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Nature Podcast

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Springer Nature Limited

The Nature Podcast brings you the best stories from the world of science each week. We cover everything from astronomy to zoology, highlighting the most exciting research from each issue of the Nature journal. We meet the scientists behind the results and provide in-depth analysis from Nature's journalists and editors. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

#736

Audio long read: Hope, despair and CRISPR — the race to save one woman’s life

In India, a group of researchers raced to develop a CRISPR-based genome editing therapy to save the life of a young woman with a rare neurodegenerative disease. Despite a valiant effort, the pace of research was ultimately too slow to save her life. While many are convinced that these therapies could offer hope to those with overlooked genetic conditions, it will likely take years to develop the techniques needed to quickly create bespoke treatments, something people in need don't have. This is an audio version of our Feature: [Hope, despair and CRISPR — the race to save one woman’s life] (#) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

13 hrs Ago

23 MINS

23:04

13 hrs Ago

#735

Rapid sepsis test identifies bacteria that spark life-threatening infection

00:48 A rapid way to identify serious bacterial infections ---------------------------------------------------------- A newly-developed method that can rapidly identify the type of bacteria causing a blood-infection, and the correct antibiotics to treat it, could save clinicians time, and patient lives. Blood infections are serious, and can lead to the life-threatening condition sepsis, but conventional diagnostic methods can take days to identify the causes. This new method does away with some of the time-consuming steps, and the researchers behind it say that if it can be fully automated, it could provide results in less than a day. Research Article: [Kim et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07725-1) 11:49 Research Highlights ------------------------- The discovery of a connection between three star-forming interstellar clouds could help explain how these giant structures form, and evidence of the largest accidental methane leak ever recorded. Research Highlight: [Found: the hidden link between star-forming molecular clouds] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02266-z) Research Highlight: [Blowout! Satellites reveal one of the largest methane leaks on record] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02267-y) 14:22 AIs fed AI-generated text start to spew nonsense ------------------------------------------------------ When artificial intelligences are fed data that has itself been AI-generated, these systems quickly begin to spout nonsense responses, according to new research. Typically, large language model (LLM) AI’s are trained on human-produced text found online. However, as an increasing amount of online content is AI-generated, a team wanted to know how these systems would cope. They trained an AI to produce Wikipedia-like entries, then trained new iterations on the model on the text produced by its predecessor. Quickly the outputs descended into gibberish, which highlights the dangers of the Internet becoming increasingly full of AI-generated text. Research Article: [Shumailov et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07566-y) 25:49 Briefing Chat ------------------- How psilocybin — the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms — resets communication between brain regions, and the surprise cancellation of a NASA Moon mission. Nature News: [Your brain on shrooms — how psilocybin resets neural networks] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02275-y) Nature News: [NASA cancels $450-million mission to drill for ice on the Moon — surprising researchers] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02361-1) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

24 Jul 2024

34 MINS

34:57

24 Jul 2024

#734

The plastic that biodegrades in your home compost

01:04 A gel to safely transport proteins ---------------------------------------- A gel that encases proteins could be a new way to safely transport medicines without requiring them to be kept cold, according to new research. To test it, the team behind the work posted themselves a protein suspended in this gel, showing that it was perfectly preserved and retained its activity, despite being dropped in transit and exposed to varying temperatures. The researchers hope this gel will help overcome the need to freeze protein-based medicines, which can be expensive to do and difficult to maintain during transportation. Research Article: [Bianco et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07580-0) News and Views: [Gel protects therapeutic proteins from deactivation — even in the post] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02233-8) 08:51 Research Highlights ------------------------- How an abundance of cicadas led to a host of raccoon activity, and how wine-grape harvest records can be used to estimate historical summertime temperatures Research Highlight: [Massive cicada emergence prompted raccoons to run wild] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02264-1) Research Highlight: [Wine grapes’ sweetness reveals Europe’s climate history] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02200-3) 11:24 Making a plastic biodegradable ------------------------------------ By embedding a plastic with an engineered enzyme, researchers have developed a fully biodegradable material that can be broken down in a home compost heap. Plastic production often requires high temperatures, so the team adapted an enzyme to make it more able to withstand heat, while still able to break down a common plastic called PLA. They hope this enzyme-embedded plastic could replace current single-use items, helping to reduce the huge amount of waste produced each year. Research Article: [Guicherd et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07709-1) 19:53 Briefing Chat ------------------- This time, how to make lab-grown meat taste more meaty, and a subterranean Moon cave that could be a place for humans to shelter. Nature News: [This lab-grown meat probably tastes like real beef] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02273-0) The Guardian: [Underground cave found on moon could be ideal base for explorers] (https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/15/underground-cave-found-on-moon-could-be-ideal-base-for-explorers) Nature hits the books: [Living on Mars would probably suck — here's why] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01158-6) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

