Nature Podcast

In this Podcast Extra, we examine President Donald Trump's calls for NASA to land humans on Mars. Although the White House has proposed spending some US$1 billion in 2026 on Mars plans, critics say the final cost will likely be hundreds of billions of dollars spread over a number of years. This call comes amidst plans to drastically reduce NASA's funding, and the proposed cancelling of dozens of the space agency's missions, including projects to study Earth, Mars and Venus. News: Trump wants to put humans on Mars — here’s what scientists think News: Five key climate and space projects on Trump’s chopping block News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Iron’s role in mice sex determination Iron deficiency in mice mothers can sometimes result in their offspring developing female sex organs despite having male sex genes, according to new research. While genetics has been thought to be the primary factor in determining offspring sex in mammals, the new work shows that a lack of iron disrupts an enzyme involved in the development of testes, leading to some mice with male sex-determining genes being born with female genitalia and ovaries. This suggests that sex determination is controlled by more than genetics, but more work will need to be done to understand the precise mechanisms involved. News: Male mice can grow ovaries if their pregnant mums are iron deficient Research article: Okashita et al. 06:31 Research Highlights How climate change is making dust storms more likely, and understanding the genetics of a boy who couldn’t feel pain. Research Highlight: The perfect storm for dust storms, thanks to global warming Research Highlight: CRISPR helps to show why a boy felt no pain 08:51 The role of small-scale fishers in sustainability The contributions that small-scale fishers make to sustainable fishing have been described as ‘invisible’, but now a huge research project has revealed the role this community plays in feeding populations and protecting oceans. Looking at data from 58 countries, researchers have shown that small-scale fishers account for around 40% of the global catch and feed approximately 25% of the world’s population. The people behind the initiative hope that these data can help give a voice to small-scale fishers as people look for ways to feed the world sustainably. Immersive : Small-scale fisheries 19:44 Briefing Chat The discovery of an ‘ambidextrous’ protein; and why humpback whales, despite their enormous eyes, appear to be shortsighted. Nature: Rare ‘ambidextrous’ protein breaks rules of handedness Discover Magazine: Big Eyes, Blurry Vision: Why Humpback Whales Struggle to See Clearly Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the world looking likely to blow past the temperature targets laid out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a growing number of voices are saying that carbon removal technologies will be necessary if humanity is to achieve its long-term climate goals. If these approaches succeed, they could help nations and corporations to meet their climate commitments — and help the world to halt global warming. However, questions remain about the financial viability of these technologies, and whether they can live up to the hype. This is an audio version of our Feature: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:33 Was a boom in papers driven by AI? A spike in papers formulaically analysing a public data set has sparked worries that AI is being used to generate low quality and potentially misleading analyses. Nature: AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers 08:07 Lenses that give humans infrared vision Researchers in China have created contact lenses that can allow humans to see infrared light, which could help with search and rescue missions, sending secret messages and even surgery. Nature: These contact lenses give people infrared vision — even with their eyes shut 14:17 Does the Earth's core have a leak? Geologists have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that Earth's core is leaking. Rocks from Hawaii were found to contain isotopes of a rare element, which suggests the material originally came from the core. More work will need to be done to rule out other explanations. Nature: Is Earth’s core leaking? Volcanic rocks provide strongest evidence yet Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:45 Treating mosquitoes for malaria Researchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based malaria-control measures, which are losing efficacy in the face of increased resistance. Research article: Probst et al. 10:42 Research Highlights The sunlight-powered device that can harvest drinkable water from desert air, and evidence that the world’s richest people are disproportionately responsible for climate impacts. Research Highlight: Atacama sunshine helps to pull water from thin air Research Highlight: The world’s richest people have an outsized role in climate extremes 13:02 The genetics that can lead to pregnancy loss Researchers have found specific genetic mutations that can lead to pregnancy loss. It’s known that errors, such as the duplication of chromosomes, can lead to nonviable pregnancies but less has been known about non-chromosomal genetic errors. The new work identifies DNA sequence changes that can lead to a non-viable pregnancy. This may offer clinicians the ability to screen embryos for these changes to help avoid pregnancy loss. Research article: Arnadottir et al. 22:24 Briefing Chat Bespoke CRISPR-based therapy treats baby boy with devastating genetic disease, and the ‘anti-spice’ compounds that can lower chillies’ heat. Nature: World’s first personalized CRISPR therapy given to baby with genetic disease New Scientist: Chemists discover 'anti-spice' that could make chilli peppers less hot Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 An antimatter delivery van takes its first road trip Researchers have developed a portable antimatter containment device and tested it by putting it in a truck and driving it around CERN. Their system could represent a big step forward in efforts to take particles made at CERN’s ‘antimatter factory’ and transport them to other labs, something currently impossible due to antimatter being destroyed upon contact with matter. The team showed the feasibility of their approach