Episode description

In the US, where a person gained their PhD can have an outsized influence on their future career. Now, using a decade worth of data, researchers have shown there are stark inequalities in the hiring process, with 80% of US faculty trained at just 20% of institutions.

Research article: Wapman et al.

How wildlife can influence chocolate production, and the large planets captured by huge stars.

Research Highlight: A chocoholic’s best friends are the birds and the bats

Research Highlight: Giant stars turn to theft to snag jumbo planets

We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what science says about grieving for a public figure, and why suburban Australians are sharing increasingly sophisticated measures to prevent cockatoos from opening wheelie bins.

Nature News: Millions are mourning the Queen — what’s the science behind public grief?

The Guardian: ‘Interspecies innovation arms race’: cockatoos and humans at war over wheelie bin raids

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