17 Jul 2024

28 MINS

28:21

17 Jul 2024

#733

Breastfeeding should break down mothers' bones — here's why it doesn't

00:45 In situ editing of the gut microbiome ------------------------------------------- Researchers have developed a method to directly edit the genes of specific bacteria in the guts of live mice, something that has previously been difficult to accomplish due to the complexity of this environment. The tool was able to edit over 90% of an E. coli strain colonising mice guts, with other work showing the tool could be used to edit genes in pathogenic bacterial species and strains. It is hoped that with further research this technique could be adapted to work in humans, potentially altering bacteria associated with disease. Nature News: [This gene-editing tool alters bacteria in the gut of living mice] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02238-3) Research Article: [Brödel et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07681-w) 06:56 Research Highlights ------------------------- The ants that perform life-saving surgery on their nest-mates, and why amber’s scarcity led ancient artisans to make imitation jewellery. Research Highlight: [Ants amputate their nest-mates’ legs to save lives] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02138-6) Research Highlight: [Fake jewellery from the Stone Age looks like the real deal] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02139-5) 08:46 How is bone health maintained during breastfeeding? --------------------------------------------------------- During breastfeeding bones are stripped of calcium, while levels of oestrogen — which normally helps keep them healthy — drop off precipitously. This puts bones under tremendous stress, but why they don’t break down at this time has proved a mystery. Now, a team has identified a hormone produced in lactating mice that promotes the build up of bones, keeping them strong during milk production. Injecting this hormone into injured mice helped their bones heal faster, and the team hopes that their finding could ultimately help treat bone-weakening conditions like osteoporosis in humans. Research Article: [Babey et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07634-3) 17:55 Briefing Chat ------------------- This time, new clues about the neurological events that spark migraines, and a quick chemical method to recycle old clothes. Nature News: [What causes migraines? Study of ‘brain blackout’ offers clues] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02222-x) Nature News: [Chemical recycling’: 15-minute reaction turns old clothes into useful molecules] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02210-1) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

10 Jul 2024

27 MINS

27:21

10 Jul 2024

#732

These frog 'saunas’ could help endangered species fight off a deadly fungus

00:47 Searching for dark matter in black holes ---------------------------------------------- Researchers have been scanning the skies looking for black holes that formed at the very beginning of the Universe — one place where elusive and mysterious dark matter is thought to be located. If these black holes did contain dark matter, they would be especially massive and so researchers would be able to see the bending of light as they pass in front of stars. Such events would be rare, so to find them researchers trawled through a decades-long dataset. However, despite the large number of observations, the researchers didn't find many examples of these events and none that were long enough to show signs of much dark matter. So, the hunt for enigmatic material goes on. Research Article: [Mróz et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07704-6) 09:42 Research Highlights ------------------------- How some comb jellies survive the crushing ocean depths, and how giving cash to mothers in low-income households can boost time and money spent on children. Research Highlight: [Deep-sea creatures survive crushing pressures with just the right fats] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02099-w) Research Highlight: [Families given cash with no strings spend more money on kids] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02097-y) 12:39 A simple, solution to tackle a deadly frog disease -------------------------------------------------------- A simple ‘sauna’ built of bricks and a supermarket-bought greenhouse, can help frogs rid themselves of a devastating fungal disease, new research has shown. While options to prevent or treat infection are limited, the fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis has an achilles heel: it can’t survive at warm temperatures. A team in Australia used this knowledge to their advantage to develop saunas where frogs can warm themselves to clear an infection. Frogs who spent time in these hot environments were able to shake the fungus, and gained some immunity to subsequent infections. While this research only involved one type of frog, it offers some hope in tackling a deadly disease that has driven multiple species to extinction. Research Article: [ Waddle et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07582-y) News and Views: [Mini saunas save endangered frogs from fungal disease] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01650-z) 20:06 Briefing Chat ------------------- This time, we discuss what the upcoming UK election could mean for science, and the return of rock samples from the Moon’s far side. Nature News: [UK general election: five reasons it matters for science] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02110-4) Nature News: [First ever rocks from the Moon’s far side have landed on Earth] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02101-5) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

