Analysis of hundreds of thousands of job searches shows that recruiters will discriminate based on ethnicity and gender, and the neural circuitry behind a brief period of forgetting.In this episode:00:47 Hiring discriminationA huge dataset has shown that widespread discrimination occurs in job hiring, based on ethnicity and gender. This backs up decades of research, showing that people from minority backgrounds tend to get contacted far less by employers.Research Article: Hangartner et al.09:31 CoronapodToday Joe Biden becomes the next president of the United States. We find out what this new political chapter could mean for the country’s immediate pandemic response, including the mass rollout of vaccines.News: Joe Biden’s COVID plan is taking shape — and researchers approveNews: Joe Biden names top geneticist Eric Lander as science adviser20:46 Research HighlightsA new way to study fragile helium pairs, and there’s no limit to how much exercise improves your heart health.Research Highlight: Taking tenuous helium molecules for a spinResearch Highlight: Feeling fit? A little more sweat could still help your heart23:17 Forgetful fliesEver had the feeling where you can’t quite remember what you were doing? While common, this sort of ‘tip of the tongue’ forgetting is not well understood. Now though, researchers have uncovered the neural process behind this feeling… in fruit flies.Research Article: Sabadal et al.29:49 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the economics calculations of thieving monkeys, and how in certain situations electric eels will hunt together.The Guardian: Bali’s thieving monkeys can spot high-value items to ransomScience: Shocking discovery: Electric eels hunt in packs in Amazon riversSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nature Podcast

Hiring discrimination laid bare by mountain of data

Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Elie Dolgin discuss RNA vaccines.In this episode: 01:16 How RNA vaccines came to prominenceIn less than a year, two RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were designed, tested and rolled out across the world. We discuss these vaccines’ pros and cons, how RNA technology lends itself to rapid vaccine development, and what this means for the fight against other diseases.News feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines09:20 The hurdles for trialling new COVID-19 vaccinesMultiple candidates for new COVID-19 vaccines are still being developed, which may offer advantages over the vaccines currently available. However, running placebo-controlled trials of these candidates is becoming increasingly difficult, so researchers are looking for different ways to evaluate them.News: Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts14:45 How long will COVID vaccines be effective?There is much concern around the world about two faster-spreading variants of SARS-CoV-2. We get an update on whether these variants could render vaccines ineffective.News: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find outSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coronapod: The rise of RNA vaccines

DNA clues point to how dire wolves went extinct, and a round-up of the main impacts of Brexit on science.In this episode:00:45 Dire wolf DNADire wolves were huge predators that commonly roamed across North America before disappearing around 13,000 years ago. Despite the existence of a large number of dire wolf fossils, questions remain about why this species went extinct and how they relate to other wolf species. Now, using DNA and protein analysis, researchers are getting a better understanding of what happened to these extinct predators.Research Article: Perri et al.11:43 Research HighlightsThe secret to Pluto’s blue haze, and the neural circuitry underlying mice empathy.Research Highlight: Ice bathes Pluto in a blue hazeResearch Highlight: Brain maps show how empathetic mice feel each other's pain13:31 Post-Brexit scienceIn December, a last minute trade-deal between the UK and EU clarified what the future relationship between the two regions would look like, after Brexit. We discuss the implications of this trade-deal for science funding, the movement of researchers, and data sharing.News Explainer: What the landmark Brexit deal means for science23:18 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, concerns about contaminating water on the moon, and the spy satellites that spied out environmental change.Nature News: Will increasing traffic to the Moon contaminate its precious ice?The New York Times: Inside the C.I.A., She Became a Spy for Planet EarthSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The mysterious extinction of the dire wolf

Lessons from Iceland, which utilised huge scientific resources to contain COVID-19.When COVID reached the shores of Iceland back in March, the diminutive island brought it to heel with science. Here’s how they did it, and what they learnt.This is an audio version of our feature: How Iceland hammered COVID with science  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Audio long-read: Controlling COVID with science - Iceland's story

