Share

cover art for Huge dataset shows 80% of US professors come from just 20% of institutions

Nature Podcast

Huge dataset shows 80% of US professors come from just 20% of institutions

00:46 Inequalities in US faculty hiring

In the US, where a person gained their PhD can have an outsized influence on their future career. Now, using a decade worth of data, researchers have shown there are stark inequalities in the hiring process, with 80% of US faculty trained at just 20% of institutions.


Research article: Wapman et al.


09:01 Research Highlights

How wildlife can influence chocolate production, and the large planets captured by huge stars.


Research Highlight: A chocoholic’s best friends are the birds and the bats

Research Highlight: Giant stars turn to theft to snag jumbo planets


11:42 Briefing Chat

We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, what science says about grieving for a public figure, and why suburban Australians are sharing increasingly sophisticated measures to prevent cockatoos from opening wheelie bins.


Nature News: Millions are mourning the Queen — what’s the science behind public grief?

The Guardian: ‘Interspecies innovation arms race’: cockatoos and humans at war over wheelie bin raids


Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • Briefing chat: Pokémon turns 30 — how Pikachu and pals inspired generations of researchers

    11:05|
    In this episode:00:15 How Pokémon inspired fields as diverse as evolution, biodiversity and research integrityNature: Pokémon turns 30 — how the fictional pocket monsters shaped scienceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
  • How earthquakes and lightning help explain squeaky sneakers

    19:35|
    High-speed footage reveals shoe squeaks can start with a tiny bolt of lightning — plus, evidence that a debated brain phenomenon exists in humans.00:44 The science of squeaky shoesResearch Article : Djellouli et al.Basketball sound effects via Bradley Kanaris/Getty.09:05 Research HighlightsNature: Runaway black hole leaves a trail of starsNature: Super-sticky feet help a robot to climb the walls11:31 Evidence of hippocampal neurogenesisResearch Article: Disouky 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: How hovering bumblebees keep their cool

    13:59|
    00:25 How brains differ by sex and ageNature: Brain differences between sexes get more pronounced from puberty07:14 Bumblebees ‘fan themselves’ during flight to keep coolScience: How do busy bees avoid overheating from flying?Video: Birds gliding through bubbles reveal aerodynamic trickSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
  • This chunk of glass could store two million books for 10,000 years

    21:40|
    00:46 Data stored in glassNature: Microsoft Research Project Silica TeamNature: Microsoft team creates 'revolutionary' data storage system that lasts for millennia08:09 Research HighlightsNature: Parasitic wasps use tamed virus to castrate caterpillarsNature: Flexible joints: robot morphs into a range of cyborg species10:10 An mRNA vaccine for Triple-Negative Breast CancerNature: Sahin 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: Caffeine slows brain ageing, suggests decades of data

    09:52|
    In this episode:00:26 Moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk, study suggestsNature: Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people04:15 Using AI to work out the rules of a long-forgotten board gameScientific American: Rules of mysterious ancient Roman board game decoded by AISubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
  • These hungry immune cells tidy sleeping flies' brains

    25:02|
    In this episode:00:46 The immune cells that eat waste fats from fruit flies’ brainsNature: Cho et al.10:21 Research HighlightsNature: Beetle is locked into an eternal dance ― with an antNature: Super-sniffer aeroplane finds oil fields’ hidden emissions12:41 Ancient DNA evidence reveals a nuanced story of the Bell Beaker ExpansionNature: Olalde 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: 'External lungs' keep man alive for 48 hours until transplant

    11:03|
    In this episode:00:42 External, artificial-lung system keeps patient alive for transplantNature: 48 hours without lungs: artificial organ kept man alive until transplant06:22 How lung cancer in mice hijacks neurons to outwit the immune systemNature: How tumours trick the brain into shutting down cancer-fighting cellsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
  • These mysterious ridges could help skin regenerate

    22:05|
    00:46 Understanding how rete ridges form in the skinNature: Thompson et al.09:32 Research HighlightsNature: Genetically engineered ‘stinkweed’ comes up roses for making seed oilNature: Largest galaxy survey yet confirms that the Universe is not clumpy enough11:52 The open-source AI that performs scientific literature reviewsNature: Asai 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: What Brazilian centenarians could reveal about the science of ageing

    10:21|
    In this episode:00:36 Study probes genetics of extreme longevityNature: Still working at 107: supercentenarian study probes genetics of extreme longevity05:32 Controlling fluorescent proteins’ brightness with magnetsNature: ‘Remote controlled’ proteins illuminate living cellsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.