{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/0185cea5-9e3b-4b82-a887-26f91f92765f/2471a25e-bff7-4f5c-bae9-110ddb47f8d8?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"23 April 2020: Denisovan DNA in modern Europeans, and the birth of an unusual celestial object","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/61b9f3b71a8cbe675f3cedcb/61b9f40a7701000015818069.jpg?height=200","description":"<p>This week, evidence of ancient hominin DNA in modern human genomes, and the origin of a snowman-shaped object at the edge of the solar system.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>00:45 Intermixing of ancient hominins</strong></p><p>By combing through the DNA of over 27,000 modern day Icelanders, researchers have uncovered new insights about the ancient hominin species who interbred with&nbsp;<em>Homo sapiens</em>.&nbsp;<em>Research Article:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2225-9?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Skov et al.</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>08:05 Research Highlights</strong></p><p>The scent of lemur love, a hidden Viking trade route, and ‘gargantuan’ hail.&nbsp;<em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01106-0?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Lemurs’ love language is fragrance</em></a>;&nbsp;<em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01097-y?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Vikings’ lost possessions mark a long-hidden early trade route</em></a>;&nbsp;<em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01088-z?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Enormous hailstones inspire a new scientific size category: ‘gargantuan’</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>11:44 The origin of Arrokoth</strong></p><p>In 2019, the New Horizon Spacecraft took images of Arrokoth - an unusual, bi-lobal object found in the Kuiper belt. Now, researchers believe they’ve figured out how it formed.&nbsp;<em>Research Article:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2194-z?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Grishin et al.</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>17:29 Pick of the Briefing</strong></p><p>We pick some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This week we discuss why the Universe may be lopsided, and why water could actually be two different liquid states.&nbsp;<em>Scientific American:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-we-live-in-a-lopsided-universe1/?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Do We Live in a Lopsided Universe?</em></a>;&nbsp;<em>Chemistry World:&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-weirdness-of-water/4011260.article?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The weirdness of water</em></a></p><p><a href=\"https://go.nature.com/get-the-nature-briefing?utm_source=naturepod&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=shownotes\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.</em></a></p>","author_name":"Springer Nature Limited"}