Earth's deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the sea
00:45 The deepest ecosystem ever discoveredResearchers have dived down to more than 9,000 metres below the surface of the Pacific and discovered surprisingly complex communities of life living in deep ocean trenches. The new research shows an array of animal life that appears to be using methane as a source of energy. The researchers are planning more dives to learn more about this mysterious ecosystem and how these animals can thrive despite the extreme pressure they face.Research Article: Peng et al09:36 Research HighlightsA fossilized leg bone reveals an 11-million-year-old fight between a terror bird and a caiman, plus the anti-ageing secret of ‘immortal’ stars.Research Highlight: Rumble in the Miocene: terror bird versus caimanResearch Highlight: ‘Immortal’ stars have an elixir of youth: dark matter11:45 How infections could awaken dormant cancerNew research reveals that infection by a respiratory virus has the potential to awaken dormant cancer cells. In mice studies, a team showed that inflammation caused by infection with influenza or SARS-CoV-2 could initiate the awakening of breast cancer cells that had metastasized to the lungs. Observational studies using human health data also showed that a COVID-19 infection was associated with increased risk of lung metastasis and cancer death. While the precise mechanisms are unknown, the team say that understanding the process could help mitigate any risks of cancer progression caused by a viral infection.Research Article: Chia et al.News and Views: Inflammation during viral infection can rouse dormant cancer cells21:45 Will physicists ever agree on quantum mechanics?A survey of more than 1,100 physicists has revealed that there are widely different interpretations of what quantum mechanics means for our understanding or reality. Reporter Lizzie Gibney takes us through the different ideas physicists have and asks if such disagreements even matter.Nature: Physicists disagree wildly on what quantum mechanics says about reality, Nature survey showsSubscribe 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.
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Giant laser heats solid gold to 14 times its melting point
00:46 How hot can solid gold get?A new study suggests that gold can be superheated far beyond its melting point without it becoming a liquid. Using an intense burst from a laser, a team heated a gold foil to 14 times its melting point, far beyond a theoretical limit put forward in previous studies. The team suggest that the speed at which they heated the gold allowed them to shoot past this limit, but there is scepticism about whether the team actually achieved the level of heating they report.Research Article: White et al.News and Views: Solid gold superheated to 14 times its melting temperatureNews: Superheated gold stays solid well past its predicted melting point10:05 Research HighlightsHow island life led to huge wingspans for flying foxes, and how a sugary diet ‘rewires’ a mouse’s brain.Research Highlight: How the world’s biggest bats got their enormous wingspansResearch Highlight: How sugar overload in early life affects the brain later12:30 Researchers warn about the threat of nuclear warWith increasing political polarisation and more nuclear-armed nations, researchers are warning about the threat of nuclear war. Reporter Alex Witze has been speaking to scientists, and she told us about their chief concerns and how to avoid a conflict in an era of AI and misinformation.News Feature: How to avoid nuclear war in an era of AI and misinformation23:22 Briefing ChatWhat a new AI model from China means for science, and why some dolphins use sponges to hunt.Nature: ‘Another DeepSeek moment’: Chinese AI model Kimi K2 stirs excitementAssociated Press: Some Australian dolphins use sponges to hunt fish, but it’s harder than it looksSubscribe 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.
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AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors
A simple methodological error meant that for years researchers considered drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to be healthy. Now plenty of evidence suggests that isn't the case, but errors like this still plague the scientific literature. So, how can the scientific literature become more error-free?In the first episode of this two-part series, to determine what steps can be taken to help clean up science we explore peer review, replications, AI and even paying people to detect errors.This episode was written and produced by Nick Petrić Howe. Dan Fox was the editor. The Swiss horn music came from DangerLaef on Freesound. All other sound effects and music were provided by Triple Scoop Music.Correction 25 July 2025: a previous version of this podcast incorrectly stated that one in five papers are retracted, when it should have been one in 500. This has now been updated.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.
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‘Stealth flippers’ helped this extinct mega-predator stalk its prey
In this episode:00:48 The ancient mega-predator with a ‘stealth mode’The extinct marine mega-predator Temnodontosaurus had specialised adaptations to stealthily hunt its prey, suggests an analysis of a fossil flipper. Although Temnodontosaurus was a member of a well-studied group of marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs, its lifestyle has been a mystery due to a lack of preserved soft tissue. Now, a team have studied the fossil remains of a fore-fin, revealing several anatomical details that likely reduced low-frequency noise as the animal swam. It’s thought that these adaptations helped Temnodontosaurus stalk other ichthyosaurs and squid-like creatures that made up its prey.Research Article: Lindgren et al.09:46 Research HighlightsResearch shows that future space probes could navigate using two stars as reference points, and how objects are more memorable when people encounter them while feeling positive emotions.Research Highlight: Lonely spacecraft can navigate the starsResearch Highlight: Memory gets a boost from positive emotion12:11 ‘Leaky’ mitochondria could be the root cause of sleepCumulative damage to mitochondria during waking hours could be a key driver for the need to sleep, according to new research. In fruit fly experiments, a team showed that being awake caused damage to mitochondria found in a specific set of neurons. Once this damage reaches a threshold it kicks off a process that ultimately leads to sleep. Although it’s unclear if this process occurs in humans, the researchers think this need for sleep may be an ancient process that coincided with the evolution of organisms with power-hungry nervous systems.Research Article: Sarnataro et al.23:04 The secret messages used to trick peer-review AIResearchers have been sneaking text into their papers designed to trick AI tools into giving them a positive peer-review report. Multiple instances of these prompts have been found, which are typically hidden using white text or an extremely small font invisible to humans. We discuss the rise in this practice and what is being done to tackle it.Video: Could hidden AI prompts game peer review?Nature: Scientists hide messages in papers to game AI peer review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Three weeks in a hide to spot one elusive bear: the life of a wildlife film-maker
Vianet Djenguet is an award-winning wildlife film-maker and camera operator whose work has featured in a number of major nature documentaries.In this podcast, Vianet joins us to talk about his career, how wildlife film-making have changed, and his experiences working with local researchers to capture footage of endangered animals on the new television series The Wild Ones.The Wild Ones Apple TV+ (2025)Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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