The Nature Podcast team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months.In this episode:00:32 Following the Viking footprint across EuropeIn September, we heard about the researchers mapping ancient genomes to better understand who the Vikings were, and where they went.Nature Podcast: 16 September 2020Research Article: Margaryan et al.08:09 Mars hopesIn July, the UAE launched its first mission to Mars. We spoke to the mission leads to learn about the aims of the project, and how they developed the mission in under six years.Nature Podcast: 08 July 2020News Feature: How a small Arab nation built a Mars mission from scratch in six yearsNews Feature: Countdown to Mars: three daring missions take aim at the red planet17:42 Disaster in San QuentinIn July, we reported on a massive COVID-19 outbreak in San Quentin. In Coronapod, we dug into how they got there. Also in the episode, we investigated whether lockdowns could have any lasting impact on young minds.Coronapod: 10 July 2020News: California's San Quentin prison declined free coronavirus tests and urgent advice — now it has a massive outbreak25:23 Communicating complex dataIn April, we found out about some of the methods that communications experts and behavioural scientists recommend to keep the public informed about risks and evidence – something that remains key for governments and other organisations during the pandemic.Coronapod: 17 April 202037:19 ‘Stick to the science’: when science gets politicalIn November, we published our miniseries “Stick to the science” which aimed to find out why a journal of science needs to cover politics. In the series we explored the history, philosophy and reality of science’s complicated relationship with politics.‘Stick to the science’: when science gets political  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our podcast highlights of 2020

Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Traci Watson discuss some of 2020's most significant coronavirus research papers.In the final Coronapod of 2020, we dive into the scientific literature to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers have discovered so much about SARS-CoV-2 – information that has been vital for public health responses and the rapid development of effective vaccines. But we also look forward to 2021, and the critical questions that remain to be answered about the pandemic.Papers discussedA Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019 - New England Journal of Medicine, 24 JanuaryClinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China - The Lancet, 24 JanuaryA pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin - Nature, 3 FebruaryA new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China - Nature, 3 FebruaryTemporal dynamics in viral shedding and transmissibility of COVID-19 - Nature Medicine, 15 AprilSpread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Icelandic Population - New England Journal of Medicine, 11 JuneHigh SARS-CoV-2 Attack Rate Following Exposure at a Choir Practice — Skagit County, Washington, March 2020 - Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 15 AugustRespiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks - Nature Medicine, 3 AprilAerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 - New England Journal of Medicine, 13 AprilProjecting the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 through the postpandemic period - Science, 22 May

Coronapod: The big COVID research papers of 2020

A video game provides players with insights into pandemic responses, and our annual festive fun.In this episode:01:02 Balancing responses in a video game pandemicIn the strategy video-game Plague Inc: The Cure, players assume the role of an omnipotent global health agency trying to tackle outbreaks of increasingly nasty pathogens. We find out how the game was developed, and how it might help change public perception of pandemic responses.Plague Inc: The Cure from Ndemic Creations10:02 “We three Spacecraft travel to Mars”The first of our festive songs, we head back to July this year, and the launch of three separate space missions to the red planet. Scroll to the transcript section at the bottom of the page for the lyrics.12:54 Research HighlightsGiant pandas roll in piles of poo to keep warm, and how different bread-baking styles have led to distinct lineages of baker’s yeast.Research Highlight: Why pandas like to roll in piles of pooResearch Highlight: Sourdough starters give rise to a new line of yeast15:17 The Nature Podcast Audio Charades Competition: Lockdown editionIn this year’s festive competition, our reporters try to describe some of the biggest science stories, using only homemade sound effects. Results are mixed, at best...24:15 Nature’s 10We hear about some of the people who made it on to this year’s Nature’s 10 list this year.Nature’s 10: ten people who helped shape science in 202032:20 All I want for Christmas is vaccinesIn our final festive song, we celebrate a huge scientific achievement, and one that’s offering a little hope for 2021. Scroll to the transcript section at the bottom of the page for the lyrics.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Song lyrics:"We three Spacecraft travel to Mars"﻿We three spacecraft travel to MarsBearing probes we traverse afarRockets firingLaunching, flyingOne by one we departOh-oh one from Chinaone the Statesone the Arab Emirates…Careful timingWorlds aligninglaunching on the perfect dates.First is Hope from the UAEI map weather, orbitallyMy ambitionour first missionInterplanetaryOh-oh one from Chinaone the Statesone the Arab Emirates…Careful timingWorlds aligninglaunching on the perfect dates.Next Tianwen-one will debutI’ve a rover and orbiter tooPlus a landerAnd I’ve planned aMission returning soonOh-oh one from Chinaone the Statesone the Arab Emirates…Careful...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Could you prevent a pandemic? A very 2020 video game