by using the system to safely transport particles of matter and are now looking to adapt it to ferry antimatter particles. Research article: Leonhardt et al. 11:45 Research Highlights How a tradition of female diving on a South Korean island might have shaped the genomes of the island’s population, and a poison-dart frog that curiously seems to be monogamous. Research Highlight: How Korea’s female divers have adapted to cold plunges Research Highlight: A ‘hidden gem’ of the Amazon is a frog with odd habits 13:46 The mathematics of a near-miss between black holes Physicists have tackled a longstanding problem in physics — understanding how two black holes gravitationally interact as they fly past each other — which could help with future detections of the gravitational waves that would be created by these events. Rather than repeatedly running expensive computer simulations to approximate the answer to this problem, a team of theorists have come up with a mathematical formula to describe a black hole fly-by, which can be run in a matter of seconds. Their results could be used to identify the tell-tale signatures of these events when they actually occur. Research article: Driesse et al. 22:10 Briefing Chat How physicists turned lead into gold, for a microsecond and at tremendous cost, and the genetics of the skunk cabbage’s foul odour. Nature: Physicists turn lead into gold — for a fraction of a second Video: Scientists turn lead into gold Nature: How skunk cabbages and other smelly plants brew their foul odour Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we examine recent developments US National Science Foundation, which has seen significant numbers of research grants terminated. In addition, there have been freezes on funding for new grants and any additional money to existing ones. We also discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which calls for disproportionately large cuts to federal science funding. News: Exclusive: NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones News: Trump proposes unprecedented budget cuts to US science News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of Herring Selective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas hundreds of kilometres to the north. Researchers have concluded that too many older fish have been removed from these waters, preventing the knowledge of the best spawning grounds being passed to younger, less experienced fish. This finding shows how human activity can affect animal migration, which could have serious consequences for the delicately balanced ecosystems built around them. Research article: Slotte et al. 10:37 Research Highlights Archaeologists have identified tools that the ancient Maya may have used for tattooing, and the self-assembling stable structures that may help ‘forever chemicals’ persist in nature. Research Highlight: Tattoo-making tools used by ancient Maya revealed Research Highlight: ‘Forever’ molecules bunch themselves into cell-like structures 13:02 How might AI companions affect users’ mental health? AI companions — apps where humans build relationships with computers — are hugely popular, with millions of people around the world using them. But despite increased social and political attention, research investigating how these systems can affect users has been lacking. We find out about the latest research in this space. News Feature: Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI companions affect our mental health 24:52 Briefing Chat A technique that lets researchers directly edits proteins within living cells, and how a fibre-rich, low-fat diet could help replenish populations of gut microbes ravaged by antibiotics. Nature: Powerful protein editors offer new ways of probing living cells Nature: How to fix a gut microbiome ravaged by antibiotics Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 What will be left of US science after Trump 2.0? 100 days into his term, President Donald Trump and his administration have already caused the biggest shakeup in modern scientific history, slashing funding, bringing large swathes of US research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. But many fear these actions are just the beginning. We look at what the long-term impacts of these decisions might be for science in the United States and the world. Nature: Will US science survive Trump 2.0? 13:42 Research Highlights A distant planet that orbits two stars, at a right angle, and how fringe-lipped bats’ hearing helps them find palatable amphibians. Research Highlight: ‘Tatooine’-like planet orbits two stars ― but at a weird angle Research Highlight: For these bats, eavesdropping is a valuable learnt skill 16:07 Briefing Chat The first skeletal evidence from bones that Roman gladiators fought lions, and scientists finally pinpoint the genes responsible for three of the pea traits studied by Gregor Mendel. BBC News: Bites on gladiator bones prove combat with lion Nature: Century-old genetics mystery of Mendel’s peas finally solved Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research shows that, over the past two decades, rates of mental illness have been increasing in adolescents in many countries. While some scientists point to soaring use of smartphones and social media as a key driver for this trend, others say the evidence does not show a large effect of these technologies on teenagers’ psychological health. At the heart of the dispute is a large, complex and often conflicting body of research that different researchers interpret in different ways. This has left parents unsure what to do. This is an audio version of our Feature: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:27 Five people see ‘olo’, a brand-new colour Using a laser system to activate specific eye cells, a team has allowed five study participants to perceive a vibrant blue-greenish hue well outside the natural range of colours seen by humans. Although the setup required to accomplish this feat is currently complicated, this finding could provide more understanding about how the brain perceives colour and could one day help boost the vision of people with colour blindness. Nature News: Brand-new colour created by tricking human eyes with laser 08:30 US regulator greenlights pig-liver transplant trial The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first