Episode 293

The future of NASA and of US science is under threat, following cuts made by the Trump administration. Johns Hopkins University lost $800 million in grants this week which will impact the health of people all over the world. At the same time, there’s chaos at NASA where the budget is set to be cut in half, with multiple people losing their jobs overnight. What missions will we have to sacrifice - and will NASA survive?

As we pump ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, some people argue this is actually a benefit to the world’s plant life. As carbon dioxide rises, photosynthesis can increase - but only up to a point. New research shows there’s a limit to this effect and many, many consequences. One study on trees suggests rising CO2  levels could impact the carbon storage capacity, and the lifespan, of the world’s forests.

Our understanding of memory has been flipped on its head. Researchers have been looking into a memory illusion that warps our perception of time. In a clever experiment, they’ve shown that experiencing something multiple times not only makes our memory of it stronger, but also makes us think it’s an older memory too. Find out what’s happening - and how there is no single thing as “memory”. 

Chapters:

(00:21) The future of NASA

(6:52) Photosynthesis collapse

(19:59) The mystery of memory

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Jacob Aron, Madeleine Cuff, Sophie Berdugo, Rob MacKenzie, Gustaf Degen, Ian Billick and Alex Easton.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 292

Chimps are often seen as our hyper-aggressive ancestral cousins, while bonobos are famously more peaceful and caring. But studies of their sexual habits and practices show they are much more alike than we realised. Both apes appear to use sex and genital contact not just to reproduce, but also to smooth tensions in the group, deal with stressful situations and handle conflict at feeding time. Sophie Bergudo has recently finished a PhD on chimp behaviour and shares insights from her time spent with wild chimps in Bossou in Guinea, West Africa. Beyond sex, she also explores a unique display of tool use among these chimps, who use stone tools to crack open nuts. Find out why this UN protected cultural behaviour is on the brink of extinction. 

Ancient humans were using tools made from animal bones over 1 million years earlier than we thought. We know our ancestors used stone tools at least 2.6 million years ago, but have only had evidence of bone use from about 400,000 years ago. But now archaeologists have unearthed at least 27 bone tools from the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, that are at least 1.5 million years old - shifting our understanding of the evolution of these technologies.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is exploring ways to grow massive biological structures in space, to be used as telescope antennas, huge nets to catch debris or space elevators linking Earth’s surface to orbit. The idea is quite ‘out there’, even for DARPA. The question is, is it even possible?

Chapters:

(00:58) Sexuality of chimps and bonobos

(17:31) Ancient animal bone tools

(22:41) Creating biological space structures

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Sophie Berdugo, Jake Brooker and Katarina Almeida-Warren.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

Listen to our previous episode on why chimps are stuck in the stone age:

https://www.newscientist.com/podcasts/weekly-why-chimps-are-still-in-the-stone-age-and-humans-are-in-the-space-age/ 

Read Sophie’s article on ancient tools here: 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435164-200-before-the-stone-age-were-the-first-tools-made-from-plants-not-rocks/

Read Rowan’s column on building a lunar space elevator here:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435200-200-how-a-space-elevator-could-make-trips-to-the-moon-affordable-for-all/ 

Image credits:

CSIC

Credit Jake Brooker/ Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust

Zanna Clay/ Lola ya Bonobo

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Episode 291

Who got better sleep - hunter-gatherers or modern-day humans? We’re constantly being told we’re in the midst of an epidemic of poor sleep, but were our ancestors spending any longer in bed than we are? The answer may well surprise you. We weigh up the pros and cons of sleeping in industrialised societies and explore the real reasons why we’re always complaining about being tired.

We often hear you can’t make up for a bad night’s sleep - once you’ve missed those precious hours in bed, no amount of lie-ins will fix the damage. But is that true? We look into the surprising impacts on your brain from racking up just a few hours of sleep debt, plus tips on how to recover from it. And if you’re in sleep debt and don’t know it, we share the signs to look out for.