How water chemistry is shifting researchers' thoughts on where life might have arisen, and a new model to tackle climate change equitably and economically.In this episode:00:46 A shallow start to life on Earth?It’s long been thought that life on Earth first appeared in the oceans. However, the chemical complexities involved in creating biopolymers in water has led some scientists to speculate that shallow pools on land were actually the most likely location for early life.News Feature: How the first life on Earth survived its biggest threat — water07:44 CoronapodThe COVID-19 pandemic has massively shifted the scientific landscape, changing research and funding priorities across the world. While this shift was necessary for the development of things like vaccines, there are concerns that the ‘covidization’ of research could have long-term impacts on other areas of research.News: Scientists fear that ‘covidization’ is distorting research20:45 Research HighlightsThe Hayabusa2 mission successfully delivers a tiny cargo of asteroid material back to Earth, and a team in China claims to have made the first definitive demonstration of computational ‘quantum advantage’.Nature News: Physicists in China challenge Google’s ‘quantum advantage’22:38 Calculating carbonLimiting carbon emissions is essential to tackling climate change. However, working out how to do this in a way that is fair to nations worldwide is notoriously difficult. Now, researchers have developed a model that gives some surprising insights in how to equitably limit carbon.Research Article: Bauer et al.News and Views: Trade-offs for equitable climate policy assessed29:08 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, bioluminescent Australian animals, and the collapse of the Arecibo telescope.ABC News: Biofluorescent Australian mammals and marsupials take scientists by surprise in accidental discoveryNature News: Gut-wrenching footage documents Arecibo telescope’s collapseSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Don’t think too deeply about the origin of life – it may have started in puddles

Erna Solberg on fisheries, fossil fuels and the future of the oceans.This week, world leaders are announcing a series of pledges to protect and sustainably use the world’s oceans. The pledges form the crowning achievement of the ‘High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’ a multinational group formed back in 2018. The panel has sought to bring together research, published in a number of so-called ‘blue papers’ and special reports by scientists, policy- and legal-experts from around the world – all with the ear of 14 participating world leaders.Erna Solberg, the prime minister of Norway, co-led the Panel. In this podcast, she speaks with Springer Nature’s editor-in-chief Philip Campbell about the panel’s work.The ocean in humanity’s future: read all of Nature's content on the Ocean PanelWorld View: Science can boost ocean health and human prosperitySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Norway's prime minister reveals plans to protect the world's oceans

A trio of genes may be key to making cells young again, and ultra precise measurement of a fundamental physics constant.In this episode:00:47 Reversing ageingResearchers claim to have identified a method to revert cells in mice eyes back to a younger state.Research article: Lu et al.News and Views: Sight restored by turning back the epigenetic clock09:39 CoronapodWe discuss emergency-use approvals for COVID-19 vaccines. Approvals are coming in fast, which presents a dilemma for scientists - they’re critically needed, but what could it mean for research?News: Why emergency COVID-vaccine approvals pose a dilemma for scientists27:04 Research HighlightsAncient megalodon nurseries, and predicting mud volcanoes.Research Highlight: Even Earth’s largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babiesResearch Highlight: How mud volcanoes are born under the sea29:38 Fine measurement of the fine-structure constantThe fine structure constant is a fundamental number that gives researchers an understanding of the laws of the universe. For years, scientists have been trying to get better measurements of it. This week, we see the most precise measurement yet.Research Article: Morel et al.News and Views: Fine-structure constant tests standard model35:00 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a holistic plan to tackle climate challenges, and the rarest pollinator of them all - a lizard.Washington Post: An ancient people with a modern climate planThe Guardian: Is it a bird? Is it a bee? No, it’s a lizard pollinating South Africa’s ‘hidden flower’

