Best podcast@nature.com Podcasts (2025)

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Ancient viral DNA helps human embryos develop 33:43

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8m ago33:43

33:43

00:50 How ancient viruses drive modern human development Research suggests that ancient viral-DNA embedded in the human genome is playing a key role in early embryo development. Around 8% of our genome consists of endogenous retrovirus DNA — the remnants of ancient infections, but knowledge of their activity is limited. Now, a team show that these …

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Audio long read: Autism is on the rise — what’s really behind the increase? 25:36

4d ago25:36

25:36

In April, Robert F. Kennedy Jr held a press conference about rising diagnoses of autism, and said he would soon be announcing a study to find the responsible agent. Although Kennedy said that environmental factors are the main cause of autism, research has shown that genetics plays a bigger part. Also, the rise in prevalence, many researchers say, …

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How a dangerous tick-borne virus sneaks into the brain 32:42

6d ago32:42

32:42

00:48 New insights into tick-borne encephalitis Researchers have identified a key protein that helps tick-borne encephalitis virus enter the brain. In rare cases an infection can lead to serious neurological symptoms, but little was known about how the virus interacts with human cells. Now, a team show that a protein found on the outside of cells p…

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Apocalypse then: how cataclysms shaped human societies 27:39

11d ago27:39

27:39

Science journalist Lizzie Wade’s first book, Apocalypse: A Transformative Exploration of Humanity's Resilience Through Cataclysmic Events explores some of the cataclysmic events that humans have faced through history. Lizzie joined us to discuss what modern archaeology has revealed about these events, and the role these they’ve have played in shapi…

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This AI tool predicts your risk of 1,000 diseases — by looking at your medical records 35:31

13d ago35:31

35:31

00:50 The AI tool that predicts disease risk Researchers have developed an AI tool that can calculate a person’s risk of developing over 1,000 different diseases, sometimes years in advance. The system, called Delphi-2M, was trained to identify patterns of disease progression using 400,000 people's health records from data repository the UK Biobank…

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Detecting gravitational waves 10:21

18d ago10:21

10:21

In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) facilities in the US directly detected ripples in space-time, known as gravitational waves. These waves were produced by the final spiral of two orbiting black holes that smashed into each other, sending ripples across the Universe. In this podcast, Benjamin Thompson speaks to …

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Feeling the heat: fossil-fuel producers linked to dozens of heatwaves 36:39

24d ago36:39

36:39

00:45 Attributing extreme heat events to major energy producers Major energy producers increased the likelihood and intensity of heatwaves, according to research published in Nature. Using data from an international disaster database, a team developed a methodology to investigate how much anthropogenic climate change had influenced heatwaves. They …

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Research misconduct: how the scientific community is fighting back 52:13

22d ago52:13

52:13

In 2016, Brian Wansink wrote a blog post that prompted scientific sleuths to investigate his work. They found evidence of data manipulation, and, after several news articles and two investigations by his institution, he would found to have committed misconduct, as defined by Cornell University. His work had been used to inform US policy around food…

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Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz 10:57

25d ago10:57

10:57

Raising mosquitoes to tackle disease might sound like an odd concept, but that’s what a facility in Brazil is aiming to do. Millions of mosquitoes are produced there every week, but these insects carry harmless Wolbachia bacteria that curbs their ability to spread deadly human viruses. Nature reporter Mariana Lenharo visited the facility and told u…

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Two ants, two species, one mother 27:06

27d ago27:06

27:06

00:45 The ant queen that can produce two different species Researchers have made an unusual observation that appears at odds with biology: an ant, known as the Iberian Harvester Ant can produce offspring of two completely different species. Many ants need to mate with other species to produce workers that are a genetic mix of the two, known as hybr…

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Audio long read: How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI 19:57

1M ago19:57

19:57

The search for signs of consciousness has expanded, thanks to advanced neuroimaging techniques. These tools allow researchers to detect consciousness in unresponsive humans, and now researchers are looking to develop tests that work in animals and perhaps even artificial intelligence systems of the future. This is an audio version of our Feature: H…

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Viral spread: how rumours surged in revolutionary France 24:44

1M ago24:44

24:44

00:48 How the 18th-Century 'Great Fear’ spread across rural France In the late 1700s, rural France was beset with rapidly spreading rumours of aristocratic plots to suppress revolutionary ideas. But how, and why, these rumours were able to spread so quickly has puzzled historians. Now, using modern epidemiological modelling, a team suggests that a …

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Fusion energy gets a boost from cold fusion chemistry 19:57

1M ago19:57

19:57

00:46 Electrochemical fusion Researchers have used electrochemistry to increase the rates of nuclear fusion reactions in a desktop reactor. Fusion energy promises abundant clean energy, but fusion events are rare, hindering progress. Now, inspired by the controversial claim of cold fusion, researchers used electrochemistry to get palladium to absor…

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Controversial climate report from Trump team galvanizes scientists into action 13:05

2M ago13:05

13:05

In this Podcast Extra, we discuss a report released by the US Department of Energy, which concluded that global warming is “less damaging economically than commonly believed”. However, many researchers say that the report misrepresents decades of climate science. We discuss how scientists are trying to coordinate a unified response amidst concerns …

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Sun-powered flyers could explore the mysterious mesosphere 31:53