Our microbiome is linked to various aspects of our health - and now it seems it shares a two-way connection with sleep. Irregular sleep patterns have been shown to boost the number of “bad” microbes living in our guts, so we unpack what’s going on. We also learn what supplements and foods you can use to improve your sleep, if cheese gives you nightmares - and whether a poop transplant can help you rest easier.

Many people are using sleep trackers these days to improve their sleep habits, but how useful are they? Some experts say sleep trackers are doing more harm than good, making you so stressed about your sleep that you struggle to get any. The team shares their experiences with sleep wearables and other tech - everything from temperature controlled mattresses to EEG brain scanners.

Naps can be good for you - if you do them the right way. Nap too long and you’ll end up feeling worse. So what’s the perfect amount of time to snooze in the afternoon? We dig into the science of naps, why the military recommends “tactical naps” and whether offices should be bringing in “nap pods” for staff. We also take a look at the strange practices of polyphasic sleeping, where you sleep in chunks throughout the day.

Sleep special: https://www.newscientist.com/subject/sleep/

Chapters:

(00:52) Are we really in a poor sleep epidemic?

(6:22) Getting into sleep debt

(16:47) How sleep affects your microbiome

(25:36) Sleep trackers and other tech

(29:28) Perfect the art of the nap

Offering their sleep tips in this special episode of the podcast are Rowan Hooper, Madeleine Cuff, Catherine de Lange and Alison George.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 290

Mice have been found saving the lives of their cagemates by performing a resuscitation technique similar to CPR. After opening the mouth of an unconscious mouse, the “attending mouse” yanks up its tongue to clear the airways and dislodges anything that’s stuck. This remarkable discovery shows that empathy and consolation behaviour is more widespread in mammals than we thought, and hints at a mouse theory of mind.

Tiny, lab-grown bits of human brain are being combined to create something that resembles a more complete organ. This “multi-region brain organoid” contains 80 per cent of the cell types found in a 40-day-old fetal brain. The team behind it aims to study conditions like autism and schizophrenia - with some suggesting they could one day be used in artificial intelligence. But this all throws up major ethical issues…at what point do these brains start feeling pain, or gain consciousness?

From wooden skyscrapers to wooden batteries, wood is being used in many innovative and surprising ways. Cross-laminated timber and densified wood are proving to be durable, sustainable alternatives to a range of other materials. And now a team has gone one step further, by creating a wood-based hair conditioner. But will this pitch black, funny smelling alternative catch on?

Chapters:

(00:29) Mice performing CPR

(10:58) Lab-grown human brains

(17:10) Making skyscrapers, cars and hair conditioner from wood

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Michael Le Page and Madeleine Cuff.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 289

Slices of mouse brains have been revived after being in deep freeze, hinting at the future possibility of reanimating humans who have been cryogenically preserved. While this is just a first step, researchers say the technique could one day be adapted to bring frozen human brains out of stasis. This may be good news for the more than 200 bodies currently in deep freeze in the US. But what kind of world will they wake up to if we do find a way?

An asteroid named 2024 YR4 is threatening to smash into Earth in just over 7 years’ time. Alarm bells are ringing and several international bodies are stepping in to take action. Astronomers will assess the threat with the James Webb Space Telescope, so we can get a measure of how big - and on how dangerous an orbit - it really is.

A technique used to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is showing huge promise in the fight against climate change. Scientists have enhanced a natural process called rock weathering, getting farmers to spread crushed rocks on their fields. If this was done the world over, the climate impact could be dramatic. Hear from a farmer in Virginia who’s been testing the method.

Have you ever been completely stuffed at the end of a meal, only to miraculously find room for a slice of cake? This is the mysterious phenomenon known as ‘dessert tummy’ - and it turns out it’s actually a real thing. Discover the science behind why you can always find extra room for a sweet treat.

