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Nature Podcast
Feeling the heat: fossil-fuel producers linked to dozens of heatwaves
Major energy producers increased the likelihood and intensity of heatwaves, according to research published in Nature. Using data from an international disaster database, a team developed a methodology to investigate how much anthropogenic climate change had influenced heatwaves. They conclude that many of these events would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change, and that nearly a quarter of the heatwaves recorded from 2000 to 2023 can be directly linked to the greenhouse-gas emissions from individual energy giants.
Research Article: Juvé et al.
News and Views Forum: Heatwaves linked to emissions of individual fossil-fuel and cement producers
News: Dozens of heatwaves linked to carbon emissions from specific companies
How shifting coastal tides may have spurred the rise of the world’s oldest civilization — plus, the liquid crystal lenses that can refocus in a flash.
Research Highlight: Changing tides ushered in the world’s first civilization
Research Highlight: Liquid-crystal specs refocus with the push of a button
Science in the United States is facing an increasing crisis, in the face of swinging cuts and President Donald Trump’s ongoing attack on anything with a connection to diversity, equity and inclusion. In the face of this crisis, many researchers are fighting back — we hear about some of their efforts, and what they think about their chances of success.
News Feature: Scientists take on Trump: the researchers fighting back
How CRISPR-edited pancreas cells could offer new hope for those with type 1 diabetes, and what brain scans reveal about how we process colour.
Nature: Hope for diabetes: CRISPR-edited cells pump out insulin in a person — and evade immune detection
Nature: My blue is your blue: different people’s brains process colours in the same way
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Briefing Chat: Anthropic rolls out new AI watermark — will it make a difference?
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The probiotic bacteria engineered to treat diabetes
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Briefing Chat: Is DNA repair the secret to a long life? Whales and mole-rats offer tantalizing hints
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Junk plastic turns into high-value commodity with chemistry trick
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Briefing Chat: Orcas smashed a sunfish to bits — researchers aren't sure why
14:18|In this episode:00:24 The quest to count the Amazon's insectsNature: Tiny patch of Amazon likely holds 40,000 insect species — many new to science07:31 The orcas that exploded a sunfishThe Guardian: Orcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing gameTiktok: Orcas vs sunfishSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Earthworks spotted in the Amazon hint at huge ancient civilization
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Briefing Chat: Baby T. rex were killers from birth, suggest new fossils
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What counts as a moon? Huge ‘exosatellite’ sparks debate
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Briefing Chat: Sweet! Elusive sugar molecules found in space
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