03 Jul 2024

36 MINS

36:31

03 Jul 2024

#731

Audio long read: How NASA astronauts are training to walk on the Moon in 2026

In 2026, NASA aims to send humans back to the Moon's surface, as part of the Artemis III mission. In preparation, astronauts have been performing moonwalking simulations to ensure that they are able to make the most of their precious time on the lunar surface. In one dress rehearsal, a pair of astronauts took part in a training exercise in an Arizona volcanic field, working with a science team to practice doing geology work in difficult conditions designed to mimic some that will be experienced at the lunar south pole. This is an audio version of our Feature: [How NASA astronauts are training to walk on the Moon in 2026] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01533-3) Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on [Apple Podcasts] (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nature-podcast/id81934659) , [Spotify] (https://open.spotify.com/show/2MydwKJpiKwiNRdxIzvFIt) [YouTube Music] (https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCdbyeEGP-NPfOoL4R8TfDsg) or your favourite podcast app. [An RSS feed for Nature Podcast] (https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/0185cea5-9e3b-4b82-a887-26f91f92765f) is available too. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

28 Jun 2024

15 MINS

15:04

28 Jun 2024

#730

Why ‘open source’ AIs could be anything but, the derailment risks of long freight trains, and breedi...

00:31 How open are ‘open source’ AI systems? -------------------------------------------- Many of the large language models powering AI systems are described as ‘open source’ but critics say this is a misnomer, with restricted access to code and training data preventing researchers from probing how these systems work. While the definition of open source in AI models is yet to be agreed, advocates say that ‘full’ openness is crucial in efforts to make AI accountable. New research has ranked the openness of different systems, showing that despite claims of ‘openness’ many companies still don’t disclose a lot of key information. Nature News: [Not all ‘open source’ AI models are actually open: here’s a ranking] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02012-5) 06:12 Why longer freight trains are more prone to derailment ------------------------------------------------------------ In the US, there are no federal limits on the length of a freight train, but as companies look to run longer locomotives, questions arise about whether they are at greater risk of derailment. To find out, a team analysed data on accidents to predict the chances of longer trains coming off the tracks. They showed that replacing two 50-car freight trains with one 100-car train raises the odds of derailment by 11%, with the chances increasing the longer a train gets. While derailments are uncommon, this could change as economic pressures lead the freight industry to experiment with ever-longer trains. Scientific American: [Longer and Longer Freight Trains Drive Up the Odds of Derailment] (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/longer-freight-trains-are-more-likely-to-derail) 11:44 How historic wheat could give new traits to current crops --------------------------------------------------------------- Genes from century-old wheat varieties could be used to breed useful traits into modern crops, helping them become more disease tolerant and reducing their need for fertiliser. Researchers sequenced the genomes of hundreds of historic varieties of wheat held in a seed collection from the 1920s and 30s, revealing a huge amount of genetic diversity unseen in modern crops. Plant breeding enabled the team to identify some of the areas of the plants’ genomes responsible for traits such as nutritional content and stress tolerance. It’s hoped that in the long term this knowledge could be used to improve modern varieties of wheat. Science: [‘Gold mine’ of century-old wheat varieties could help breeders restore long lost traits] (https://www.science.org/content/article/gold-mine-century-old-wheat-varieties-could-help-breeders-restore-long-lost-traits) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

26 Jun 2024

17 MINS

17:31

26 Jun 2024

#729

How do fish know where a sound comes from? Scientists have an answer

00:46 How light touches are sensed during sex --------------------------------------------- 150 years after they were discovered, researchers have identified how specific nerve-cell structures on the penis and clitoris are activated. While these structures, called Krause corpuscles, are similar to touch-activated corpuscles found on people’s fingers and hands, there was little known about how they work, or their role in sex. Working in mice, a team found that Krause corpuscles in both male and females were activated when exposed to low-frequency vibrations and caused sexual behaviours like erections. The researchers hope that this work could help uncover the neurological basis underlying certain sexual dysfunctions. News: [Sensory secrets of penis and clitoris unlocked after more than 150 years] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02058-5) Research article: [Qi et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07528-4) News and Views: [Sex organs sense vibrations through specialized touch neurons] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01645-w) 07:03 Research Highlights ------------------------- Astronomers struggle to figure out the identity of a mysterious object called a MUBLO, and how CRISPR gene editing could make rice plants more water-efficient. Research Highlight: [An object in space is emitting microwaves — and baffling scientists] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01702-4) Research Highlight: [CRISPR improves a crop that feeds billions] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01701-5) 09:21 How fish detect the source of sound ----------------------------------------- It’s long been understood that fish can identify the direction a sound came from, but working out how they do it is a question that’s had scientists stumped for years. Now using a specialist setup, a team of researchers have demonstrated that some fish can independently detect two components of a soundwave — pressure and particle motion — and combine this information to identify where a sound comes from. Research article: [Veith et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07507-9) News and Views: [Pressure and particle motion enable fish to sense the direction of sound] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01509-3) D. cerebrum sounds: [Schulze et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-018-0144-6) 20:30: Briefing Chat -------------------- Ancient DNA sequencing reveals secrets of ritual sacrifice at Chichén Itzá, and how AI helped identify the names that elephants use for each other. Nature News: [Ancient DNA from Maya ruins tells story of ritual human sacrifices] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01759-1) Nature News: [Do elephants have names for each other?] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00797-z) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