Timestamps:

(00:34) Mouse brain resurrection

(11:51) Asteroid threat

(21:03) Enhanced weathering

(27:20) Science of ‘dessert tummy’

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Michael Le Page, Leah Crane, James Dinneen and Grace Wade.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 288

President Trump has launched what’s being described as an all-out assault on science and medicine. Given America’s impact on global science, this affects the entire world. Web pages referencing climate change and global warming are being deleted, words like “transgender” are being banned from medical publications and USAID has been labelled evil. As access to fundamental scientific information is put at risk, we find out how anxiety is rising among US scientists - and what it means for the rest of us.

Two studies of whale songs have uncovered striking similarities to the patterns of human language. In one study, researchers analysed and encoded around 150 unique sounds used by the males in their songs, while another study examined the length of whale “words”. What does this say about whale language - will we be able to understand what they’re saying one day?

Want to boil the perfect egg? Got 30 minutes to spare? Researchers have been rigorously testing the most scientific way to boil an egg, to ensure perfect consistency of the white and yolk - and it seems they hit the jackpot. Alex Wilkins tests the method for himself and compares it to your regular 7 minute job. The question is, is this new method worth the extra effort?

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Chelsea Whyte, with guests James Dinneen, Grace Wade, Nancy Maclean, Gretchen Goldman, James Woodford and Alex Wilkins.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 287

Chinese AI company DeepSeek unexpectedly stormed onto the scene just a few days ago - a move that has shaken the big US AI companies. The new large language model is similar to ChatGPT, but was developed for a fraction of the cost. How have they achieved this? We dig into the key technological innovations behind DeepSeek. We also discuss the potential climate gains of a more efficient AI model, whether this is the beginning of an AI-fuelled arms race between China and the US and perhaps most importantly - is it safe for you to use? All of this and a chat about the future of AGI - artificial general intelligence.

Global ocean temperatures hit record highs for 450 days straight in 2023 and early 2024. This appears to be because the world’s oceans are absorbing heat from the sun at an accelerated rate. As warming hits the highest rates predicted by climate models, what is causing this sudden jump?

Amazon river dolphins have been caught shooting pee into their friends’ snouts. A series of amazing images capture these dolphins, or botos, rolling upside-down and shooting a stream of pee into the air in a never-before-seen display. The team discuss why they’re doing it.

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Madeleine Cuff, with guests Alex Wilkins, Jeremy Hsu, Chris Merchant, Gavin Schmidt and Patty Brennan.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 286

President Trump has signed executive orders pulling the US out of the Paris climate agreement, and out of the World Health Organization. Although he claims that withdrawing from Paris will save the US $1trillion a year, the reality is much less clear. As the world’s second largest emitter and amid bans on renewable energy permits, just how catastrophic is this for global climate action? Leaving the WHO raises concerns too over the future of global health action.

You probably know of the placebo effect, but have you heard of the ‘nocebo’ effect? Known as the evil twin of the placebo, this is where being told something won’t work or is inferior can make it less effective or problematic. Find out how researchers have been testing it out.

Last year we heard the shock discovery that oxygen is being produced in the deep ocean. Believed to be coming from metallic nodules on the sea floor, the finding could upend accepted wisdom. And now the researchers who discovered this have set out on a 3 year mission for more data. Hear about the planned research and why lead researcher Andrew Sweetman has been subjected to “online bullying”.

A new exhibition at Somerset House in London is celebrating the wonder of soil, titled ‘SOIL: The World at Our Feet’. Hear from co-curators of the show, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy.

Hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss with guests James Dinneen, Michael Le Page, Alexandra Thompson and Madeleine Cuff.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

Visit: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/press/soil-the-world-at-our-feet

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Episode 285

New archaeological evidence from Iron Age Britain has shaken up long-held beliefs about the role of women in ancient civilisations. By studying the genes of the Durotriges tribe, who lived in Dorset 2000 years ago, researchers have discovered women were the centrepiece of Celtic society - supporting evidence that they had high status across Europe. Rachel Pope, Reader in European Prehistory at the University of Liverpool, explores the “jaw-dropping” findings. We also hear from author and archaeologist Rebecca Wragg-Sykes, who explains why we shouldn’t be surprised that women in prehistory had such power and autonomy.

