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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23 April 2020: Denisovan DNA in modern Europeans, and the birth of an unusual celestial object
Coronapod: Troubling news
Coronapod: An untapped resource
09 April 2020: A plastic-recycling enzyme, and supercooled molecules
Coronapod: Ramping up responses
02 April 2020: Dating an ancient hominid skull, and an ancient Antarctic rainforest
Coronapod: Old treatments and new hopes
25 March 2020: Ultra-fast electrical switches, and computing heart health
Podcast Extra: Rosamund Pike on portraying Marie Curie
Coronapod: “Test, test, test!”
19 March 2020: Rosamund Pike in Radioactive, and the resurgence of Russian science
Podcast Extra: Coronavirus - science in the pandemic
Long Read Podcast: Are feelings more than skin deep?
12 March 2020: An ancient bird trapped in amber, and life beneath the ocean floor
05 March 2020: Ultrafast machine vision, and quicker crystal creation
Backchat: Covering coronavirus
27 February 2020: Mapping fruit flies’ neural circuitry, and perfecting the properties of metallic glass
Podcast Extra: ‘There is lots of anxiety’: a scientist’s view from South Korea
20 February 2020: Improving battery charging, and harnessing energy from the air
13 February 2020: The puzzling structures of muddled materials, and paving the way for the quantum internet
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