Nature Podcast

By Springer Nature Limited

News & Politics Technology Science & Medicine

What's Nature Podcast about?

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 Nature journal. We meet the scientists behind the results and provide in-depth analysis from Nature's journalists and editors.

For complete access to the original papers featured in the Nature Podcast, subscribe to Nature.

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Why skin grows bigger as yo...

07.29.2020

Skin's unusual response to stretching is finally explained, and the latest in a huge effort to map DNA. In this episode: 01:06 Stretching skin For decades it’s been known that stretching skin causes more skin to grow, but the reasons ...

Nature Podcast episodes:

07.29.2020 Why skin grows bigger as you stretch it Skin's unusual response to stretching is finally explained, and the latest in a huge effort to map DNA. In this episode: 01:06 Stretching skin For decades it’s been known that stretching skin causes more skin to grow, but the reasons ...
07.22.2020 When did people arrive in the Americas? New evidence stokes debate New evidence may push back the date on human arrival to the Americas, and an examination of science’s flaws. In this episode: 00:59 Ancient Americans Two papers suggest that humans were present in the Americas thousands of years before many ...
07.15.2020 Graphene’s magic angle reveals a new twist Probing the superconducting properties of graphene and bacteria that can use manganese to grow. 01:15 Magic angle graphene If you sandwich two sheets of graphene together and twist one in just the right way, it can gain some superconducting properties. ...
07.10.2020 Coronapod: Massive coronavirus outbreak strikes iconic Californian prison after it rejected expert aid In this episode: 01:47 Disaster in San Quentin San Quentin prison is facing a massive outbreak, we dig into how they got there. The crisis has arisen despite warnings from experts, and offers of free tests, which were declined. We ...
07.08.2020 The six-year-old space agency with hopes for Mars On this week’s podcast, an ambitious Mars mission from a young space agency, and how crumbling up rocks could help fight climate change. In this episode: 00:46 Mars hopes In a few weeks the UAE’s first mission to Mars is ...
07.03.2020 Coronapod: Lessons from pandemic ‘war-game’ simulations Next week, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show. In this episode: 02:15 Simulating pandemics Researchers have run numerous military-style simulations to predict ...
07.01.2020 What the atomic structure of enamel tells us about tooth decay On this week’s podcast, how the molecular structure of tooth enamel may impact decay, and a mysterious planetary core from a half-formed gas giant. In this episode: 00:46 Unravelling tooth enamel Researchers have been looking into the structure and composition ...
06.26.2020 Coronapod: The state of the pandemic, six months in In a few weeks, we’ll be wrapping up Coronapod in its current form. Please fill out our short survey to let us know your thoughts on the show. In this episode: 03:13 What have we learnt? We take a look ...
06.24.2020 How playing poker can help you make decisions On this week’s podcast, life lessons from poker, and keeping things civil during peer review. In this episode: 00:44 Deciding to play poker When writer Maria Konnikova wanted to better understand the human decision making process, she took a rather ...
06.19.2020 Coronapod: Dexamethasone, the cheap steroid that could cut coronavirus deaths Hope rises as the first potentially life-saving treatment emerges from drug trials. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
06.17.2020 Incest in the elite of Neolithic Ireland This week, researchers make diamonds tough, and evidence of incest in a 5,000 year old tomb. In this episode: 00:51 Tough versus hard Diamonds are famed for their hardness, but they are not so resistant to fracture. Now, researchers have ...
06.15.2020 Long Read Podcast: Enigmatic neutron stars may soon give up their secrets An instrument on the International Space Station is providing new insights into some of the Universe’s most baffling objects. Neutron stars have puzzled scientists for decades. It’s known that these ultra-dense objects are born from the remnants of supernovae, yet ...
06.12.2020 Coronapod: The Surgisphere scandal that rocked coronavirus drug research In this episode: 00:52 Testing disparities As testing capacities increase, it is clear that not everyone has equal access. But grassroots organisations are trying to correct this inequity. We hear about one researcher’s fight to get testing to those below ...
06.11.2020 The quantum space lab This week, the spaceborne lab that allows investigation of quantum states, and the debate surrounding how mountain height is maintained. Shutdown Stem On the tenth of June, Nature joined #ShutdownStem #strike4blacklives. Podcast: #ShutDownSTEM and the Nature Podcast https://www.shutdownstem.com/ Editorial: Systemic ...
06.09.2020 #ShutDownSTEM and the Nature Podcast 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 ...
