Weekly: Thorin and the lost Neanderthals; Fish that use mirrors; SpaceX’s spacewalk

Sep 13, 2024

In this conversation with Thorin, a Neanderthal skeleton discovered in France, we learn about his significance as one of the last of his kind, providing insights into a previously unknown lineage that thrived in isolation for 50,000 years. Thorin discusses remarkable findings on animal intelligence, highlighting how fish can use mirrors to assess their size before choosing to fight. Additionally, listeners are captivated by the first civilian spacewalk conducted by private astronauts and new discoveries about Martian clouds, enriching our understanding of space exploration.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Thorin: The Isolated Neanderthal

01:49 • 5min

Attribution Science and Animal Intelligence

07:03 • 11min

Pioneering Civilian Spacewalks and Martian Clouds

18:06 • 3min

Advancements in Humanoid Robotics and Back-to-School Preparations

21:28 • 2min

Valkyrie: Bridging Robotics and Reality

23:31 • 5min

The Legacy of Valkyrie: Robotics and Future Space Missions

28:12 • 2min

Episode 267

The remains of an ancient Neanderthal man discovered in France may be one of the last members of a lost line. Researchers analysing the DNA of the fossil nicknamed “Thorin” (named after the dwarven king in the Hobbit) made the surprising discovery that he’s possibly one of the last of his line. He may have been part of a group that lived in isolation for 50,000 years.

How can we tell climate change is to blame for specific heat waves, hurricanes, or other extreme weather events the planet has been hit by in recent years? That’s where attribution science comes in. Find out how the fingerprints of climate change could one day make it into your daily weather report.

Elephants, chimps and even chickens have shown signs of self-awareness. Even a fish, the cleaner wrasse, has passed the famous ‘mirror test’ in recent years. But new research on this territorial fish has found it can also use mirrors as a tool – to decide if they’re big enough to fight another wrasse. Learn more about how cleaner wrasse size themselves up before picking fights, and what this may say about their cognition.

Private astronauts on a SpaceX mission performed the first ever civilian spacewalk on Thursday. Hear reaction to the historic news and why their state-of-the-art spacesuits are grabbing people’s attention. Plus hear how researchers have created a “cloud atlas”, full of gorgeous pictures of the weird and wonderful – and informative – clouds that fill Mars’ sky.

Reporter James Woodford recently took control of one of the most advanced humanoid robots ever created. An energy company is helping NASA test a robot from its Valkyrie programme in Perth, Australia. James met the robot, nicknamed Val, and even helped use virtual reality tools to control her movements.

Hosts Rowan Hooper and Christie Taylor discuss with guests Alison George, Madeleine Cuff, Corryn Wetzel and James Woodford.

To read more about these stories, visit newscientist.com.

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