19 Jun 2024

31 MINS

31:42

19 Jun 2024

#728

Hybrid working works: huge study reveals no drop in productivity

00:48 Short-haul spaceflight's effect on the human body. -------------------------------------------------------- A comprehensive suite of biomedical data, collected during the first all-civilian spaceflight, is helping researchers unpick the effects that being in orbit has on the human body. Analysis of data collected from the crew of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission reveals that short duration spaceflight can result in physiological changes similar to those seen on longer spaceflights. These changes included things like alterations in immune-cell function and a lengthening of DNA telomeres, although the majority of these changes reverted soon after the crew landed. Collection: [Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) across orbits] (https://www.nature.com/collections/ebdbcahdgc) 12:13 Research Highlights ------------------------- Researchers have discovered why 2019 was so awash with Painted Lady butterflies, and the meaning behind gigantic rock engravings along the Orinoco river. Research Highlight: [A huge outbreak of butterflies hit three continents — here’s why] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01653-w) Research Highlight: [Mystery of huge ancient engravings of snakes solved at last] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01656-7) 14:55 The benefits of working from home, some of the time --------------------------------------------------------- A huge trial of hybrid working has shown that this approach can help companies retain employees without hurting productivity. While a mix of home and in-person working became the norm for many post-pandemic, the impacts of this approach on workers’ outputs remains hotly debated and difficult to test scientifically. To investigate the effects of hybrid working, researchers randomly selected 1,612 people at a company in China to work in the office either five days a week or three. In addition to the unchanged productivity, employees said that they value the days at home as much as a 10% pay rise. This led to an increase in staff retention and potential savings of millions of dollars for the company involved in the trial. Research article: [Bloom et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07500-2) Editorial: [The case for hybrid working is growing — employers should take note] (http://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01713-1) 25:50: Briefing Chat -------------------- Germany balks at the $17 billion bill for CERN’s new supercollider, and working out when large language models might run out of data to train on. Nature News: [CERN’s $17-billion supercollider in question as top funder criticizes cost] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01671-8) Associated Press: [AI ‘gold rush’ for chatbot training data could run out of human-written text] (https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-training-data-running-out-9676145bac0d30ecce1513c20561b87d) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and Robotics] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/ai-robotics) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

12 Jun 2024

38 MINS

38:14

12 Jun 2024

#727

Twitter suspended 70,000 accounts after the Capitol riots and it curbed misinformation

In this episode: 00:46 Making a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate ------------------------------------------------- For the first time, researchers have coaxed molecules into a bizarre form of matter called a Bose-Einstein condensate, in which they all act in a single gigantic quantum state. While condensates have been made using atoms for decades, the complex interactions of molecules have prevented them from being cooled into this state. Now, a team has successfully made a Bose-Einstein condensate using molecules made of caesium and sodium atoms, which they hope will allow them to answer more questions about the quantum world, and could potentially form the basis of a new kind of quantum computer. Research article: [Bigagli et al. ] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07492-z?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) News: [Physicists coax molecules into exotic quantum state — ending decades-long quest] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01662-9?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 9:57 How deplatforming affects the spread of social media misinformation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 resulted in the social media platform Twitter (now X) rapidly deplatforming 70,000 users deemed to be sharers of misinformation. To evaluate the effect of this intervention, researchers analysed the activity of over 500,000 Twitter users, showing that it reduced the sharing of misinformation, both from the deplatformed users and from those who followed them. Results also suggest that other misinformation traffickers who were not deplatformed left Twitter following the intervention. Together these results show that social media platforms can curb misinformation sharing, although a greater understanding of the efficacy of these actions in different contexts is required. Research article: [McCabe et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07524-8?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) Editorial: [What we do — and don’t — know about how misinformation spreads online] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01618-z?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) Comment: [Misinformation poses a bigger threat to democracy than you might think] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01587-3?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 20:14: Briefing Chat -------------------- A new antibiotic that can kill harmful bacteria without damaging the gut microbiome, and the tiny plant with the world’s biggest genome. News: [ ‘Smart’ antibiotic can kill deadly bacteria while sparing the microbiome] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01566-8?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) News: [Biggest genome ever found belongs to this odd little plant] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01567-7?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