06.05.2020 Coronapod: The heavy toll on people of colour In this episode: 00:45 Black Lives Matter The 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 ...
06.03.2020 Lab-made skin grows its own hair 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 Skin Researchers may have developed a way to make skin that can grow ...
05.29.2020 Coronapod: The divisive hydroxychloroquine study that's triggering mass confusion 00:59 Chloroquine on rocky ground President 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 ...
05.27.2020 Super-efficient catalyst boosts hopes for hydrogen fuel This week, perfecting catalysts that split water using light, and the mystery of missing matter in the Universe. In this episode: 00:44 Water splitting After decades of research scientists have managed to achieve near perfect efficiency using a light-activated catalyst ...
05.22.2020 Coronapod: Hope and caution greet vaccine trial result, and Trump vs the WHO 01:38 Trump vs the WHO President 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 ...
05.20.2020 A synthetic eye that 'sees' like a human 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 eye Researchers fabricate an artificial eye complete with a human-like retina. Research Article: ...
05.15.2020 Coronapod: The misinformation pandemic, and science funding fears 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 misinformation As the pandemic spreads, so does a tidal wave of misinformation and conspiracy theories. We discuss ...
05.13.2020 The super-sleuth who spots trouble in science papers, and the puzzle of urban smog 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 double Elisabeth Bik spends her days identifying duplicated images in science papers. She tells ...
05.08.2020 Coronapod: The dangers of ignoring outbreaks in homeless shelters, plus coronavirus and drug abuse Outbreaks among those unable to isolate are spreading under the radar. We hear about the researchers scrambling to get a handle on the situation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
05.06.2020 07 May 2020: Galileo and the science deniers, and physicists probe the mysterious pion This week, a new way to study elusive subatomic particles - pions, and the story of Galileo remains relevant in a time of modern science denialism. In this episode: 00:46 Probing pions Pions are incredibly unstable and difficult-to-study subatomic particles. ...
05.01.2020 Coronapod: What use are contact tracing apps? And new hopes for coronavirus drug remdesivir The Coronapod team pick through the latest news, plus we hear from the researchers making lemonade out of lockdown lemons. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
04.29.2020 30 April 2020: A sniff test for consciousness, and how to cut antibiotics use — with vaccines This week, how the ‘sniff-response’ can help clinicians determine a patient's state of consciousness, and how vaccines could help drive down antibiotic use. In this episode: 00:45 Sniffing out consciousness Researchers have found that the sniff reflex can indicate whether ...
04.24.2020 Coronapod: The race to expand antibody testing Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the role of antibody tests in controlling the pandemic, and how public-health spending could curtail an economic crisis. Also on the show, the open hardware community's efforts to produce medical equipment. See ...
04.22.2020 23 April 2020: Denisovan DNA in modern Europeans, and the birth of an unusual celestial object This week, evidence of ancient hominin DNA in modern human genomes, and the origin of a snowman-shaped object at the edge of the solar system. In this episode: 00:45 Intermixing of ancient hominins By combing through the DNA of over ...
04.17.2020 Coronapod: Troubling news Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss Trump withholding funds from the WHO, and how COVID-19 kills. We also hear about controlling misinformation while communicating risk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
04.10.2020 Coronapod: An untapped resource Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the labs struggling to get involved in diagnostic testing, and should you be wearing a mask? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
04.08.2020 09 April 2020: A plastic-recycling enzyme, and supercooled molecules This week, a new enzyme speeds up the breakdown of plastic bottles, and a method to cool molecules to a fraction above absolute zero. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
04.03.2020 Coronapod: Ramping up responses The latest on the British response, and what low- and middle-income countries have done to prepare for the pandemic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
04.01.2020 02 April 2020: Dating an ancient hominid skull, and an ancient Antarctic rainforest This week, reassessing the age of the ‘Broken Hill skull’, and unearthing evidence of an ancient forest near the South Pole. In this episode: 01:25 A skull’s place in history After nearly a century scientists believe they’ve finally pinned down ...
03.27.2020 Coronapod: Old treatments and new hopes Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss efforts to develop treatments for COVID-19. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
