On the tenth of June, Nature will be joining #ShutdownStem #strike4blacklives. We will be educating ourselves and defining actions we can take to help eradicate anti-Black racism in academia and STEM . Please join us.https://www.shutdownstem.com/Editorial: Systemic racism: science must listen, learn and changeNews: Thousands of scientists worldwide to go on strike for Black lives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode:00:45 Black Lives MatterThe killing of George Floyd, a black man, by police in Minnesota has sent a shockwave of anger around the globe. As unrest continues, we discuss the protests in Washington DC and ask how scientists are reacting.04:01 The outsized toll of covid-19 on people of colourReports from around the globe are showing that ethnic minorities are at much higher risk of infection and death from the coronavirus. But why might that be? And what can be done about it?News: How to address the coronavirus’s outsized toll on people of colourWorld View: How environmental racism is fuelling the coronavirus pandemic16:27 Food for thoughtRichard Van Noorden suggests some inspirational listening to learn and reflect in difficult times.Podcast: George the poet18:27 Lessons from past pandemicsThe coronavirus pandemic is just the latest of hundreds throughout history. Nick Howe interviews author Frank M Snowden about how disease has shaped society.Books and Arts: How pandemics shape social evolution Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a new method to grow hairy skin in a dish, and new research takes aim at the RNA world hypothesis.In this episode:00:45 Hairy SkinResearchers may have developed a way to make skin that can grow hair in the lab, paving the way for treatment of a variety of skin disorders, and perhaps even baldness. Research Article: Lee et al.; News and Views: Regenerative medicine could pave the way to treating baldness08:56 Research HighlightsHow mercury moved during the ‘Great Dying’, and the link between mobile phones and gender equality. Research Highlight: Giant eruptions belched toxic metal during the ‘Great Dying’; Research Article: Rotondi et al.11:21 Does DNA predate life?The RNA world hypothesis posits that RNA formed spontaneously leading eventually to life. Now new research suggests that RNA and DNA formed together, before life. Research Article: Xu et al.; News and Views: How DNA and RNA subunits might have formed to make the first genetic alphabet19:25 Pick of the BriefingWe pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the recent SpaceX launch, and the earliest fossil of a land animal. CBC: Scientists find oldest fossil of a land animal; Nature News: SpaceX to launch astronauts — and a new era of private human spaceflightSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Other linksVideo: We test a home antibody kit for tracking Covid-19 transmission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:59 Chloroquine on rocky groundPresident Trump's preferred coronavirus treatment is the focus of a new study suggesting it could cause more harm than good, but not everybody agrees. We discuss the fallout as trials around the world are paused and countries diverge over policy advice.News: India expands use of controversial coronavirus drug amid safety concernsNews: Safety fears over hyped drug hydroxychloroquine spark global confusion12:12 Are we rushing science?Coronavirus papers are being published extremely quickly, while normally healthy scientific debate is being blown up in the world’s press. Is there a balancing act between timely research and accurate messaging?18:49 One good thingOur hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including hedgerow brews and a trip into the past using AI.Recipe: Elderflower 'Champagne'Video: Denis Shiryaev restores historic footage with AI22:30 The latest coronavirus research papersNoah Baker takes a look through some of the key coronavirus papers of the last few weeks.News: Coronavirus research updatesmedRxiv: Full genome viral sequences inform patterns of SARS-CoV-2 spread into and within IsraelHarvard Library: Reductions in commuting mobility predict geographic differences in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in New York CityScience: DNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, perfecting catalysts that split water using light, and the mystery of missing matter in the Universe.In this episode:00:44 Water splittingAfter decades of research scientists have managed to achieve near perfect efficiency using a light-activated catalyst to separate hydrogen from water for fuel. Research Article: Takata et al.; News and Views: An almost perfectly efficient light-activated catalyst for producing hydrogen from water05:37 Research HighlightsThe hidden water inside the earth’s core, and how working memory ‘works’ in children. Research Highlight: Our planet’s heart is watery; Research Highlight: A child’s memory prowess is revealed by brain patterns07:53 Measuring matterEstimations of baryonic matter in the Universe have conflicted with observations, but now researchers have reconciled these differences. Research Article: Macquart et al.13:42 Pick of the BriefingWe pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the possibility of a black hole in our solar system, and the biting bees that force plants to bloom. Physics World: If ‘Planet Nine’ is a primordial black hole, could we detect it with a fleet of tiny spacecraft?; Scientific American: Bumblebees Bite Plants to Force Them to Flower (Seriously)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.