05 Jun 2024

27 MINS

27:54

05 Jun 2024

#726

How AI could improve robotics, the cockroach’s origins, and promethium spills its secrets

In this episode: 00:25 What the rise of AI language models means for robots ---------------------------------------------------------- Companies are melding artificial intelligence with robotics, in an effort to catapult both to new heights. They hope that by incorporating the algorithms that power chatbots it will give robots more common-sense knowledge and let them tackle a wide range of tasks. However, while impressive demonstrations of AI-powered robots exist, many researchers say there is a long road to actual deployment, and that safety and reliability need to be considered. News Feature: [The AI revolution is coming to robots: how will it change them?] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01442-5) 16:09 How the cockroach became a ubiquitous pest ------------------------------------------------ Genetic research suggests that although the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) spread around the world from a population in Europe, its origins were actually in South Asia. By comparing genomes from cockroaches collected around the globe, a team could identify when and where different populations might have been established. They show that the insect pest likely began to spread east from South Asia around 390 years ago with the rise of European colonialism and the emergence of international trading companies, before hitching a ride into Europe and then spreading across the globe. Nature News: [The origin of the cockroach: how a notorious pest conquered the world] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01454-1) 20:26: Rare element inserted into chemical 'complex' for the first time ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Promethium is one of the rarest and most mysterious elements in the periodic table. Now, some eight decades after its discovery, researchers have managed to bind this radioactive element to other molecules to make a chemical ‘complex’. This feat will allow chemists to learn more about the properties of promethium filling a long-standing gap in the textbooks. Nature News: [Element from the periodic table’s far reaches coaxed into elusive compound] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01480-z) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

29 May 2024

23 MINS

23:19

29 May 2024

#725

How mathematician Freeman Hrabowski opened doors for Black scientists

Growing up in Alabama in the 1960s, mathematician Freeman Hrabowski was moved to join the civil rights moment after hearing Martin Luther King Jr speak. Even as a child, he saw the desperate need to make change. He would go on to do just that — at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where he co-founded the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, one of the leading pathways to success for Black students in STEM subjects in the United States. Freeman is the subject of the first in a new series of Q&As in Nature celebrating ‘Changemakers’ in science — individuals who fight racism and champion inclusion. He spoke to us about his about his life, work and legacy. Career Q&A: [I had my white colleagues walk in a Black student’s shoes for a day] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01525-3) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

28 May 2024

36 MINS

36:57

28 May 2024

#724

Audio long read: How does ChatGPT ‘think’? Psychology and neuroscience crack open AI large language ...

AIs are often described as 'black boxes' with researchers unable to to figure out how they 'think'. To better understand these often inscrutable systems, some scientists are borrowing from psychology and neuroscience to design tools to reverse-engineer them, which they hope will lead to the design of safer, more efficient AIs. This is an audio version of our Feature: [How does ChatGPT ‘think’? Psychology and neuroscience crack open AI large language models] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01314-y) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

24 May 2024

17 MINS

17:41

24 May 2024

#723

Fentanyl addiction: the brain pathways behind the opioid crisis

00:45 The neuroscience of fentanyl addiction -------------------------------------------- Research in mice has shown that fentanyl addiction is the result of two brain circuits working in tandem, rather than a single neural pathway as had been previously thought. One circuit underlies the positive feelings this powerful drug elicits, which the other was responsible for the intense withdrawal when it is taken away. Opioid addiction leads to tens of thousands of deaths each year, and the team hopes that this work will help in the development of drugs that are less addictive. Research Article: [Chaudun et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07440-x?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 09:16 Research Highlights ------------------------- How an ‘assembloid’ could transform how scientists study drug delivery to the brain, and an edible gel that prevents and treats alcohol intoxication in mice. Research Highlight: [Organoids merge to model the blood–brain barrier] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01397-7?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) Research Highlight: [How cheesemaking could cook up an antidote for alcohol excess] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01398-6?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 11:36: Briefing Chat -------------------- Why babies are taking the South Korean government to court, and Europe’s efforts to send a nuclear-powered heater to Mars. Nature News: [Why babies in South Korea are suing the government] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01457-y?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) Nature News: [Mars rover mission will use pioneering nuclear power source] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01487-6?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