Cellular ageing: turning back the clock restores vision in mice

Scientists have finally confirmed the existence of a CNO cycle fusion reaction in the Sun, and why women’s contraception research needs a reboot.In this episode:00:47 Detection of CNO neutrinosSince the 1930s it has been theorised that stars have a specific fusion reaction known as the CNO cycle, but proof has been elusive. Now, a collaboration in Italy report detection of neutrinos that show that the CNO cycle exists.Research article: The Borexino CollaborationNews and Views: Neutrino detection gets to the core of the Sun08:48 CoronapodWe discuss the search for the animal origin of SARS-CoV-2, with researchers raiding their freezer draws to see if any animals carry similar viruses, and the latest vaccine results.News: Coronaviruses closely related to the pandemic virus discovered in Japan and CambodiaNews: Why Oxford’s positive COVID vaccine results are puzzling scientists19:32 Research HighlightsHow sleep patterns relate to ageing, and a solar-powered steam sterilizer.Research Highlight: For better health, don’t sleep your ageResearch Highlight: Technology for sterilizing medical instruments goes solar21:50 Getting women’s contraception research unstuckSince the 1960s there has been little progress on research into women’s contraceptives. This week in Nature, researchers argue that this needs to change.Comment: Reboot contraceptives research — it has been stuck for decades29:35 Briefing ChatWe discuss a highlight from the Nature Briefing. This time, a tool to summarise papers.Nature News: tl;dr: this AI sums up research papers in a sentenceTry the TLDR tool yourself!Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neutrinos give insights into the workings of the Sun’s core

In this episode:00:44 An increase in survival ratesThe COVID-19 mortality rate is falling around the world. We discuss the reasons behind this – the role of new drugs, the treatment strategies the have been learned, or re-learned, and the ever-present worry that these hard won victories could be undone by rising infection rates.News Feature: Why do COVID death rates seem to be falling?10:53 More vaccine good newsThis week, Moderna released preliminary results for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, the third positive indication from a string of vaccine announcements. Although the full data are yet to be published, do these results give us more reasons to feel hopeful?News: COVID vaccine excitement builds as Moderna reports third positive resultSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coronapod: What could falling COVID death rates mean for the pandemic?

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.Feature: Resisting the rise of facial recognition17:44 The ethics of researching facial recognition technologyDespite concerns surrounding consent and use, researchers are still working on facial recognition technology. Can this sort of work be justified? We hear some of the debates going on in academia about this field of research.Feature: The ethical questions that haunt facial-recognition research25:02 What do researchers actually think?Nature surveyed 480 researchers who have published papers on facial recognition, AI and computer science. The results revealed that many researchers think there’s a problem.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The troubling rise of facial recognition technology

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 molecular research techniques, and some newly discovered fossils, are providing evidence that some of these organisms were actually animals, including ones with sophisticated features like legs and guts.This is an audio version of our feature: These bizarre ancient species are rewriting animal evolution  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Audio long-read: The enigmatic organisms of the Ediacaran Period

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 reproductionLight- 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. Research article: Senzaki et al.10:17 CoronapodInterim results from a phase III trial show compelling evidence that a coronavirus vaccine candidate can prevent COVID-19. However, amid the optimism there remain questions to be answered – we discuss these, and what the results might mean for other vaccines in development. News: What Pfizer’s landmark COVID vaccine results mean for the pandemic23:29 Research HighlightsA tiny bat breaks a migration record, and researchers engineer a mouse’s sense of place. Research Highlight: The record-setting flight of a bat that weighs less than a toothbrush; Research Article: Robinson et al.25:39 Organised crime in fisheriesWhen you think of fishing, organised crime probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. However, billions of dollars every year from the fishing industry are lost to criminal enterprises. We discuss some of the impacts and what can be done about it. Research Article: Witbooi et al.32:13 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, a time-capsule discovered on the Irish coast provides a damning indictment of Arctic warming, and some human remains challenge the idea of ‘man-the-hunter’. The Guardian: Arctic time capsule from 2018 washes up in Ireland as polar ice melts; Science: Woman the hunter: Ancient Andean remains challenge old ideas of who speared big gameSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Revealed: the impact of noise and light pollution on birds

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 Nature journal. We meet the scientists behind the results and providing in-depth analysis from Nature's journalists and editors.

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