06 June 2019: Microbes modifying medicine and kickstarting plate tectonics

This week, how gut microbes might be affecting drugs, and a new theory on the beginning of plate tectonics.

In this episode:

00:45 Microbes metabolising drugs

Researchers are investigating whether the gut microbiota can alter the activity of medicinal drugs.

Research article: Zimmermann et al.

06:40 Research Highlights

Elephants counting with smell, and audio activity monitoring.

Research Highlight: Elephants have a nose for portion size

Research Highlight: Deep learning monitors human activity based on sound alone

08:57 The origin of plate tectonics?

A new theory suggests that sediment may have lubricated the Earth’s tectonic plates, allowing them to move.

Research article: Sobolev and Brown

News and Views: Earth’s evolution explored

14:14 News Chat

Scientists protest in Hungary, and a trial of a new post-review process to test reproducibility.

News: Hungarians protest against proposed government takeover of science

News: Reproducibility trial publishes two conclusions for one paper

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