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Nature Podcast
Higgs boson turns ten: the mysteries physicists are still trying to solve
Ten years ago this week, scientists announced that they’d found evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle first theorised to exist nearly sixty years earlier.
To celebrate this anniversary, we reminisce about what the discovery meant at the time, and what questions are left to be answered about this mysterious particle.
Nature News: Happy birthday, Higgs boson! What we do and don’t know about the particle
Nature Editorial: Particle physics isn’t going to die — even if the LHC finds no new particles
11:09 Research Highlights
Clever clothes that can cool or warm the wearer, and finding hidden DNA from the endangered red wolf.
Research Highlight: ‘Smart’ clothing flexes to provide relief from the heat
Research Highlight: ‘Ghost’ DNA from the world’s rarest wolves lingers in coyotes
13:27 Supporting scientists who stutter
Stuttering is a speech condition that affects around 70 million people worldwide, which can make things like speaking in public, or even one-on-one incredibly daunting. We hear the experiences of one researcher of stuttering, who also has a stutter, as they explain the best way to offer support to others.
Careers Feature: The conference challenges faced by scientists who stutter
22:10 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, we discuss how having similar smells could spark a friendship, and how viruses can alter our odour to make humans more attractive to mosquitos.
New Scientist: You're more likely to become friends with someone who smells like you
Nature News: How some viruses make people smell extra-tasty to mosquitoes
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14:18|In this episode:00:24 The quest to count the Amazon's insects07:31 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
20:30|In this episode:00:45 Ancient structures hidden beneath the Amazon’s canopyResearch article: Pärssinen et al.09:15 Research HighlightsNature: It’ll grow on you: live fungi formed into sustainable fashionPhysical Review Fluids: Gourmandie et al.11:48 Tiny fossils represent the earliest-known squid ancestorResearch article: Song et al.Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Briefing Chat: Baby T. rex were killers from birth, suggest new fossils
12:43|Nature staff discuss the young but deadly dinosaur kings, the prowess of ancient Egyptian princesses, and how London is becoming the world’s AI safety capital.00:34 London is transforming into an AI-safety hubNature: A global capital for AI safety is emerging — and it’s not in Silicon Valley05:52 Bones reveal that ancient Egyptian princesses weren’t pamperedScientific American: Ancient Egyptian princesses were ‘powerful’ weapon users, new analysis suggests9:30 T. rex was born ready to killDiscover magazine: Fossil Evidence Indicates Baby T. rex Were Tiny, but DeadlySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.What counts as a moon? Huge ‘exosatellite’ sparks debate
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Briefing Chat: Sweet! Elusive sugar molecules found in space
09:55|In this episode:00:24 A sweet discovery near the Milky Way’s centreNature: First ‘true sugar’ molecule found in space — offering hints to life’s origins05:05 Mathematical texts give insights into Maya mathematical prowessNature: Mathematics formula found on Maya wall rivals insights of ancient mastersSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.‘Holy grail’ of naked mole-rat research reveals how queens rule
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Briefing Chat: The 30 year-legacy of a science icon – Dolly the sheep
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Togetherness: How co-operation built the world
31:39|In this episode, we speak with science journalist Rowan Hooper, whose book Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life's Greatest Collaborations takes a deep-dive into the world of co-operation between organisms.In the book, he argues that collaboration in nature has often been overlooked in favour of competition, and that organisms working together have played a vital role in making the world the way it is.Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life's Greatest Collaborations Rowan Hooper Fern Press (2026)Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images