Nature Podcast

Hosted by Springer Nature Limited

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943

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Nov 2026

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About the show

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 award-winning journalists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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60 recent

November 13, 202636 min

The climate crisis: What the data really say | Cooked? Ep 1

In the first of our new podcast series, a Nature reporter looks for reasons for hope in the face of overwhelming climate anxiety. The past year has been... a lot. Record-breaking temperatures, devastating floods and catastrophic wildfires have brought the realities of climate change into sharp focus for people around the world. At the same time, many governments and organisations have scaled back on their climate action. If you’re anything like me you might be feeling it’s all a bit ‘doom and gloom’. So in this series I decided to face my climate anxiety head on and set out in search of reasons for optimism. In this first episode of Cooked? I talk to experts around the world about what the data really show and why there are still reasons to hope. 00:00 How climate change feels overwhelming 04:27 What the data say about renewables 11:23 Will AI stall climate progress? 21:49 How are the world’s nations doing on climate change? 35:13 Preview of next time Further reading: Nature: COP31 kicks off as planet faces imminent overshoot of 1.5 °C climate target Nature: How much energy will AI really consume? The good, the bad and the unknown Nature: Biotech innovations are an opportunity to limit climate change This episode was written and produced by Nick Petrić Howe. Dan Fox was the editor. Music was by Daniel Knowler, Akio Jefferson, Lionel Cohen and The Conductor, and was provided by Triple Scoop Music via Getty Images. Thanks to Hannah Ritchie, Ketan Joshi and Niklas Höhne for featuring in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 11, 202624 min

Too dry for cacti: extreme droughts could push iconic species to extinction

In this episode: 00:45 How extreme climatic events threaten cacti Research Article: Pillet et al. 11:08 Research Highlights Nature: Cholera bacterium’s good deed: inspiring a glue with rare properties Nature: First-of-its-kind planetary wreckage holds clues to our Solar System’s fate 13:41 Testing a new way to define obesity Research Article: Pan et al. Nature: Move over BMI: new obesity definition is better for predicting your health Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 6, 202610 min

Briefing Chat: Meet the snakes that cartwheel away from trouble

In this episode: 00:27 The snake that rolls at the first sign of danger Tiktok: This snake does cartwheels Research article: Kojima et al. 05:10 Evidence of ancient blood cells in a dinosaur fossil Science: Did scientists just find 115-million-year-old dinosaur blood? Nature: Patrick Stewart dies: how Captain Picard inspired today’s science leaders 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.

November 4, 202625 min

Ancient DNA charts spread of Celtic and Germanic languages

Ancient genomes from thousands of individuals show how migrations helped shape Celtic and Germanic languages — plus, how the brain may regulate emotions differently than we thought. 00:49 How Celtic and Germanic languages spread across Europe Research Article: McColl et al. Research Article: McColl et al. 13:00 Research Highlights Nature: Barn owls’ ancestors made a transatlantic flight Nature: Even stupendous black holes can’t explain dark matter 15:34 Why part of the brain may not be controlling emotions in the way researchers thought Research Article: Sicorello et al. Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Correction: This article originally stated Simon Rodway’s name incorrectly. The podcast has now been updated to correct this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 30, 20269 min

Briefing Chat: Dog years: could longevity science extend your pets' lives?

Nature staff discuss the emerging field of pet longevity — plus, a researcher decides not to care about their student reviews. Are they wrong? 00:24 Could research help boost your dog’s lifespan? Nature: Can science make your dog live longer? Longevity craze comes to pets 05:16 Is it wrong to not care about student reviews? Nature: What students think about my teaching doesn’t matter. Am I wrong? 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.

October 28, 202626 min

This Arabian desert was once a lush paradise. Why did ancient humans avoid it?

Expedition revealed that water wasn’t enough for human settlement — plus, proposals to block sunlight get serious. 00:49 A failed desert expedition to find human tools reveals what humans needed to thrive Research Article: Dellmour et al. 12:33 Research Highlights Nature: Sleep declines in rural communities after electricity arrives Nature: AI doctors’ orders come with a sky-high bill 15:14 Could satellites help cool the Earth? Nature: Could a giant sunshade in space 'solve global warming'? Scientists are taking the idea 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.

October 23, 202614 min

Briefing Chat: How physicists successfully trapped the electron's antimatter equivalent

In this episode: 00:21 New experiment looking for mismatch between matter and antimatter Nature: A single antimatter particle in a cage opens door to ‘revolutionary’ physics 08:32 JAXA's mission to Phobos Aerospace America: JAXA’s MMX mission will include the first wheeled rover to drive in ultra-low gravity 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.

October 21, 202619 min

Scientists put a salt marsh in a giant wave-machine: here's what they learned

In this episode: 00:46 How salt marshes could protect coastal regions from super-storms Research Article: Willemsen et al. 10:56 Research Highlights Nature: Orangutan mothers arrange play dates for their babies Nature: Lead-tainted teeth reveal medieval mines’ unequal toll 13:30 Putting a face to the Denisovans Research Article: Xing et al. Nature: This is what the mysterious Denisovans looked like 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.

October 19, 202616 min

Audio long read: How to stay smart in the age of AI — the science of critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that is under threat from the AI revolution in large language models. But all is not lost. Specialists in education and cognition have long been studying critical thinking, and some have useful tips on how to stay cognitively sharp in the age of AI. This is an audio version of our Feature: How to stay smart in the age of AI: the science of critical thinking Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 16, 20269 min

Briefing Chat: An invisible tattoo that appears under UV light – and then disappears

In this episode: 00:15 An appearing, disappearing tattoo ink Nature: Watch this invisible tattoo appear under UV light 04:13 How the epigenome could help explain why big dogs age faster Nature: Big dogs age faster than little ones — rogue ‘jumping genes’ might be to blame 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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