The World, the Universe and Us

Could life on Earth have an extraterrestrial origin? The team revisits this ancient theory as we’ve now found all four of the key building blocks of DNA on meteorites that are older than our planet.There may be a warning signal in our brains that helps us keep out unwanted thoughts. The team hears about the fascinating word-pairing method researchers used to identify this mechanism, and how the findings could help people with PTSD, OCD, and anxiety disorders.When we talk about climate change, we often think of its dramatic global consequences. But it’s having effects everywhere and to make that point, this week Rowan visits Wytham Woods in Oxfordshire. Speaking to Oxford University biologist Ella Cole, he hears how spring has jumped forward nearly a month since research began at Wytham 75 years ago.Just a few weeks after the shock discovery of the W boson anomaly, physicists have written more than 65 new papers trying to explain what’s going on. The team says this has led to an exciting surge of new ideas about the standard model of particle physics, and the revival of some old theories too.Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, has become well known over the last couple of years for her analysis and advice about the pandemic. Rowan speaks to her about her new book, Preventable: How a Pandemic Changed the World & How to Stop the Next One.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Chelsea Whyte and Leah Crane. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.Events and discount codes:newscientist.com/pod20newscientist.com/love Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is consciousness? We’ve discussed many theories on the podcast, but in this episode the team explores a particularly bonkers one. Experiments with anaesthetics have hinted that something might be going on at the quantum level with microtubules in the brain. But is this finding enough?Ever wondered what a rainbow sounds like? Or perhaps what sounds a rat’s whiskers would make if played like a harp? Then wonder no longer! You can hear these sounds and more as the team speaks to musician and TV presenter Richard Mainwaring about his new book ‘Everybody Hertz’.The next ten years of priorities for United States space exploration have been mapped out in the latest decadal survey. The team discusses some of the most exciting missions we can look forward to, including trips to Uranus and Enceladus, as well as a sample return mission from Mars.Taylor Swift is our Lifeform of the Week - but not the musician and global sensation. No, this is a newly discovered millipede named after her. The team uses this opportunity to explore the fascinating world of undiscovered species.Wording in the most recent IPCC report on the ‘Mitigation of Climate Change’ has come under scrutiny. The document says greenhouse gas emissions need to peak "at the latest before 2025". The team explains why that statement has been met with backlash.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Chelsea Whyte, Sam Wong, Leah Crane and Adam Vaughan. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.Events and discount codes:newscientist.com/pod20newscientist.com/courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two teams are developing messages to send into space, in the hope that some advanced alien civilization will be able to pick them up. While METI is sending music, Beacon in the Galaxy is sending more complex information, like Earth’s location - which as the team explains is rather controversial…Acne is usually treated using antibiotics, but as the issue of antibiotic resistance grows, researchers have been looking at alternative methods. The team discusses the promising early successes of phage therapy.Most of us overestimate just how diverse our environment is. A new study examining this ‘diversity illusion’ has shown that we tend to believe minority groups are larger in number than they actually are. The team finds out how the research was carried out, and whether we can combat this bias.Known by some as the world’s first computer, the Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek device that acts sort of like a clock. Now a group of researchers thinks they’ve found out the exact date and time it was calibrated to, and the team explains how they worked it out.Rhesus macaque monkeys may be as aware of their own heartbeats as human babies. The team examines a new study which looked at a kind of self awareness called interoception, the ability to detect your own internal state..On the pod are Penny Sarchet, Chelsea Whyte, Leah Crane, Jason Murugesu and Matthew Sparkes. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.Events and discount codes:newscientist.com/pod20newscientist.com/lovenewscientist.com/courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest major report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is out, and the message is clear. Time is running out to keep global warming to below 1.5 degrees. The report outlines the many ways we can make emissions cuts, one of which is through litigation. Hear from one of the report’s authors, Joana Setzer, who explores the growing use of legal action to challenge governments and corporations.Physicists are excited this week about a new finding that might challenge the standard model of particle physics. The team examines a bizarre result from an experiment looking at the W boson, a particle involved in radioactive decay and nuclear processes.Weta crickets aren’t your average cricket. Found in New Zealand, female wetas have evolved an extra set of genitalia - and the team finds out why.What are dreams for? Most of the current theories assume dreams are doing something to benefit the dreamer - but a new proposal looks at how dreams might benefit other people. Dream researcher Mark Blagrove explains that telling people about your dreams could help social bonding.As multiple omicron sublineages and recombinants are emerging, covid infections in England are soaring. The team examines how these new variants have come about, and what this all means for healthcare in hospitals.