Sudden swings in weather extremes caused by climate change could be to blame for the wildfires spreading across Los Angeles. The effect, known as “climate whiplash”, is becoming increasingly common and has wide-reaching implications, threatening crops, water supplies and more. And with the news that we breached 1.5C of global warming in 2024, we discuss what this all means for our climate goals.

The world’s first chatbot, ELIZA, has been resurrected. Created by MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum in the 1960s, it contains just 420 lines of code and is a very basic precursor to the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini. The team demonstrates its (limited) capabilities live on the show. They also discuss news of a woman who has an AI boyfriend on ChatGPT…that she has sex with.

Hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss with guests Rachel Pope, Rebecca Wragg-Sykes, James Dinneen and Madeleine Cuff.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

Book your place on the Svalbard expedition here: https://www.newscientist.com/tours/new-scientist-arctic-cruise/ 

Read Maddie’s article on the climate impacts of broken jet streams here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535264-100-is-a-broken-jet-stream-causing-extreme-weather-that-lasts-longer/

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Episode 284

Creating disease-resistant humans may before too long be a reality thanks to advancements in CRISPR gene editing. It’s now possible to make dozens - if not hundreds - of edits to different genes at once. As the field progresses rapidly, a controversial paper published in Nature explores just how powerful this technology could be in protecting against diseases like Alzheimer’s and diabetes. But how safe is gene-editing? The paper has been criticised amid safety and ethical concerns, as well as the danger this could give rise to eugenics and designer babies.

A person in Louisiana has died from bird flu, the first known death related to the H5N1 virus in the United States. Alarms are now being raised that bird flu could mutate and lead to another covid-like pandemic. The virus has evolved to infect many species of mammals, most recently dairy cows. But given we’ve been aware of this disease for decades and have stockpiled vaccines, what are the real concerns here? Hear from experts Meghan Davis and Andy Pekosz from Johns Hopkins University.

Italian physicists have been working on an extremely important question related to…pasta. While working in Germany, Ivan Di Terlizzi and Giacomo Bartolucci became frustrated that they couldn’t perfectly recreate one of their favourite pasta meals - cacio e pepe. Thankfully, using their knowledge of phase behaviour, they figured out what was going on…in incredible detail. And bizarrely they suggest the finding may have implications for our understanding of the origins of life.

Hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss with guests Michael Le Page and Grace Wade.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 283

On this special episode of the podcast, we set you up for the year ahead. 2025 has been declared the year of humanoid robots. Futuristic robots that look like us are already being rolled out by companies like BMW and Tesla - and production is set to ramp up. One company is even planning to create an army of 10,000 warehouse robots called Digit.

We’re going to see big changes in the food industry too, as the US is set to approve CRISPR gene editing for pigs. The idea is to create elite livestock that are less prone to illness and can feed more people. Bananas are having their genes edited too, so they can fight off a major fungal disease that’s spreading around the world. And new types of butter, chocolate and ice cream are being made without the help of agriculture, just microbes.

Ozempic is showing surprising promise in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Based on a growing body of evidence, two big trials are looking into this unlikely connection and are set to conclude in 2025. If the results are positive, this could be a real breakthrough for the treatment of the disease.

Geoengineering is picking up, with more research and financing going towards plans to artificially cool the planet. Many methods are being explored, but one major area of interest this year is solar geoengineering, with the world’s largest conference on the subject set to take place in South Africa in May.

COP30 arrives this year and after the blowout that was COP29, tensions are high and motivation is low. With the US set to pull out of the Paris Agreement, will we be able to move forward on climate action, or will we be dragged backwards?

And it’s been more than 20 years since the last flight of Concorde, a supersonic commercial plane which failed for multiple reasons - one of those being just how loud it was. Now, in 2025, NASA is trying to fix that problem by creating a quiet supersonic plane, with other companies following suit. Will we go supersonic again this year?

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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