trial to test whether genetically modified pig livers can be used safely to treat people with organ failure. In the initial phase of the trial, four people with severe liver failure will be temporarily connected to an external pig liver that will filter their blood. Participants will then be monitored for a year for safety and changes in liver function. The organs have been genetically modified to make them more compatible with humans. Nature News: Pig livers for people: US regulator greenlights first safety trial 14:08: A chunk of lab-grown chicken Using a designer ‘circulatory system’, a team of researchers have created what they think is the largest piece of meat grown in the laboratory yet. One of the challenges to producing larger pieces of lab-grown meat has been providing cells with sufficient oxygen and nutrients, something the team’s new setup helps overcome. They used it to grow a chunk of chicken muscle about the size of a nugget, but multiple challenges remain before meat produced in this way could make it to market. Nature News: Winner, winner, lab-made dinner! Team grows nugget-sized chicken chunk Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains in step with society, how the names of diseases can create stigma, and how the names chosen by scientists can help, or hinder, communication with the public. In episode three, we're looking at how the names chosen for concepts in physics can inadvertently send researchers down very specific research avenues while distracting them from others. In this podcast we hear five stories about the importance of names and how much can be lost in translation when physicists try and label the unknown. For a list of sources and music used, please visit the podcast show notes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 A potato pangenome Researchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the team to combine sequences, allowing then to look for subtle differences in between varieties. Research Article: Sun et al. 09:57 Research Highlights How ancient DNA analysis revealed that unusually bound medieval books are covered in sealskin, and top quarks and their antimatter counterparts are detected after nuclear smash-ups at the Large Hadron Collider. Research Highlight: Mystery of medieval manuscripts revealed by ancient DNA Research Highlight: Top quarks spotted at mega-detector could reveal clues to early Universe 12:30 The top cited twenty-first century research papers Analysis from Nature reveals the 25 highest-cited papers published this century and explores why they are breaking records. We hear about the field that got the highest number of papers on the list, and whether any feature in the all-time top citation list. News Feature: Exclusive: the most-cited papers of the twenty-first century News Feature: These are the most-cited research papers of all time News Feature: Science’s golden oldies: the decades-old research papers still heavily cited today 21:47 Briefing Chat Re-analysis of a cosmic collision shows evidence of a planet spiralling into its host star, and how shrugging off lighting strikes gives tonka bean trees an evolutionary edge. Science: Astronomers spot a planetary ‘suicide’ Live Science: Tropical tree in Panama has evolved to kill its 'enemies' with lightning Vote for us in this year's Webby Awards Vote for How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved Vote for What’s in a name: Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals Vote for Cancer-busting vaccines are coming: here's how they work Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers. Research Article: Yoo et al. News: What makes us human? Milestone ape genomes promise clues 08:47 Research Highlights How sunflower stars are evading a mysterious epidemic, and how solar panels made of moon dust could power lunar bases. Research Highlight: Revealed: where rare and giant starfish hide from an enigmatic killer Research Highlight: Solar cells made of Moon dust could power up a lunar base 11:36 How to make a competitive laser-plasma accelerator After decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales. Research article: Winkler et al. 19:55 Briefing Chat A drug that makes blood poisonous to mosquitoes, and how an AI worked out how to solve key challenges in Minecraft by ‘imagining’ solutions. Science Alert: Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison Nature: AI masters Minecraft: DeepMind program finds diamonds without being taught Vote for us in this year's Webby Awards Vote for How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved Vote for What's in a name: Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer's latest book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe dives into the invisible maelstrom of microbial life swirling in the air around us — examining how it helped shape our world, and the implications that breathing it in can have on human health. Carl joined us to discuss historical efforts to show that diseases could spread large distances through the air, the staunch resistance to this idea, and what the rivalry between these two groups meant for public health. Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe Carl Zimmer Dutton (2025) Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Podcast Extra, we hear the latest on how decisions by the Trump administration are affecting science in the US. Most recently, a purge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership has seen the chiefs of multiple institutes and centres removed from their posts. Plus, after cancelling nearly all NIH projects studying transgender health, the White House has directed the agency to focus on studying “regret” after a person transitions to align their body with their gender identity. News: ‘One of the darkest days’: NIH purges agency leadership amid mass layoffs News: Exclusive: Trump White House directs NIH to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition News: Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Millimetre-sized pacemaker fits inside syringe Researchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures. This new device is injectable, requires no external power and is controlled using light shone through the skin. The tiny pacemaker has shown promise in animal and heart models, and the team think it could