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet and Alex Wilkins. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.Events and discount codes:newscientist.com/pod20newscientist.com/cosmos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A world-first gene therapy has been used to successfully treat a rare genetic skin disease. Referred to as “the worst disease you’ve never heard of”, the condition makes everyday living an ordeal. The team finds out how this new treatment works.Astronomers have detected a star more than 27 billion light years away - the most distant individual star we’ve ever seen. The team explains how this finding could shed light on what was going on in the early universe, ‘shortly’ after the Big Bang.In a bid to tackle the biodiversity crisis, 195 countries have been working on a draft deal called the Global Biodiversity Framework. But despite the alarming real-world consequences of the crisis that we’ve been seeing in recent weeks, the team explains how the discussions have been a flop.Vampire bats are the only mammal to feed exclusively on blood - which is weird because it’s not very nutritious or filling. So how do they do it? The team explores new findings about the genetic changes that have occurred in the bats to allow them to survive and thrive on the stuff.And finally, the team takes you on a trip to Monterey Bay off central California, sharing sounds of the bay’s aquatic life in an escapist audio-quiz. On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Leah Crane and Alice Klein. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.Events and discount codes:newscientist.com/pod20newscientist.com/courses (code: PODCAST40)newscientist.com/eatingwellThanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute for the sound clips. These clips are licensed under the following Attribution licences:Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Extreme weather events have been recorded at both of Earth’s polar regions, as the Arctic and Antarctic are hit by major heat waves. To put this into context, Rowan speaks with climate scientist and Hot Air author Peter Stott.How did octopuses get to be so clever? Their intelligence is unusual for an invertebrate, so researchers have been trying to track down what’s going on in their brains. The team examines new findings which suggest it has something to do with microRNAs.Black holes have always been mysterious, but a problem known as the ‘black hole paradox’ has been bothering physicists because it undermines what we know about quantum mechanics. Now, as the team explains, there could be a (vaguely confusing) solution. They also mark a major milestone in the search for new exoplanets.The team reviews a compelling new sci-fi opera that’s showing in New York. Upload is about a daughter who is trying to come to terms with the decision of her father to physically die in order to have his consciousness uploaded to a computer.And we hear the *delightful* sound of an orangutan ‘kiss squeak’, as the team finds out what this vocal call tells us about the evolution of speech in primates.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Leah Crane and Timothy Revell. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.For a 20 per cent discount subscription to New Scientist magazine, go to newscientist.com/pod20.For a 50 per cent discount on New Scientist Academy courses, use the code POD50 at checkout at newscientist.com/courses. Offer ends on March 31st.The second in the Big Thinkers online series goes live on Thursday 31st March, 6-7pm BST. Claudia de Rham, Professor of Physics at Imperial College London, explores ‘what we don't know about gravity’. For more information visit newscientist.com/gravity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As 10 percent of the world’s wheat comes from Ukraine, Russia’s attack on the country could spark global food shortages. But the team discuss a simple solution to the problem that could have knock-on benefits for climate and biodiversity.In vampire news, the team explains how we may have found the secret ingredient in young blood that causes it to have rejuvenating powers. This comes off the back of a 2012 study which saw old mice rejuvenated fur after being transfused with the blood of the young.Cases of covid are on the rise globally, with China and Hong Kong hit particularly badly. Despite promising weekly declines since January, this new surge in cases is linked to various countries adopting ‘living with covid’ plans. As Iceland attempts ‘herd immunity’, the team examines the effectiveness of this strategy.A new candidate has emerged for ‘coldest place in the solar system’ - where do you think it is? The team explains why this information could be useful for the future of space exploration.Australia has been hit by massive floods, as the country faces yet another assault from climate change. This comes just 2 years after the Black Summer wildfires which caused unprecedented destruction, and even damaged the ozone layer - as the team discovers.And finally composer Hannah Peel, whose work is influenced by science and nature, helps us escape from the mayhem, sharing clips from her new album ‘The Unfolding’.