique to inspect the structure of 2D ‘wonder mater...
Jul 01, 2020•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a few weeks, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show. In this episode: 03:13 What have we learnt? We take a look back over the past six months of the pandemic, and discuss how far the world has come. It’s been a period of turmoil and science has faced an unprecedented challenge. What lessons can be learned from the epidemic so far to continue the fight in the months to come? Financial Times: Coronavirus trac...
Jun 26, 2020•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s podcast, life lessons from poker, and keeping things civil during peer review. In this episode: 00:44 Deciding to play poker When writer Maria Konnikova wanted to better understand the human decision making process, she took a rather unusual step: becoming a professional poker player. We delve into her journey and find out how poker could help people make better decisions. Books and Arts: What the world needs now: lessons from a poker player 09:12 Research Highlights A...
Jun 24, 2020•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
