Podcasts

Evidence suggests deliberate production of bone tools happened much earlier than previously thought — plus, how cells’ waste-disposal systems could help defend against infection.

Evidence suggests that risky play provides a wide-range of benefits to children, despite opportunities to do it becoming more restricted than ever.

The machine learning algorithm picks up sudden loss of pulse and automatically alerts emergency services — plus, the latest from the Nature Briefing.

When an online platform changed the way customers rated workers, discrimination disappeared — plus, Nature investigates where the most retractions occur.

Particle is estimated to have 30 times higher energy than any previously detected — plus, proposed cuts to NIH grants are put on hold by US judge.

In episode 2 of What's in a name we look how choosing names can help, or hinder, attempts to communicate important messages.

Research also shows that skills don’t transfer in the other direction either — plus, a new study of crowd movements could help prevent tragedy.

Developers are racing to find new ways to train large language models, after sucking the Internet dry of usable information.

Bennu gives researchers clues about how the chemicals that make up life arose, how a maize monoculture might have supported a mysterious civilization and why the new AI model DeepSeek R1 has sent shockwaves around the world.

Huge study highlights global discrepancy in hiring requirements — plus, how cancer cells palm-off misfiring mitochondria to help avoid destruction.

Proteins made using machine learning successfully bind snake toxins — plus, Earth’s temperature breaks a significant climate threshold for the first time.

We highlight some Nature Briefing stories from the end of 2024, including the retraction saga of a controversial COVID study, the skin’s surprise immune-system and the running ability of our ancient relatives.

A new wave of obesity drugs, a multitude of space missions and concern over climate-action policies — we run through what to look out for over the next 12 months.

The Ig Nobel prizes are famed for their spotlighting of offbeat research. Nature investigates how some winners feel about their ‘honour’.

The team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months.

From a Death Star moon to gene editing, construction fuses and red mud — we round up some of the highlights of this year’s News & Views section.

In a fiendish quiz our contestants battle to remember the details of the science stories that made 2024 special.

Games, seasonal science songs, and Nature’s 10.

In episode 1 of What’s in a name we look at how species are named, and whether the current system needs to evolve in the face of societal pressure.

Treatment delivered directly to the placenta restores normal blood pressure in mice, a way to make custom cellular switches, and a milestone for quantum computing.