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Alice Klein and Michael Le Page. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.For a 20% discount subscription to New Scientist magazine, go to newscientist.com/pod20.For a 50% discount on New Scientist Academy courses, use the code POD50 at checkout at newscientist.com/courses. Offer ends on March 31st. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Ukraine has sparked an energy crisis, as European countries attempt to cut ties with Russia. The team discusses what this means for the future of energy production and how it may speed up our pivot to renewable energy. They also explore the growing concerns at various nuclear sites in Ukraine, as some have been seized by the Russians, while others have been damaged during the conflict.For the first time a virgin birth has taken place in a mammal - a female mouse has given birth without any input from a male. The team explains how CRISPR gene editing has been used to create embryos from unfertilised eggs.As the Amazon rainforest becomes less resilient to drought, there are fears it may be passing a tipping point that could turn the whole system from forest into savannah. Earth system scientist Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter explains the devastating global impact this would have.Taking a much-needed trip off the planet, the team discusses two stories from Mars, one from NASA’s Perseverance rover and another from China’s Zhurong rover. We also present an audio space-quiz you can take part in! Thanks to NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/CNRS/ISAE-Supaéro for the audio clips. And legendary cosmologist Martin Rees shares his thoughts on the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe and the fascinating concept of ‘secular’ intelligent design.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Matt Sparkes, Adam Vaughan and Richard Webb. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.For a 20% discount subscription to New Scientist magazine, go to newscientist.com/pod20.For a 50% discount on New Scientist Academy courses, use the code POD50 at checkout at newscientist.com/courses. Offer ends on March 31st. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the war in Ukraine intensifies, Vladimir Putin raised Russia’s nuclear readiness level. The team discusses what this means about the likelihood of nuclear war. They also explore the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is out, and it focuses on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. We hear from Swenja Surminski, head of adaptation research at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.New studies into the start of the coronavirus pandemic are confirming what we’ve long suspected - that the virus originated at the Huanan food market in Wuhan. The team discusses the latest findings.Moles - the animals that make holes in your lawn - are non-binary. Just one of a number of amazing facts to come out of the new book ‘BITCH: A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution & the Female Animal’. Hear from the author Lucy Cooke, who is challenging the sexist basis of much of the thinking about female animals. Stonehenge may have been built as a giant calendar. Though the claim itself isn’t new, the team explores a new theory from the archaeologist Tim Darvill which explains how it would’ve worked.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Jacob Aron, Clare Wilson and Alison George. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia has begun its invasion of Ukraine, a move which will have far reaching consequences. The team discusses two of those - the first being western Europe’s reliance on oil and gas from Russia, and the knock-on effect on climate targets. The second is the threat of Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine, which could cause huge disruption to internet and IT services globally.The last remaining covid restrictions have been scrapped in England, as the Prime Minister announces the country’s ‘living with covid’ plan. But is this the right decision, and what does the science say? The team speaks to Christina Pagel from Independent SAGE, a group which offers independent scientific advice to the government.An Australian billionaire is fighting back against the country’s government, and its lack of action on climate change. The team explains how Mike Cannon-Brookes plans to buy up Australia’s largest electricity company so he can shut down all its coal-fired plants and replace them with renewable energy.Researchers are beginning to better understand how humans experience different types of pain, which could lead to more effective drugs for people living with chronic pain. The team explores the new findings, which also suggest men and women experience pain differently.And the team discusses the intelligence of orangutans, based on their ability to use and make tools.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Alice Klein, Jacob Aron, Adam Vaughan and Jason Murugesu. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices