In this episode:
Researchers at Google Deepmind have developed an AI that can solve International Mathematical Olympiad-level geometry problems, something previous AIs have struggled with. They provided the system with a huge number of random mathematical theorems and proofs, which it used to approximate general rules of geometry. The AI then applied these rules to solve the Olympiad problems and show its workings for humans to check. The researchers hope their system shows that it is possible for AIs to ‘learn’ basic principles from large amounts of data and use them to tackle complex logical challenges, which could prove useful in fields outside mathematics.
Research article: Trinh et al.
A stiff and squishy ‘hydrospongel’ — part sponge, part hydrogel — that could find use in soft robotics, and how the spread of rice paddies in sub-Saharan Africa helps to drive up atmospheric methane levels.
Research Highlight: Stiff gel as squishable as a sponge takes its cue from cartilage
Research Highlight: A bounty of rice comes at a price: soaring methane emissions
Mass Mortality Events, sometimes called mass die-offs, can result in huge numbers of a single species perishing in a short period of time. But there’s not a huge amount known about the effects that events like these might be having on wider ecosystems. Now, a team of researchers have built a model ecosystem to observe the impact of mass die-offs on the delicate balance of populations within it.
Research article: Tye et al.
An update on efforts to remove the stuck screws on OSIRIS-REx’s sample container, the ancient, fossilized skin that was preserved in petroleum, and a radical suggestion to save the Caribbean’s coral reefs.
OSIRIS-REx Mission Blog: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Team Clears Hurdle to Access Remaining Bennu Sample
Nature News: This is the oldest fossilized reptile skin ever found — it pre-dates the dinosaurs
Nature News: Can foreign coral save a dying reef? Radical idea sparks debate
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19 September 2019: XKCD, and Extinction Rebellion
12 September 2019: Modelling early embryos, and male-dominated conferences
05 September 2019: Persistent antibiotic resistance, and modelling hot cities
Nature PastCast, August 1975: Antibodies’ ascendency to blockbuster drug status
29 August 2019: Carbon-based computing, and depleting ancient-human genomes
22 August 2019: Combating online hate speech, and identifying early fossils
15 August 2019: Atomic espionage in the Second World War, and exploring the early Universe
08 August 2019: A mindset for success, and mercury in fish
01 August 2019: The placental microbiome, and advances in artificial intelligence
Nature PastCast, July 1942: Secret science in World War 2
25 July 2019: The history of climate change, and making vaccines mandatory
Backchat July 2019: Breaking news, audience-led journalism and human gene editing
18 July 2019: Quantum logic gates in silicon, and moving on from lab disasters
11 July 2019: The moon, past, present, and future
04 July 2019: Machine learning in materials science, and sand’s sustainability
Nature PastCast, June 1876: Gorillas, man-eating monsters?
27 June 2019: Callused feet, and protein-based archaeology
20 June 2019: Non-native species, and a blood-inspired robot battery
13 June 2019: Mighty magnets, and aerosols in the atmosphere
06 June 2019: Microbes modifying medicine and kickstarting plate tectonics
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