03.25.2020 25 March 2020: Ultra-fast electrical switches, and computing heart health This week, a speedy, yet simple switch, and a video-based AI helps assess heart health. In this episode: 01:57 Speedy switches Researchers have developed an ultra-fast electrical switch that they hope can be used in communication and imaging applications. Research ...
03.21.2020 Podcast Extra: Rosamund Pike on portraying Marie Curie Radioactive is a new biopic on Marie Skłodowska Curie with Rosamund Pike taking on the role of Curie. This Podcast Extra is an extended version of reporter Lizzie Gibney's interview with Rosamund, in which they talk about stepping into the ...
03.20.2020 Coronapod: “Test, test, test!” In the first of our new podcast series, Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker, and Amy Maxmen discuss the epidemiology needed to control the Covid-19 outbreak. In this episode: 03:57 Testing times Case numbers of Covid-19 have leapt around the world in ...
03.18.2020 19 March 2020: Rosamund Pike in Radioactive, and the resurgence of Russian science This week, we speak to Rosamund Pike about her experience portraying Marie Skłodowska Curie, and we find out how science in Russia is changing after years of decline. In this episode: 01:43 Radioactive British actor Rosamund Pike tells us about ...
03.17.2020 Podcast Extra: Coronavirus - science in the pandemic In this Podcast Extra, we hear from epidemiologists, genomicists and social scientists about how they're working to tackle the coronavirus and what they've learned so far. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
03.13.2020 Long Read Podcast: Are feelings more than skin deep? Research in the 1960s and 1970s suggested that emotional expressions – smiling when happy, scowling when angry, and so on – were universal. This idea stood unchallenged for a generation. But a new cohort of psychologists and cognitive scientists are ...
03.11.2020 12 March 2020: An ancient bird trapped in amber, and life beneath the ocean floor This week, a newly discovered bird species from the time of the dinosaurs, and microbes hundreds of metres below the ocean floor. Read more in this article. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02214-7 The retracted paper can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2068-4 08:09 Research Highlights Dental ...
03.04.2020 05 March 2020: Ultrafast machine vision, and quicker crystal creation This week, improving computers’ image identification, and a new method for growing crystals. 00:44 Upgrading computer sight Researchers have designed a sensor that allows machines to assess images in nanoseconds. Research Article: Mennel et al.; News and Views: In-sensor computing ...
02.28.2020 Backchat: Covering coronavirus In this edition of Backchat we take a deep dive into Nature's coverage of coronavirus. As cases climb, what are some of the challenges involved in reporting on the virus? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
02.26.2020 27 February 2020: Mapping fruit flies’ neural circuitry, and perfecting the properties of metallic glass This week, the brain pathways of egg laying in fruit flies, and preventing fractures in metallic glass. In this episode: 00:46 Working out the wiring behind fruit fly behaviour Researchers have identified a neural circuit linking mating and egg laying ...
02.26.2020 Podcast Extra: ‘There is lots of anxiety’: a scientist’s view from South Korea In recent days, the number of coronavirus cases have surged in South Korea. In this Podcast Extra Nick Howe speaks to Bartosz Gryzbowski, a researcher based in the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, which is just 60km away ...
02.19.2020 20 February 2020: Improving battery charging, and harnessing energy from the air This week, machine learning helps batteries charge faster, and using bacterial nanowires to generate electricity from thin air. In this episode: 00:46 Better battery charging A machine learning algorithm reveals how to quickly charge batteries without damaging them. Research Article: ...
02.12.2020 13 February 2020: The puzzling structures of muddled materials, and paving the way for the quantum internet This week, uncovering the structure of materials with useful properties, and quantum entanglement over long distances. In this episode: 00:45 Analysing Prussian blues Analogues of the paint pigment Prussian blue are used in a variety of chemical processes. Now, researchers ...
02.05.2020 06 February 2020: Out-of-office emails and work-life-balance, and an update on the novel coronavirus outbreak This week, how setting an out-of-office email could help promote a kinder academic culture. In this episode: 00:47 Being truly out of office Last year, a viral tweet about emails sparked a deeper conversation about academics’ work-life-balance. Could email etiquette ...
01.29.2020 30 January 2020: Linking Australian bushfires to climate change, and Asimov's robot ethics This week, establishing the role of climate change in Australian bushfires, and revisiting Isaac Asimov’s ethical rules for robots. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Older episodes

