Nature Podcast

How gliding marsupials got their 'wings'

Apr 24, 2024

Discover how portable optical clocks are revolutionizing timekeeping, the genetic secrets behind marsupial gliding membranes, AI overtraining for novel solutions, and the accidental creation of a freestanding 2D layer of gold atoms.

28:36

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Quick takeaways

Portable optical clocks combine precision with portability for mobile applications like GPS systems.

Mutations near gene Emx2 drove marsupials' evolution of gliding membranes for tree-to-tree travel.

Deep dives

Optical Clocks vs. Microwave Clocks: Precision and Portability

Optical clocks, utilizing higher frequency visible light, outperform microwave atomic clocks in terms of precision. However, optical clocks have been limited to lab environments due to their fragility and size. A recent Nature publication introduces a portable clock that combines the precision of optical clocks with the portability of microwave clocks. The clock uses molecular iodine atoms, known for their robustness, and reliable laser technology to simplify the design. It achieves high precision while being compact, making it ideal for mobile applications like scientific experiments and potential integration into GPS systems.

Introduction

2min

Innovative Portable Clocks: Advancements in Precision Timekeeping

11min

Genetic Basis of Gliding Membranes in Marsupials

7min

AI Overtraining and Efficient Problem Solving

5min

Creation of a Freestanding 2D Layer of Gold Atoms

2min

Exploring the Potential of Thinnest Gold Leaf on Earth

3min

In this episode:

00:46 Optical clocks at sea

Optical atomic clocks are the most precise timekeeping devices on the planet, but these devices are huge and difficult to work with, limiting their use outside of the lab. Now, researchers have developed a portable optical clock and demonstrated its robustness by sending it on a perilous sea journey. The team hope that this work will pave the way to more practical uses of optical clocks, such as on satellites where they could help improve the accuracy of GPS technologies.

Research Article: Roslund et al.

News and Views: Robust optical clocks promise stable timing in a portable package

09:34 Research Highlights

Evidence of ritual burning of the remains of a Maya royal family, and the first solid detection of an astrophysical tau-neutrino.

Research Highlight: Burnt remains of Maya royalty mark a dramatic power shift

Research Highlight: Detectors deep in South Pole ice pin down elusive tau neutrino

11:52 How marsupial gliding membranes evolved

Several marsupial species have evolved a membrane called a patagium that allows them to glide gracefully from tree to tree. Experiments show that mutations in areas of DNA around the gene Emx2 were key to the evolution of this ability, which has appeared independently in multiple marsupial species.

Research article: Moreno et al.

News and Views: Marsupial genomes reveal how a skin membrane for gliding evolved