Early in 2021 the United Kingdom, along with several other countries, allowed mass gatherings as part of a series of controlled studies aimed at better understanding the role events could play in the pandemic. The goal was to inform policy - however early results have provided limited data on viral transmission. As the Olympic games kick off in Tokyo, we delve into the research, asking what the limitations have been, if more data will become available and whether policy makers are likely to take the findings into account in the future.News: COVID and mass sport events: early studies yield limited insightsNews: Why England’s COVID ‘freedom day’ alarms researchersPodcast: Coronapod: does England's COVID strategy risk breeding deadly variants?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Funding for gun violence research in the US returns after a 20-year federal hiatus, and the glass sponges that can manipulate ocean currents.In this episode:00:45 Gun violence research is rebootedFor 20 years there has been no federally-funded research on gun violence in the US. In 2019, $25 million a year was allocated for this work. We speak to some of the researchers that are using these funds, and the questions they are trying to answer about gun violence.News Feature: Gun violence is surging — researchers finally have the money to ask whyPodcast: Stick to the science09:21 Research HighlightsStrategic laziness and yak dung help pikas survive harsh winters, and how food gets wasted in China’s supply chains.Research Highlight: Pikas in high places have a winter-time treat: yak pooResearch Highlight: China wastes almost 30% of its food11:40 How a sea sponge controls ocean currentsVenus’ flower baskets are marine sponges that live at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. These sponges have an unusual glass skeleton that helps them gather food, and even appears to control ocean currents.Research Article: Falcucci et al.News and Views: Fluid flow through a deep-sea sponge could inspire engineering designs18:55 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, investment in non-human primate facilities, and the European Union's latest climate plan.Nature News: The US is boosting funding for research monkeys in the wake of COVIDBBC News: EU unveils sweeping climate change planSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government has announced that virtually all COVID restrictions will be removed in England on Monday 18th July. This will do away with social distancing requirements, allow businesses to re-open to full capacity and remove legal mask mandates. This decision comes, however, amidst soaring infections rates in the country, driven by the delta variant.Now scientists are questioning the wisdom of this policy and asking whether the combination of high transmission and a partially vaccinated population could provide the perfect breeding ground for vaccine-resistant variants - a possibility which could have devastating global consequences.News: Why England’s COVID ‘freedom day’ alarms researchers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why heat waves disproportionately impact minorities in US cities, and the researcher that critiqued his whole career on Twitter.In this episode:00:45 How heat waves kill unequallyResearchers are beginning to unpick how historic discrimination in city planning is making the recent heat waves in North America more deadly for some than others.News Feature: Racism is magnifying the deadly impact of rising city heat11:59 Research HighlightsA graphene layer can protect paintings from age, and a new and endangered species of ‘fairy lantern’.Research Highlight: A graphene cloak keeps artworks’ colours agelesResearch Highlight: Newfound ‘fairy lantern’ could soon be snuffed out forever14:25 Self-criticismWhen researcher Nick Holmes decided to criticise his past papers, in 57 tweets, he found the reflection enlightening. Now he’s encouraging other researchers to self-criticise, to help speed scientific progress.World View: I critiqued my past papers on social media — here’s what I learnt20:53 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, Richard Branson’s commercial space flight, and the Maori perspective on Antarctic conservation.The Washington Post: Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew are safely back from space, ushering in a new eraThe New York Times: The Maori Vision of Antarctica’s Future (intermittent paywall)Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For much of the pandemic, the greatest burden of disease has been felt by older generations. But now, for the first time, vaccine roll outs are starting to skew the average age of those infections towards the young. This has led many researchers to ask what this might mean for the future of the pandemic. In this episode of Coronapod we discuss what we know and what we don't know about this change in the demographic profile of COVID infections. We ask how this might impact global vaccination efforts, disease transmission and the health and wellbeing of young people.News: Will COVID become a disease of the young?News: How kids’ immune systems can evade COVIDPodcast: Coronapod: counting the cost of long COVIDPodcast: Coronapod: Kids and COVID vaccinesSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Addressing the problem of sudden food scarcity in US cities, and the up-and-coming field of computational social science.In this episode:00:45 Food shocksClimate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical crises can cause food shortages. To tackle this issue, Alfonso Mejia and colleagues have modelled how to best mitigate these food shocks in US cities. Alfonso tells us about the new analyses and what steps cities could take in the future.Research Article: Gomez et al.News and Views: How to buffer against an urban food shortage06:07 Research HighlightsA tiny lattice can withstand the impacts of projectiles at twice the speed of sound, and the neurons that allow humans to perceive time.Research Highlight: Supersonic strikes leave just a dent in this super-light materialResearch Highlight: The ‘time neurons’ that help the brain keep track08:25 Computational Social ScienceBig data is transforming research, and social science is no exception. This week, Nature is running a special issue on ‘computational social science’. We catch up with some of the editors involved to find out more about this up-and-coming field.Collections: Computational Social Science19:27 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, discovering the dazzling diversity of viruses, and how China eradicated malaria.Nature News Feature: Beyond coronavirus: the virus discoveries transforming biologyScience: It’s official: China has eliminated malariaNature VideosDiabetes in sub-Saharan AfricaWhy leaky pipes can be better for moving waterThe artificial pancreas: a bridge to a cureSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the beginning oft he pandemic, researchers have searched for a biomarker which indicates immune protection from COVID-19 known as a correlate of protection. Now, the team developing the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have published the first results of their so-called 'breakthrough study' which indicated puts forwards thresholds of neutralising antibodies that they suggest correlate with protection. The hope is that, should these results be confirmed, such biomarkers could speed up the development of new vaccines, and provide better ways to monitor the efficacy of tweaked vaccine aimed at fighting variants.News: Scientists identify long-sought marker for COVID vaccine successSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A historian reflects on the life of Chinese crop scientist Yuan Longping, and the possible influence of geothermal energy production on earthquake aftershocks.In this episode:00:46 Remembering Yuan LongpingYuan Longping, one of China’s most famous scientists, died in May at the age of 90. Known as the ‘father of hybrid rice’, we reflect on his life and the impact of his research, which helped feed billions of people.Obituary: Yuan Longping (1930–2021)09:55 Research HighlightsThe ancient and incredibly well-preserved beetle found in dinosaur poo, and a 5,000 year old, less transmissible strain of plague bacteria.Research Highlight: A piece of Triassic poo yields a beautifully preserved beetleResearch Highlight: A hunter-gather’s bones yield the oldest known strain of plague12:14 Geothermal power and earthquake aftershocksIn 2019, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rippled through California, except – according to some researchers – at the site of a geothermal power plant. Now, a paper in Nature tries to understand why.Research paper: Im et al.16:47 Briefing ChatWe discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the new skull fossils that might expand the human family tree, and a new estimate of the age of an ancient ‘living fossil’.Nature News: Mysterious skull fossils expand human family tree — but questions remainScience: This ‘living fossil’ could reach 100 years oldSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A deluge of trials has stress-tested the systems that produce evidence.Around the world, researchers have raced to test therapies to treat COVID-19. The speed and urgency of this task has revealed both the weaknesses in the collection and use of research-based evidence, and how well-run trials have helped save lives.This is an audio version of our feature: How COVID broke the evidence pipeline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Early vaccine trials did not include pregnant or breastfeeding people which left some people asking whether COVID vaccines are safe and effective for those who are breastfeeding. The latest data suggests that they are and in this episode of Coronapod we dig into the questions scientists have been asking. Could the vaccine make it into breastmilk? Can COVID antibodies be transferred to a breastfeeding child? And if so, how?News Feature: COVID vaccines and breastfeeding: what the data saySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.