Nature Podcast

What's Nature Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Nature Podcast episodes:

Why skin grows bigger as you stretch it

When did people arrive in the Americas? New evidence stokes debate

Graphene’s magic angle reveals a new twist

Coronapod: Massive coronavirus outbreak strikes iconic Californian prison after it rejected expert aid

The six-year-old space agency with hopes for Mars

Coronapod: Lessons from pandemic ‘war-game’ simulations

What the atomic structure of enamel tells us about tooth decay

Coronapod: The state of the pandemic, six months in

How playing poker can help you make decisions

Coronapod: Dexamethasone, the cheap steroid that could cut coronavirus deaths

Incest in the elite of Neolithic Ireland

Long Read Podcast: Enigmatic neutron stars may soon give up their secrets

Coronapod: The Surgisphere scandal that rocked coronavirus drug research

The quantum space lab

#ShutDownSTEM and the Nature Podcast

Coronapod: The heavy toll on people of colour

Lab-made skin grows its own hair

Coronapod: The divisive hydroxychloroquine study that's triggering mass confusion

Super-efficient catalyst boosts hopes for hydrogen fuel

Coronapod: Hope and caution greet vaccine trial result, and Trump vs the WHO

A synthetic eye that 'sees' like a human

Coronapod: The misinformation pandemic, and science funding fears

The super-sleuth who spots trouble in science papers, and the puzzle of urban smog

Coronapod: The dangers of ignoring outbreaks in homeless shelters, plus coronavirus and drug abuse

07 May 2020: Galileo and the science deniers, and physicists probe the mysterious pion

Coronapod: What use are contact tracing apps? And new hopes for coronavirus drug remdesivir

30 April 2020: A sniff test for consciousness, and how to cut antibiotics use — with vaccines

Coronapod: The race to expand antibody testing

23 April 2020: Denisovan DNA in modern Europeans, and the birth of an unusual celestial object

Coronapod: Troubling news

Coronapod: An untapped resource

09 April 2020: A plastic-recycling enzyme, and supercooled molecules

Coronapod: Ramping up responses

02 April 2020: Dating an ancient hominid skull, and an ancient Antarctic rainforest

Coronapod: Old treatments and new hopes

25 March 2020: Ultra-fast electrical switches, and computing heart health

Podcast Extra: Rosamund Pike on portraying Marie Curie

Coronapod: “Test, test, test!”

19 March 2020: Rosamund Pike in Radioactive, and the resurgence of Russian science

Podcast Extra: Coronavirus - science in the pandemic

Long Read Podcast: Are feelings more than skin deep?

12 March 2020: An ancient bird trapped in amber, and life beneath the ocean floor

05 March 2020: Ultrafast machine vision, and quicker crystal creation

Backchat: Covering coronavirus

27 February 2020: Mapping fruit flies’ neural circuitry, and perfecting the properties of metallic glass

Podcast Extra: ‘There is lots of anxiety’: a scientist’s view from South Korea

20 February 2020: Improving battery charging, and harnessing energy from the air

13 February 2020: The puzzling structures of muddled materials, and paving the way for the quantum internet

06 February 2020: Out-of-office emails and work-life-balance, and an update on the novel coronavirus outbreak

30 January 2020: Linking Australian bushfires to climate change, and Asimov's robot ethics

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