The Conversation Weekly

Emily Lindsey, associate curator at La Brea Tar, discusses new research on the extinction of large animals at the end of the Ice Age and the concerning lessons it provides about human interaction with fire and ecosystems. They explore the impact of fires on ecosystems, the causes of wildfires in California, and the importance of studying evidence from the past to understand and mitigate the risks of climate change.

Homs was once the centre of the Syrian revolution. Today, 12 years on, much of the city remains scarred and deserted after years of siege and heavy bombardment. In this episode we speak to an architect from Homs about what the deliberate destruction of homes and neighbourhoods, known as domicide, does to people displaced by conflict – and his perspective on the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.  Featuring Ammar Azzouz, research fellow in geography and the environment at the University of Oxford in the UK. This episode was produced and written by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: ‘My home city was destroyed by war but I will not lose hope’ – how modern warfare turns neighbourhoods into battlefieldsHow Syrian architects can start to rebuild – even in the devastation of warOngoing coverage from The Conversation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

We’re bringing you an extra episode this week to share an interview from Don’t Call Me Resilient, another podcast from The Conversation. Hosted by Vinita Srivastava at The Conversation in Canada, Don’t Call Me Resilient is your weekly dose of news and current events through a sharply-focused anti-racist lens.In this episode which we're running in full, Vinita talks to Daniel Martinez HoSang, a professor of ethnicity, race and migration and American studies at Yale University about why brown and Black people are being drawn to far-right politics in the United States. It originally aired in early October 2023.You can listen to or follow Don’t Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Further reading:Republicans are trying to build a multiracial right – will it work?All episodes of Don't Call Me Resilient

Imagine a particle so small that it’s the same relative size to a soccer ball as that football is to the planet Earth. That’s the size of a quantum dot – a type of nanocrystal that changes colour depending on its size, and was once thought impossible to actually make. Now, three scientists who helped discover and synthesise these quantum dots have been awarded the 2023 Nobel prize in chemistry.In this week’s episode we speak to Louis Brus, one of these new Nobel laureates, and an emeritus professor of chemistry at Columbia University in New York, about his work on quantum dots and what winning the accolade means.  This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced and written by Gemma Ware and Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: Quantum dots − a new Nobel laureate describes the development of these nanoparticles from basic research to industry applicationNobel prize in chemistry awarded for ‘quantum dot’ technology that gave us today’s high definition TVsFull coverage of the 2023 Nobel prizesIranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, in prison for speaking up against human rights violations, has been a voice for women for almost two decades Jon Fosse: Nobel prize in literature winner is a playwright who puts outsiders centre stage

Archaeologist Ludovic Slimak and his team share provocative new findings on Neanderthals, their extinction, and the insights it holds for Homo Sapiens. They discuss the relationship between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals, the discovery of teeth challenging migration beliefs, the colonization of Australia, and the extinction of other human species. The differences in tool production techniques between Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens and its impact on their extinction are also explored.

Australia goes to the polls on October 14 in a referendum on whether to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body, known as the Voice to Parliament, into the country's constitution. In this episode, a political theorist from the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago between Australia and Papua New Guinea, explains the background to the Voice and the arguments for and against it. Plus, we hear a view from Canada on how the Voice proposal compares with Indigenous systems of representation elsewhere in the world. Featuring Sana Nakata, principal research fellow at James Cook University in Australia. And Kiera Ladner, professor of Indigenous politics and Canadian politics at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Hosted by Gemma Ware with Carissa Lee, First Nations and public policy editor at The Conversation in Melbourne.This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced and written by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening: A divided Australia will soon vote on the most significant referendum on Indigenous rights in 50 yearsThe Voice to Parliament explained The Voice: how do other countries represent Indigenous voices in government? Crowdsourcing new constitutions: How 2 Latin American countries increased participation and empowered groups excluded from politics – podcast 

Scientists discuss the development of a new malaria vaccine and the challenges in finding a solution. They explain the complexity of the malaria parasite and the rigorous process of testing vaccines. The new vaccine has shown a 75% decrease in clinical episodes and has the potential for larger-scale distribution. Future steps include combining different vaccines for more thorough protection and ultimately eliminating malaria.

Spanish women are having fewer and fewer children, and yet the country has become the egg donation capital of Europe. We find out about the experiences of women who decide to donate their eggs, and whether there are enough protections in place to prevent them from being exploited.Featuring Anna Molas, research fellow in anthropology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain.This episode was produced and written by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer of The Conversation Weekly. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading: Spain is the egg donation capital of Europe – here’s what it’s like to be a donorScience experiments traditionally only used male mice – here’s why that’s a problem for women’s healthMore from The Conversation’s Women’s Health Matters series

In this podcast, Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian political leader, and Yossi Beilin, Israel's deputy foreign minister, discuss the legacy of the Oslo peace process and the future of a two-state solution. They explore the challenges of the two-state solution, the impact of Israeli settlements, the success or failure of the Oslo Accords, and the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanan Ashrawi and Yossi Beilin discuss the aftermath of the Oslo Accords, including the complexities of the Madrid Conference, differing expectations, and the challenges faced during the process. The podcast also explores the implications of violence and religious extremism on the peace process.