Several weeks after the Omicron variant was first identified, it has quickly spread across the world. Early data are showing clear signals that the latest variant of concern is able to evade immunity and spread at a rate faster than any other variant to date. But many questions remain unanswered about the severity of infection, the protection afforded by natural and vaccine-derived immunity, and the impact Omicron could have on the global pandemic response. In this episode, we delve into the very latest studies to take stock of where we are so far and, in a Coronapod first, take on questions sent in by Coronapod listeners.
News: How bad is Omicron? What scientists know so far News: Omicron likely to weaken COVID vaccine protection News: Omicron-variant border bans ignore the evidence, say scientists News Feature: Beyond Omicron: what’s next for COVID’s viral evolution
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Coronapod: Omicron - your questions answered

The Nature Podcast brings you the best stories from the world of science each week. We cover everything from astronomy to zoology, highlighting the most exciting research from each issue of the Nature journal. We meet the scientists behind the results and provide in-depth analysis from Nature's journalists and editors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Many people around the world feel lonely. Chronic loneliness is known to have far-reaching health effects and has been linked to multiple conditions and even early death. But the mechanisms through which feeling alone can lead to poor health is a puzzle. Now, researchers are looking at neurons in the hopes that they may help explain why health issues arise when social needs go unmet.
This is an audio version of our Feature Why loneliness is bad for your health Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Audio long read: Why loneliness is bad for your health

In this episode:
00:46 Optical clocks at seaOptical atomic clocks are the most precise timekeeping devices on the planet, but these devices are huge and difficult to work with, limiting their use outside of the lab. Now, researchers have developed a portable optical clock and demonstrated its robustness by sending it on a perilous sea journey. The team hope that this work will pave the way to more practical uses of optical clocks, such as on satellites where they could help improve the accuracy of GPS technologies.
Research Article: Roslund et al. News and Views: Robust optical clocks promise stable timing in a portable package
09:34 Research HighlightsEvidence of ritual burning of the remains of a Maya royal family, and the first solid detection of an astrophysical tau-neutrino.
Research Highlight: Burnt remains of Maya royalty mark a dramatic power shift Research Highlight: Detectors deep in South Pole ice pin down elusive tau neutrino
11:52 How marsupial gliding membranes evolvedSeveral marsupial species have evolved a membrane called a patagium that allows them to glide gracefully from tree to tree. Experiments show that mutations in areas of DNA around the gene Emx2 were key to the evolution of this ability, which has appeared independently in multiple marsupial species.
Research article: Moreno et al. News and Views: Marsupial genomes reveal how a skin membrane for gliding evolved
19:22 Briefing ChatHow overtraining AIs can help them discover novel solutions, and researchers manage to make one-atom thick sheets of ‘goldene’.
Quanta Magazine: How Do Machines ‘Grok’ Data? Nature news: Meet ‘goldene’: this gilded cousin of graphene is also one atom thick
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How gliding marsupials got their 'wings'

Humans setting up home in outer space has long been the preserve of science fiction. Now, thanks to advances in technology and the backing of billionaires, this dream could actually be realised. But is it more likely to be a nightmare?
Kelly and Zach Weinersmith join us to discuss their new book A City on Mars and some of the medical, environmental and legal roadblocks that may prevent humanity from ultimately settling in space.
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? Kelly and Zach Weinersmith Particular Books (2023) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living on Mars would probably suck — here's why

In this episode: 
00:46 Mysterious methane emission from a cool brown dwarfThe James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is revealing the makeup of brown dwarfs — strange space objects that blur the line between a planet and a star. And it appears that methane in the atmosphere of one of these objects, named W1935, is emitting infrared radiation. Where the energy comes from is a mystery however, researchers hypothesise that the glow could be caused by an aurora in the object’s atmosphere, perhaps driven by an as-yet unseen moon.
Research Article: Faherty et al. 
10:44 Research HighlightsThe discovery that bitter taste receptors may date back 450 million years, and the first planet outside the Solar System to boast a rainbow-like phenomenon called a ‘glory’.
Research Highlight: Bitter taste receptors are even older than scientists thought Research Highlight: An exoplanet is wrapped in glory 
13:07 How working memory worksWorking memory is a fundamental process that allows us to temporarily store important information, such as the name of a person we’ve just met. However distractions can easily interrupt this process, leading to these memories vanishing. By looking at the brain activity of people doing working-memory tasks, a team have now confirmed that working memory requires two brain regions: one to hold a memory as long as you focus on it; and another to control its maintenance by helping you to not get distracted.
Research article: Daume et al. News and Views: Coupled neural activity controls working memory in humans 
22:31 Briefing ChatThe bleaching event hitting coral around the world, and the first evidence of a nitrogen-fixing eukaryote.
New York Times: The Widest-Ever Global Coral Crisis Will Hit Within Weeks, Scientists Say Nature News: Scientists discover first algae that can fix nitrogen — thanks to a tiny cell structure
Nature video: AI and robotics demystify the workings of a fly's wing
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Keys, wallet, phone: the neuroscience behind working memory

In this episode:
00:46 Mapping ‘ghost roads’ in tropical forestsAcross the world, huge numbers of illegal roads have been cut into forests. However, due to their illicit nature, the exact numbers of these roads and their impacts on ecosystems is poorly understood. To address this, researchers have undertaken a huge mapping exercise across the tropical Asia-Pacific region. Their findings reveal over a million kilometers of roads that don’t appear on official maps, and that their construction is a key driver for deforestation.
Research Article: Engert et al.
10:44 Research HighlightsHow climate change fuelled a record-breaking hailstorm in Spain, and an unusual technique helps researchers detect a tiny starquake.
Research Highlight: Baseball-sized hail in Spain began with a heatwave at sea Research Highlight: Smallest known starquakes are detected with a subtle shift of colour
13:02 Briefing ChatA clinical trial to test whether ‘mini livers’ can grow in a person’s lymph node, and the proteins that may determine left-handedness.
Nature News: ‘Mini liver’ will grow in person’s own lymph node in bold new trial Nature News: Right- or left-handed? Protein in embryo cells might help decide
Nature video: How would a starfish wear trousers? Science has an answer Vote for us in the Webbys: https://go.nature.com/3TVYHmP
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Coronapod: Omicron - your questions answered

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