Nature Podcast

By: Springer Nature Limited
  • Summary

  • 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.

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    Springer Nature Limited
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Episodes
  • Sapphire anvils squeeze metals atomically-thin
    Mar 12 2025
    00:46 2D metals made using sapphire press

    Taking inspiration from industrial forging, researchers have demonstrated a way to squeeze molten metals into atomically-thin layers, creating relatively large flakes of 2D metals. Using a hydraulic press containing two sapphire anvils, a team was able to create sub-nanometer thick sheets of different metals — these sheets had diameters exceeding 0.1 mm, orders of magnitude larger than other methods have achieved. 2D metals have been theorized to possess several useful properties not seen in their larger, 3D counterparts, but have been difficult to make at scale, something this method may help overcome.


    Research Article: Zhao et al.

    News and Views: Metals squeezed to thickness of just two atoms


    09:36 Research Highlights

    The discovery of ancient puppets on remains of a large pyramid offers a glimpse into rituals in Mesoamerica, and how the presence of a certain pattern of sleep brainwaves might help predict which people will recover from an unresponsive state.


    Research Highlight: Ancient puppets that smile or scowl hint at shared rituals

    Research Highlight: Who’s likely to wake up from a coma? Brainwaves provide a clue


    12:17 The virology lessons learnt from the COVID pandemic

    SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has become one of the most closely examined viruses on the planet. In the five years since the pandemic, over 150,000 articles have been written about it, and 17 million genome sequences have been generated. We discuss the lessons virologists have learnt from this intense study of a single organism, and how these might help the world prepare for future pandemics.


    News Feature: Four ways COVID changed virology: lessons from the most sequenced virus of all time


    23:36 Briefing Chat

    How an AI alert-system could help researchers train their telescopes on a neutron star collision, and how expiration dates on plastic food-waste helped biologists age birds’ nests.


    Nature: How AI could let us watch epic star collisions in real time

    Science: Plastic waste in bird nests can act like a tiny time capsule


    Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.


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    33 mins
  • Earliest crafted bone tools date back 1.5 million years
    Mar 5 2025
    00:46 Ancient humans made bone tools 1.5 million years ago

    A 1.5-million-year-old cache of animal-bone tools reveals that ancient humans systematically crafted with this material much earlier than previously thought. Researchers uncovered 27 bone artefacts in Tanzania honed into sharp tools almost 40 cm long. This discovery pushes back the dedicated manufacture of bone tools by around a million years and could have helped these early humans develop new kinds of technology. “This raises a lot of interesting questions,” says study author Ignacio de la Torre.


    Research Article: de la Torre et al.


    09:11 Research Highlights

    Cane toads’ remarkable homing abilities, and evidence that the block of rock that makes up southern Tibet originated in what is now Australia.


    Research Highlight: Take me home, country toads

    Research Highlight: Lhasa′s rocks reveal an Australian birthplace


    11:45 A trove of antibacterial molecules hidden in human proteins

    To help protect against infection, cells in the body will selectively cut proteins to produce molecules known as antimicrobial peptides, according to new research. A team has found that many potential peptides appear to be locked up within proteins — to get them out, cells shift the activity of a waste-disposal system called the proteasome, known for its role in protein degradation and recycling. In tests, one of these peptides showed efficacy at protecting mice from infection, indicating that these molecules could one day have therapeutic potential.


    Research Article: Goldberg et al.

    News and Views: Protein waste turned into antibiotics as a defence strategy of human cells


    21:08 Briefing Chat

    An update on two missions heading to the Moon to look for water, and why fears that a crucial ocean-current system will collapse in the face of climate change may be incorrect.


    Nature: Meet the ice-hunting robots headed for the Moon right now

    Nature: Iconic ocean-current system is safe from climate collapse ― for now


    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.

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    30 mins
  • Audio long read: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play
    Feb 28 2025

    Over the past two decades, research has emerged showing that opportunities for risky play are crucial for children's healthy physical, mental and emotional development. However, because play is inherently free-form it has been difficult to study. Now, scientists are using innovative approaches, including virtual reality, to probe the benefits of risky play, and how best to promote it.


    This is an audio version of our Feature: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play



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    16 mins

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pretty good sounds good quit a job what a wonderful podcast and relaxing information chill👍👍🤠👍

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