2M ago31:53

31:53

00:46 Tiny solar flyer Researchers have used a phenomenon known as thermal transpiration to create a solar-powered flying device that can stay aloft without any moving parts. The diminutive device, just one centimetre across, consists of two thin, perforated membranes that allow air to flow through the device, generating lift. Although only a proof…

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Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test 28:14

2M ago28:14

28:14

00:45 Researchers develop a new glue and test it on a rubber duck Aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. Inspired by animals like barnacles, the team developed a new kind of a material called a hydrogel. The material is capable of securely fastening objects together even w…

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Earth's deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the sea 33:03

2M ago33:03

33:03

00:45 The deepest ecosystem ever discovered Researchers have dived down to more than 9,000 metres below the surface of the Pacific and discovered surprisingly complex communities of life living in deep ocean trenches. The new research shows an array of animal life that appears to be using methane as a source of energy. The researchers are planning …

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Giant laser heats solid gold to 14 times its melting point 35:38

2M ago35:38

35:38

00:46 How hot can solid gold get? A new study suggests that gold can be superheated far beyond its melting point without it becoming a liquid. Using an intense burst from a laser, a team heated a gold foil to 14 times its melting point, far beyond a theoretical limit put forward in previous studies. The team suggest that the speed at which they hea…

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AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors 49:19

2M ago49:19

49:19

A simple methodological error meant that for years researchers considered drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to be healthy. Now plenty of evidence suggests that isn't the case, but errors like this still plague the scientific literature. So, how can the scientific literature become more error-free? In the first episode of this two-part series, to…

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‘Stealth flippers’ helped this extinct mega-predator stalk its prey 32:50

3M ago32:50

32:50

In this episode: 00:48 The ancient mega-predator with a ‘stealth mode’ The extinct marine mega-predator Temnodontosaurus had specialised adaptations to stealthily hunt its prey, suggests an analysis of a fossil flipper. Although Temnodontosaurus was a member of a well-studied group of marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs, its lifestyle has been a my…

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Three weeks in a hide to spot one elusive bear: the life of a wildlife film-maker 12:47

3M ago12:47

12:47

Vianet Djenguet is an award-winning wildlife film-maker and camera operator whose work has featured in a number of major nature documentaries. In this podcast, Vianet joins us to talk about his career, how wildlife film-making have changed, and his experiences working with local researchers to capture footage of endangered animals on the new televi…

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Ancient DNA reveals farming led to more human diseases 37:06

3M ago37:06

37:06

00:48 The past 35,000 years of disease Ancient DNA evidence shows that the advent of agriculture led to more infectious disease among humans, with pathogens from animals only showing up 6,500 years ago. The DNA, extracted from human teeth, shows the history of diseases present in Eurasia over tens of thousands of years. The approach used could be a…

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Audio long read: How to speak to a vaccine sceptic — research reveals what works 16:13

3M ago16:13

16:13

Questions and doubts about vaccines are on the rise worldwide and public-health specialists worry that these trends could worsen. But while the shift in public attitudes towards immunizations can leave scientists, physicians and many others feeling disheartened, a surge of research on vaccine hesitancy is starting to offer ways to address the issue…

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3D-printed fake wasps help explain bad animal mimicry 27:19

3M ago27:19

27:19

In this episode: 00:45 Why animals evolve to be imperfect mimics Many harmless animals mimic dangerous ones to avoid being eaten, but often this fakery is inaccurate. To help explain why evolution sometimes favours imperfect mimicry, a team 3D printed a range of imaginary insects. The novel creatures were designed to mimic wasps with varying degree…

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Is AI watching you? The hidden links between research and surveillance 31:30

3M ago31:30

31:30

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 Is AI-research being co-opted to keep track of people? A significant amount of research in the AI field of computer vision is being used to analyse humans in ways that support the development of surveillance technologies, accordin…

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Nature Podcast

Springer Nature Limited

1
Ancient viral DNA helps human embryos develop 33:43

1
Audio long read: Autism is on the rise — what’s really behind the increase? 25:36

1
How a dangerous tick-borne virus sneaks into the brain 32:42

1
Apocalypse then: how cataclysms shaped human societies 27:39

1
This AI tool predicts your risk of 1,000 diseases — by looking at your medical records 35:31

1
Detecting gravitational waves 10:21

1
Feeling the heat: fossil-fuel producers linked to dozens of heatwaves 36:39

1
Research misconduct: how the scientific community is fighting back 52:13

1
Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz 10:57

1
Two ants, two species, one mother 27:06

1
Audio long read: How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI 19:57

1
Viral spread: how rumours surged in revolutionary France 24:44

1
Fusion energy gets a boost from cold fusion chemistry 19:57

1
Controversial climate report from Trump team galvanizes scientists into action 13:05

1
Sun-powered flyers could explore the mysterious mesosphere 31:53

1
Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test 28:14

1
Earth's deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the sea 33:03

1
Giant laser heats solid gold to 14 times its melting point 35:38

1
AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors 49:19

1
‘Stealth flippers’ helped this extinct mega-predator stalk its prey 32:50

1
Three weeks in a hide to spot one elusive bear: the life of a wildlife film-maker 12:47

1
Ancient DNA reveals farming led to more human diseases 37:06

1
Audio long read: How to speak to a vaccine sceptic — research reveals what works 16:13

1
3D-printed fake wasps help explain bad animal mimicry 27:19

1
Is AI watching you? The hidden links between research and surveillance 31:30