The Eccentric Evolution of Sleep

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octopuses have the active sleep where there's a lot going on in the brain and the quiet sleep where things are a bit more placid. The range of similarities that we observe, I think, suggests that this is an example of convergent evolution. And it could mean that these two stages of sleep and large brains and complex behavior has only evolved twice in the vertebrates and in the cephalopods.

In this episode:

00:46 Inside the brains of sleeping octopuses

Researchers have probed the brains of octopuses and confirmed previous reports suggesting that these invertebrates have a two-stage sleep cycle similar to that seen in many vertebrates. The team suggests this system may have evolved independently in the two groups, as there are millions of years of evolutionary history between them. However, despite its presumed importance, it is a mystery why this system exists at all.

Research article: Pophale et al.

Nature Video: Do octopuses dream? Brain recordings provide the first clues

10:37 Research Highlights

A huge volcano eruption that caused the most extreme lightning ever recorded, and a paper-inspired fabric that can keep you warm and cool.

Research Highlight: Underwater volcano triggered the most intense lightning ever recorded

Research Highlight: Fabric warms or cools the body at the flick of a switch

13:03 A hormone associated with more effective weight loss

Calorie-restricted diets often lead to rapid weight loss at first, but over time this can slow, or even reverse. This is due to the body adapting; slowing its metabolism to use energy more efficiently. Now though, researchers have identified a key hormone in mice that seems to prevent this slowdown, which could prove useful for people who wish to lose weight.

Research article: Wang et al.

20:02 Briefing Chat

We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the robot raspberry that teaches fruit-picking machines how to harvest, and an exoplanet without an atmosphere.

Nature Communications: Junge et al.

Nature Video: A robotic raspberry teaches machines how to pick fruit

Nature News: Life in the cosmos: JWST hints at lower number of habitable planets

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