also be used in other situations where electrical stimulation is needed, like the brain. Research Article: Zhang et al. 08:19 Research Highlights Measurements show that global warming is causing lakes to lose their oxygen, and a massive, 30-year analysis showing that a diet of plant-rich foods is associated with healthy ageing Research Highlight: Life-giving oxygen is wafting out of lakes worldwide Research Highlight: The best foods for healthy ageing ― and the worst 10:21 Shingles vaccine linked to reduced dementia risk A large-scale population study suggests that getting a shingles vaccine reduces the probability of someone getting dementia by around one-fifth. By taking advantage of the way a shingles vaccine was rolled out in Wales, a team were able to compare dementia outcomes in vaccine-eligible people to those born just a few weeks earlier who were ineligible. Although more tests will be needed to confirm this finding and to understand the mechanisms behind it, the team hope that vaccination against this viral infection could represent a cost-effective way to for preventing or delaying dementia. Research article: Eyting et al. 20:20 Briefing Chat Data suggests that racial profiling plays a role in whether someone receives a traffic citation or fine, and studies suggest that paying researchers who review manuscripts could speed up the peer-review process, without affecting the quality of reviews. Ars Technica: Study of Lyft rideshare data confirms minorities get more tickets Nature: Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find? Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With money pouring in and an unprecedented level of public attention and excitement, scientists are publishing a steady stream of papers on ways to measure how rapidly a person’s body is declining. However, there are mixed feelings of enthusiasm and apprehension among researchers about efforts to develop tests that measure the impact of ageing on the body, as they are often interpreted and presented without a full reckoning of the uncertainties that plague them. This is an audio version of our Feature: How quickly are you ageing? What molecular ‘clocks’ can tell you about your health Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode: 00:46 Newly discovered molecule shows potent antibiotic activity Researchers have identified a new molecule with antibiotic activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria, including those resistant to existing drugs. The new molecule — isolated from soil samples taken from a laboratory technician’s garden — is called lariocidin due to its lasso-shaped structure. The team say that in addition to its potent antibiotic activity, the molecule also shows low toxicity towards human cells, making it a promising molecule in the fight against drug-resistant infections. Research Article: Jangra et al. 09:36 Research Highlights A reduction in ships' sulfur emissions linked to a steep drop in thunderclouds, and the epic sea-voyage that let iguanas reach Fiji. Research Highlight: Ship-pollution cuts have an electrifying effect: less lightning at sea Research Highlight: Iguanas reached Fiji by floating 8,000 kilometres across the sea 13:54 Assessing the nuances of humans’ biodiversity impacts A huge study analysing data from thousands of research articles has shown that the human impacts on biodiversity are large but are in some cases context dependent. The new study reveals that at larger scales, communities of living things are becoming more similar due to human influence, but at the smaller scale they are becoming more different. "These are generally unwanted effects on biodiversity," says study author Florian Altermatt, "this is one more very strong argument that stopping and reducing these pressures to halt and reverse biodiversity declines is needed." Research article: Keck et al. 21:45 Briefing Chat How a proposed green-energy facility in Chile could increase light pollution at one of the world’s most powerful telescopes, and how a calving Antarctic iceberg revealed an unseen aquatic ecosystem. Nature: Light pollution threatens fleet of world-class telescopes in Atacama Desert Scientific American: Stunning Antarctic Sea Creatures Discovered after Iceberg Breaks Away Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secure A tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleagues over 12,000 km away. This key allowed scrambled messages to be decrypted — including one containing a picture of the Great Wall of China. The team’s system is drastically smaller and cheaper that previous attempts, and they think it represents a big step towards the creation of a global network of secure, quantum communication. Research Article: Li et al. News: Mini-satellite paves the way for quantum messaging anywhere on Earth 09:53 Research Highlights How storms known as ‘atmospheric rivers’ could replenish Greenland’s ice, and a prosthetic hand that can distinguish objects by touch almost as well as a human. Research Highlight: Mega-storm dumps 11 billion tonnes of snow ― and builds up a melting ice sheet Research Highlight: Robotic fingers can tell objects apart by touch 12:27 An AI that gives other AIs helpful feedback Researchers have created an AI system called TextGrad which can provide written feedback on another AI’s performance. This feedback is interpretable by humans, which could help researchers tweak the incredibly complicated, and sometimes inscrutable models that underpin modern AIs. “Previously optimising machine learning algorithms requires quite a lot of human engineering,” says James Zou, one of the team behind this work, “but with TextGrad, now the AI is able to self-improve to a large extent.” Research Article: Yuksekgonul et al. 20:55 How the Trump administration’s cuts are affecting science The first two months of Donald Trump’s presidency has seen swingeing cuts to US federal funding for research, particularly to research associated with DEI. We hear the latest on these cuts and their impact from reporter Max Kozlov. Nature: ‘My career is over’: Columbia University scientists hit hard by Trump team’s cuts Nature: How the NIH dominates the world’s health research — in charts Nature: ‘Scientists will not be silenced’: thousands protest Trump research cuts Nature: Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.