01:38 Trump vs the WHOPresident Trump has given the WHO an ultimatum in a tweet, threatening to pull out of the organisation within 30 days unless unclear demands are met. We discuss what this means for the pandemic, the USA and the future of international health cooperation.12:06 Where are we with vaccines?The first results from vaccine trials are in and they are encouraging, but scientists are still urging caution. We hear the lowdown on the types of vaccines being developed and what hope there is of rolling them out any time soon. News: Coronavirus vaccine trials have delivered their first results — but their promise is still unclearNews: The race for coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guideNews: If a coronavirus vaccine arrives, can the world make enough?25:20 One good thingOur hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including hopeful antibody research, at-home sketch comedy and printable board games.News: Potent human antibodies could inspire a vaccineVideo: Whiskers R we - SNLVideo:The wild affordable world of 1 Player Print’n’Play GamesVideo:MORE of the Very Best Solitaire Print'n'Play GamesVideo: Marble run leagueVideo: BBC goals at home (Only available in the UK)30:04 The latest coronavirus research papersNoah Baker takes a look through some of the key coronavirus papers of the last few weeks.News: Coronavirus research updatesmedRxiv: Saliva is more sensitive for SARS-CoV-2 detection in COVID-19 patients than nasopharangel swabsNature: Effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain COVID-19 in ChinaScience: Changes in contact patterns shape the dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak in ChinaNew England Journal of Medicine:  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, crafting an artificial eye with the benefits of a human's, and understanding how disk-galaxies formed by peering back in time.In this episode:00:45 Biomimetic eyeResearchers fabricate an artificial eye complete with a human-like retina. Research Article: Gu et al.; News and Views: Artificial eye boosted by hemispherical retina09:27 Research HighlightsDazzling elephant seals to avoid predation, and helping blind people ‘see’ through brain stimulation. Research Highlight: Mighty seals humbled by prey that flickers and flashes; Research Highlight: Blind people ‘read’ letters traced on their brains with electricity11:36 Early disk-galaxyThere’s an open question about how disk-galaxies form, but now new observations are pointing to an answer, from the very early Universe. Research Article: Neeleman et al.; News and Views: Galaxy disk observed to have formed shortly after the Big Bang17:47 Pick of the BriefingWe pick our highlights from the Nature Briefing, including a HIV ‘vaccine’, and incredibly hardy bacteria. Science: Long-acting injectable drug prevents HIV infections; Quanta Magazine: Inside Deep Undersea Rocks, Life Thrives Without the SunSubscribe 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.

With questionable coronavirus content flooding airwaves and online channels, what’s being done to limit its impact? In this episode: 00:57 The epidemiology of misinformationAs the pandemic spreads, so does a tidal wave of misinformation and conspiracy theories. We discuss how researchers' are tracking the spread of questionable content, and ways to limit its impact.News: Anti-vaccine movement could undermine efforts to end coronavirus pandemic, researchers warnNature Video: Infodemic: Coronavirus and the fake news pandemic 17:55 One good thingOur hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including walks in new places, an update on the Isolation Choir, and a very long music playlist.Video: The Isolation Choir sing What a Wonderful WorldSpotify: Beastie Boys Book Complete Songs22:30 Funding fears for researchersScientists around the world are concerned about the impacts that the pandemic will have on their funding and research projects. We hear from two who face uncertainty, and get an update on the plans put in place by funding organisations to support their researchers.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.

This week, Elisabeth Bik tells us about her work uncovering potential image manipulation, and a new route for particulate pollution formation.In this episode:00:45 Seeing doubleElisabeth Bik spends her days identifying duplicated images in science papers. She tells us about her efforts, and why they’re important. Feature: Meet this super-spotter of duplicated images in science papers; News: Publishers launch joint effort to tackle altered images in research papers08:11 Research HighlightsNew insights on the mysterious Tully Monster, and how football fans can stoke air pollution. Research Highlight: Unmasking the Tully Monster: fossils help to tackle a decades-old mystery; Research Highlight: The meaty link between a city’s football matches and its foul air10:29 Understanding air pollutionParticulate pollution is a serious threat to human health, but the way that new particles form is poorly understood. This week, new research suggests a new mechanism for it to happen. Research article: Wang et al.; News and Views: Airborne particles might grow fast in cities15:09 Pick of the BriefingWe pick some highlights from the Nature Briefing, including the closest discovered black hole to Earth, and how wriggly worms are helping physicists model microscopic processes. National Geographic: Closest black hole to Earth found 'hiding in plain sight'; Physics: Worm ViscositySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Other links:Our latest video - Infodemic: Coronavirus and the fake news pandemic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outbreaks among those unable to isolate are spreading under the radar. We hear about the researchers scrambling to get a handle on the situation.In this episode:01:02 How is coronavirus spreading in group settings?In order to successfully stop the coronavirus pandemic, researchers have to understand how the virus is spreading among groups unable to isolate. We hear about efforts to uncover levels of infection among homeless populations in the US, and the challenges associated with doing so.News: Ignoring outbreaks in homeless shelters is proving perilous16:49 One good thingOur hosts pick out things that have made them smile in the last week, including a virtual tour of the world, dark humour, and experimental cocktails.Rijksmuseum Masterpieces Up Close20:04 Fears rise at US drug-abuse research instituteNora Volkow is director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She tells us about her concerns for people living with substance-use disorders during the pandemic, and the damaging effect of lockdowns on NIDA’s research.News: The psychiatrist at the centre of the opioid crisisSubscribe 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.