22 May 2024

20 MINS

20:23

22 May 2024

#722

Lizard-inspired building design could save lives

In this episode: 00:45 A recyclable 3D printing resin from an unusual source ----------------------------------------------------------- Many 3D printers create objects using liquid resins that turn into robust solids when exposed to light. But many of these are derived from petrochemicals that are difficult to recycle. To overcome this a team has developed a new type of resin, which they’ve made using a bodybuilding supplement called lipoic acid. Their resin can be printed, recycled and reused multiple times, which they hope could in future contribute to reducing waste associated with 3D printing. Research Article: [Machado et al] (https://go.nature.com/3wDznKG) 10:05 Research Highlights ------------------------- How housing shortages can drive a tiny parrot resort to kill, and the genes that gave cauliflower its curls. Research Highlight: [These parrots go on killing sprees over real-estate shortages] (https://go.nature.com/44MDUqW) Research Highlight: [How the cauliflower got its curlicues] (https://go.nature.com/44HnJLk) 12:27 To learn how to make safe structures researchers... destroyed a building ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Many buildings are designed to prevent collapse by redistributing weight following an initial failure. However this relies on extensive structural connectedness that can result in an entire building being pulled down. To prevent this, researchers took a new approach inspired by the ability of some lizards to shed their tails. They used this to develop a modular system, which they tested by building — and destroying — a two storey structure. Their method stopped an initial failure from spreading, preventing a total collapse. The team hope this finding will help prevent catastrophic collapses, reducing loss of life in aid rescue efforts. Research Article: [Makoond et al.] (https://go.nature.com/44MDYaa) Nature video: [ Controlled failure: The building designed to limit catastrophe] (https://go.nature.com/3K2Jko8) 23:20: Briefing Chat -------------------- An AI algorithm discovers 27,500 new asteroids, and an exquisitely-accurate map of a human brain section reveals cells with previously undiscovered features. New York Times: [Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks] (https://go.nature.com/3K3y3Uv) Nature News: [Cubic millimetre of brain mapped in spectacular detail] (https://go.nature.com/3K4Et5U) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://go.nature.com/3wAXV70) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing: AI and robotics] (https://go.nature.com/4dAlhKN) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

15 May 2024

31 MINS

31:27

15 May 2024

#721

Alphafold 3.0: the AI protein predictor gets an upgrade

In this episode: 00:45 A nuclear timekeeper that could transform fundamental-physics research. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nuclear clocks — based on tiny shifts in energy in an atomic nucleus — could be even more accurate and stable than other advanced timekeeping systems, but have been difficult to make. Now, a team of researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of these clocks, identifying the correct frequency of laser light required to make this energy transition happen. Ultimately it’s hoped that physicists could use nuclear clocks to probe the fundamental forces that hold atoms together. News: [Laser breakthrough paves the way for ultra precise ‘nuclear clock’] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01353-5?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 10:34 Research Highlights ------------------------- Why life on other planets may come in purple, brown or orange, and a magnetic fluid that could change shape inside the body. Research Highlight: [Never mind little green men: life on other planets might be purple] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01261-8?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) Research Highlight: [ A magnetic liquid makes for an injectable sensor in living tissue] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01262-7?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) 13:48 AlphaFold gets an upgrade ------------------------------- Deepmind’s AlphaFold has revolutionised research by making it simple to predict the 3D structures of proteins, but it has lacked the ability to predict situations where a protein is bound to another molecule. Now, the AI has been upgraded to AlphaFold 3 and can accurately predict protein-molecule complexes containing DNA, RNA and more. Whilst the new version is restricted to non-commercial use, researchers are excited by its greater range of predictive abilities and the prospect of speedier drug discovery. News: [Major AlphaFold upgrade offers huge boost for drug discovery] (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01383-z) Research Article: [Abramson et al.] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07487-w?utm_source=naturepod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes) [Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.] (https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup?utm_source=podcast-organic&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=briefing-signup&utm_content=shownotes) Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information. ... Read more

08 May 2024

21 MINS

21:33