The world, the universe and us

Learn about the life-saving work of Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service in providing emergency healthcare to remote areas. Hear incredible rescue stories involving motorbike crashes and broken bones. Discover the vital role the RFDS plays in delivering urgent medical care in the vast Australian outback.

Explore the effects of cannabis on the brain and body, including memory, creativity, and perception of time. Learn about the limitations on cannabis study and government-sanctioned products. Discover the influence of the endocannabinoid system on our health and the potential medical benefits of cannabis.

IBM's new quantum computers Condor and Heron have significantly increased computational power and reduced errors. COP28 climate summit shows promise but faces challenges such as funding targets and involvement of fossil fuel stakeholders. An antibody treatment shows potential in protecting against fentanyl overdoses. Honeyguide birds in Africa form a unique partnership with humans to find honey. Other topics: DNA nanorobots for medical purposes and the neuroscience of jokes.

Real-life scientist Pia Sorenson, director of Harvard University's Science and Cooking program, explains how understanding chemistry and biology can help create the perfect cheese sauce. She also offers a masterclass in fermentation, teaches why your avocado goes brown, and describes how to make Lutfisk, Sweden's gelatinous answer to ceviche. Science cooking, molecular gastronomy, and the science behind making Gravelax are also explored.

This podcast discusses the upcoming COP28 climate summit and the potential influence of fossil fuel interests; explores how nutrient-rich soil contributed to the evolution of life on Earth; examines the possibilities and consequences of another star entering our solar system; reveals the electric sensing ability of dolphins; and delves into the unique sleep habits of chinstrap penguins.

Explore the history and cultivation of cannabis, from its domestication in China to its current popularity worldwide. Learn about the shift towards cannabis legalization and the changing perception and support for it in the US. Discover the wide range of cannabis products available at dispensaries and the obstacles to scientific research on cannabis.

Salt glaciers on Mercury could host extremophile bacteria, with the BepiColombo mission set to investigate further. Brain cells in mice may regulate hunger cues, offering insights into human hunger. Scientists are excited by a powerful cosmic ray from the cosmic void that hit Earth. Prenatal exposure to language enhances babies' language skills. Plants in Europe are more productive on weekends due to reduced air pollution.

Exploring the challenges and implications of living on a cube-shaped Earth, including different climates on each face of the cube. Discussing the unique ecosystem of Cube Earth, comparing it to Australia in terms of biodiversity. Speculating about the evolution of deep-sea creatures and the presence of giant sea monsters. Exploring the extreme weather and seasons that could occur on Cube Earth, as well as the challenges of extreme seasons and proposing the idea of sea labs as housing. Touching on the fear factor of deep space and the deep sea.

This is it, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve killed the sun, smushed the asteroid belt, burrowed into other planets… but now it’s time for the big one… Earth.In this two-part season finale, Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte do irreparable damage to our planet by turning it into a cube. Joining the pair in this mammoth task is geophysicist and disaster consultant Mika McKinnon. In this first episode Mika tackles the many life-changing knock-on effects of cubifying Earth, such as how only portions of the planet would be habitable, why we would need giant fish bowls on wheels to cross from one face to the other and why earthquakes would become the new normal.Dead Planets Society is a podcast that takes outlandish ideas about how to tinker with the cosmos – from punching a hole in a planet to unifying the asteroid belt to destroying the sun – and subjects them to the laws of physics to see how they fare.Your hosts are Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte.If you have a cosmic object you’d like to figure out how to destroy, email the team at deadplanets@newscientist.com. It may just feature in a later episode… And if you just want to chat about this episode or wrecking the cosmos more generally, tweet @chelswhyte and @downhereonearth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Research suggests protecting existing forests could store huge amounts of carbon dioxide. US men have a declining life expectancy, with factors such as Covid-19 and opioid use contributing. Bonobos display peaceful conflict resolution through sex. Physicists have created soap bubble lasers for affordable sensors. Plus, an AI developed by Google DeepMind excels at poker and chess.