As we were putting the finishing touches to last week’s Science in Action, the US National Weather Service was warning of Hurricane Helene’s fast approach to the Florida coast – alerting people to ‘unsurvivable’ storm surges of up to 6 metres. But the category 4 storm powered, as forecast, far past the coast and into the rugged interior of Tennessee and the Carolinas. 150 billion tonnes of rainfall are estimated to have been dumped there, with devastating consequences for the towns and villages snuggled into the deep-cut valleys of the region. Bloomberg says the event could cost $160 billion. Extreme warmth in the Gulf of Mexico helped fuel the hurricane, and within a few days Berkeley climatologist Michael Wehner had computed the fingerprint of climate change on the event. The journal Nature published this week a study estimating the true number of casualties of hurricanes like Helene – not just those registered in the immediate aftermath, deaths caused by the instant trauma, but those in the months, even years, that follow, because of the disruption to lives and infrastructure. Rachel Young of Stanford University was herself surprised by the scale of harm her calculations revealed. At least the dams held in North Carolina during Helene, although the sight of torrents of water gushing down the protective spillways at the peak was fearsome to see. A year ago, the two dams upstream of the Libyan port Derna both failed during Storm Daniel – ripping out the heart of the city and claiming at least 6000 lives. We reported what we could at the time here on Science in Action. But a World Bank study on the disaster reported back to an international dam conference in India this week a more detailed investigation – though the fractious politics of Libya put constraints on their work. Climate change was a massive part – normal monthly September rain in the area is 1.5 mm – but over 200 mm, maybe 400, fell on the hills behind Derna the night of the 10th. But it was the report of independent engineer Ahmed Chraibi that interested Science in Action – on the condition of the two dams, one just on the edge of the city, the other larger one 15 km upstream. He confirmed these had been built, in the 70s, for flood protection not to store water, but were in a shocking state long before last year’s cataclysm. You’ve not been paying attention here in the past 5 years if you haven’t learned how clever our immune system is in recognising viruses that invade our bodies. Different arms of the system like antibodies and white blood cells can take on the viruses directly, or kill infected cells to stop the infection spreading further. But it’s slow to respond to new infections, which is why our pharmacies also stock antivirals, small molecules which also lock onto components of viruses to stop them replicating. Too often though, they’re not as effective as we’d like. Flu antivirals for example work only if you catch the infection very early. So I was intrigued to read in the Proceedings of the National Academy this week of a new kind of drug that is like an antiviral, but gets the immune system to do the hard work. Imrul Shahria reckoned there are all kinds of antibodies and immune cells floating through our tissues not doing much, but that could be tricked into tackling flu infections – with a little molecular deception. He's effectively hacked the flu antiviral zanamivir which locks onto the neuraminidase protein – the N – of flu viruses, and given it immune superpowers. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield Production co-ordinator: Andrew Rhys Lewis(Photo: Hurricane Helene causes massive flooding across swaths of western North Carolina. Credit: Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Valerie Trouet, a tree-ring expert from the University of Arizona, reveals how centuries of jet stream patterns have shaped extreme weather in Europe, driving agricultural outcomes and public health crises. Andy Tomkins from Monash University discusses a fascinating theory about a dust ring encircling Earth 460 million years ago, potentially cooling the planet after an asteroid encounter. The podcast also touches on neuroendocrine cells and airway protection, illustrating the intersection of ancient climate events and contemporary science.

Moshe Armon from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discusses unusual flash floods sweeping through the Sahara due to an extratropical cyclone. Brian Huber from the Smithsonian sheds light on a 485 million-year temperature record revealing Earth’s climate variability. Mary Lewis from Reading University explores puberty in ancient adolescents, showing striking similarities between their development and that of today’s teens. The conversation spans climate change implications and intriguing insights into our ancestors' lives.

Join Paula Koelemeijer, an expert on megatsunamis, alongside Wieter Boone and Søren Rysgaard as they dive into the recent megatsunami in Greenland's Dickson Fjord. They discuss the stunning 200-meter wave caused by a massive rockslide and its global seismic impact. The conversation reveals how climate change is influencing landslide frequency, raising concerns about coastal stability. They also shed light on the challenges researchers face in monitoring these phenomena and the implications for future environmental safety.

John Pettersson, a researcher from Uppsala University, delves into alarming findings from China regarding viruses in fur-farmed animals like minks and raccoon dogs. He highlights their potential to cross species barriers and pose serious threats to humans. The conversation also covers the innovative Pathoplexus virus database designed for faster gene sequence sharing. Additionally, the podcast discusses a promising new monkeypox vaccine from Moderna and intriguing insights into how parental communication shapes the behavior of gull chicks.

Jerry Ehman, the astronomer famous for discovering the Wow! signal in 1977, joins astrophysicist Abel Méndez to discuss the implications of this mysterious radio transmission. They explore a new hypothesis linking the Wow! signal to environmental phenomena. The conversation also touches on the alarming potential of ecological disasters, like ongoing oil spills, and highlights the interconnectedness of cosmic signals and environmental science. Their insights reveal how much more there is to discover in both the cosmos and our own planet.

Rainer Froese, a researcher at GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, reveals that fishery assessment models may significantly overestimate the sustainability of global fisheries. He emphasizes the urgency for improved fisheries management to combat alarming declines in fish populations. The discussion also touches on the positive implications of sustainable practices and the dire consequences of overfishing. This engaging dialogue highlights the intricate balance needed for marine ecosystems to thrive.

Professor Wanda Markotter, a leading expert at the Centre for Viral Zoonoses, discusses the alarming emergence of rabies among Cape fur seals, triggered by a seal biting a dog. She shares insights into the complexities of zoonotic disease transmission and stresses the urgent need for preventive measures to protect wildlife and humans. Wanda highlights the collaborative research efforts addressing this outbreak, revealing the ecological implications and the challenges of sampling live and deceased seals in the field.

Amy Maxmen, an investigative health reporter, discusses alarming undetected bird flu cases among farm workers, highlighting poor surveillance and health response challenges. Bradley Moore, a Marine Chemical Biology professor, shares insights on the toxic golden alga Primnesium parven and its ecological impacts. Jonathan Amos, a BBC science correspondent, updates on stranded astronauts who may miss summer in space. Lastly, innovative research using sea lions with cameras is explored, providing new ways to study ocean habitats in southern Australia.

Nasa's Perseverance Rover has found a fascinating rock on Mars that may indicate it hosted microbial life billions of years ago. Abigail Allwood, exobiologist at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab, is on the team scrutinising the new Martian data. And a couple of newly discovered, approximately 500 year old fossils from the ‘Cambrian explosion’ of complexity caught presenter Roland Pease’s eye this week. First Martin Smith from Durham University tells us about a tiny grub that is ancestor to worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans. Then Ma Xiaoya, who has positions at both Yunnan University in China and Exeter University in the UK, tells us about a spiny slug that was also discovered in a famous fossil site in China. And the first sightings of the landscapes on the underside of the ice shelves that fringe Antarctica. These float atop the ocean around the frozen continent but effectively hold back the glaciers and ice sheets on the vast landmass. Their physical condition therefore is pretty critical in this warming world, Anna Wåhlin of Gothenburg University tells us. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Jonathan Blackwell Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Photo: Nasa’s Perseverance Mars rover taking a selfie on Mars. Credit: Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)