A study reveals how the asexual Amazon molly defies evolutionary expectations — plus, evidence of what may be powering superluminous supernovae.

In this episode:

00:46 Unravelling the genetics of an asexual fish that should be extinct

Research Article: Ricemeyer et al.

News and Views: How an all-female fish species defies evolutionary expectations

10:19 Research Highlights

Nature: ​​​​​​​Jam-packed star system is most compact of its kind ever found

Nature: ​​​​​​​Peanut-processing microbes ward off dangerous allergic shock

11:31 How a superluminous supernova got so bright

Research Article : ​​​​​​​Farah et al.

News and Views: ​​​​​​​Ultra-bright supernova wobbles like a spinning top

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In this episode:

00:25 How paediatricians’ antibodies could treat serious viral infections

New Scientist: Paediatricians’ blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds

04:22 Galileo’s annotations in an ancient text

Science: Galileo’s handwritten notes found in ancient astronomy text

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Injectable fluid safely fills area in which blood clots can form, in animal trials — plus, strong evidence that an elusive form of diamond has been made in the lab.

00:47 A magnetic seal to stop clots forming in the heart

Research Article : Wang et al.

News and Views: Magnetic fluid offers better seal in heart-plugging medical procedure

Video: Magnetic gel injected into the heart could stop strokes

07:02 Research Highlights

Nature: Sewage systems secretly waft pollution into the air

Nature: This ant species is composed of only queens — no workers or males

11:31 Making hexagonal diamond

Research Article: Lai et al.

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This is an audio version of our Feature: Many people have no mental imagery. What’s going on in their brains?

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In this episode:

00:15 How Pokémon inspired fields as diverse as evolution, biodiversity and research integrity

Nature: Pokémon turns 30 — how the fictional pocket monsters shaped science

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High-speed footage reveals shoe squeaks can start with a tiny bolt of lightning — plus, evidence that a debated brain phenomenon exists in humans.

00:44 The science of squeaky shoes

Research Article : Djellouli et al.

Basketball sound effects via Bradley Kanaris/Getty.

09:05 Research Highlights

Nature: Runaway black hole leaves a trail of stars

Nature: Super-sticky feet help a robot to climb the walls

11:31 Evidence of hippocampal neurogenesis

Research Article: Disouky et al.

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00:25 How brains differ by sex and age

Nature: Brain differences between sexes get more pronounced from puberty

07:14 Bumblebees ‘fan themselves’ during flight to keep cool

Science: How do busy bees avoid overheating from flying?

Video: Birds gliding through bubbles reveal aerodynamic trick

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00:46 Data stored in glass

Nature: Microsoft Research Project Silica Team

Nature: Microsoft team creates 'revolutionary' data storage system that lasts for millennia

08:09 Research Highlights

Nature: Parasitic wasps use tamed virus to castrate caterpillars

Nature: Flexible joints: robot morphs into a range of cyborg species

10:10 An mRNA vaccine for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Nature: Sahin et al.

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In this episode:

00:26 Moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk, study suggests

Nature: Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people

04:15 Using AI to work out the rules of a long-forgotten board game

Scientific American: Rules of mysterious ancient Roman board game decoded by AI

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In this episode:

00:46 The immune cells that eat waste fats from fruit flies’ brains

Nature: Cho et al.

10:21 Research Highlights

Nature: Beetle is locked into an eternal dance ― with an ant

Nature: Super-sniffer aeroplane finds oil fields’ hidden emissions

12:41 Ancient DNA evidence reveals a nuanced story of the Bell Beaker Expansion

Nature: Olalde et al.

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In this episode:

00:42 External, artificial-lung system keeps patient alive for transplant

Nature: 48 hours without lungs: artificial organ kept man alive until transplant

06:22 How lung cancer in mice hijacks neurons to outwit the immune system

Nature: How tumours trick the brain into shutting down cancer-fighting cells

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