In this episode:
00:45 Making a map of the human heartThe human heart consists of multiple, specialised structures that all work together to enable the organ to beat for a lifetime. But exactly which cells are present in each part of the heart has been difficult to ascertain. Now, a team has combined molecular techniques to create an atlas of the developing human heart at an individual cell level. Their atlas provides insights into how cell communities communicate and form different structures. They hope that this knowledge will ultimately help in the treatment of congenital heart conditions, often caused by irregular development of the heart.
Research article: Farah et al.
Nature video: Building a heart atlas
Residue in ceramic vases suggests that ancient Mesoamerican peoples consumed tobacco as a liquid, and a wireless way to charge quantum batteries.
Research Highlight: Buried vases hint that ancient Americans might have drunk tobacco
Research Highlight: A better way to charge a quantum battery
Menopause is a rare phenomenon, only known to occur in a few mammalian species. Several of these species are toothed whales, such as killer whales, beluga whales and narwhals. But why menopause evolved multiple times in toothed whales has been a long-standing research question. To answer it, a team examined the life history of whales with and without menopause and how this affected the number of offspring and ‘grandoffpsring’. Their results suggest that menopause allows older females to help younger generations in their families and improve their chances of survival.
Research Article: Ellis et al.
News and Views: Whales make waves in the quest to discover why menopause evolved
How the new generation of anti-obesity drugs could help people with HIV, and the study linking microplastics lodged in a key blood vessel with serious health issues.
Nature News: Blockbuster obesity drug leads to better health in people with HIV
Nature News: Landmark study links microplastics to serious health problems
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Audio long-read: What animals really think
Trump vs. Biden: what's at stake for science?
Greenland's ice will melt faster than any time in the past 12,000 years
After decades of trying, scientists coax plastic particles into a diamond-like structure
Genes chart Vikings' spread across Europe
A new way to cool computer chips — from within
Revealed: A clearer view of how general anaesthetics actually work
The challenge of reproducing results from ten-year-old code
3D-printing some of the world's lightest materials
The chemical that turns locusts from Jekyll into Hyde
Audio long-read: Pluto’s dark side is overflowing with secrets
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
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