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Huge eruption on a distant star confirmed at last
Researchers have detected what they say is the strongest evidence yet of a coronal mass ejection (CME) coming from a star other than our Sun. CMEs are massive bursts of fast-moving plasma that can be detected thanks to the characteristic radio signal they produce. However, despite decades of searching, these signals have only been identified from the Sun. Now a team has identified a similar signal coming from a distant star in the Milky Way. They hope their discovery will lead to better understanding of the impact these colossal events might have on the atmospheres of exoplanets, and their chances of being habitable.
Research Article: Callingham et al.
Video footage of a devastating earthquake provides a first-of-its-kind glimpse of a dramatic ground rupture — plus, a flock of comets seen outside our Solar System.
Research Highlight: Single video camera tells the story of deadly Myanmar quake
Research Highlight: A host of ‘exocomets’ swarms a distant star
Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects around 1 in 20 young people, but its underlying causes are not fully understood. Now, a team of researchers show that three rare genetic variants are implicated in an increased risk of ADHD, which may play a role in the neurons involved in dopamine signalling. While this work provides a better understanding of the complex genetics at play, the authors caution more research is needed to unpick the complex interplay other factors involved in ADHD.
Research Article: Demontis et al.
A high-resolution digital map for Roman roads, and how speaking more than one language could slow brain ageing.
Nature: ‘Google Maps’ for Roman roads reveals vast extent of ancient network
Nature: Want a younger brain? Learn another language
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Briefing Chat: Are scientists funny? The evidence is in — and it's no joke
09:52|In this episode:00:22 Exploring how gut microorganisms contribute to ageingNature: Memory loss is fuelled by gut microbes in ageing mice04:30 How good jokes are in short supply during academic conferencesNature: Knock knock, no one’s there. Study finds scientists’ jokes mostly fall flatSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Botanical mystery solved: how plants make a crucial malaria drug
15:55|In this episode:00:46 Piecing together a biochemical puzzleResearch Article : Lombe et al.12:26 Research HighlightsNature: Electric-vehicle batteries toughen up to beat the heatNature: Live parrots were carried across the Andes before the Incas’ rise
Briefing chat: ‘Can it run Doom?’ — why scientists got brain cells and a satellite to play the classic game
10:34|00:26 Why researchers keep using Doom in their researchNature: How the classic computer game Doom became a tool for scienceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.This fish shouldn’t exist — the weird genetics of clonal vertebrates
23:22|A study reveals how the asexual Amazon molly defies evolutionary expectations — plus, evidence of what may be powering superluminous supernovae.In this episode:00:46 Unravelling the genetics of an asexual fish that should be extinctResearch Article: Ricemeyer et al.News and Views: How an all-female fish species defies evolutionary expectations10:19 Research HighlightsNature: Jam-packed star system is most compact of its kind ever foundNature: Peanut-processing microbes ward off dangerous allergic shock11:31 How a superluminous supernova got so brightResearch Article : Farah et al.News and Views: Ultra-bright supernova wobbles like a spinning topSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday: https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup
Briefing chat: What Galileo’s scribbled margin notes reveal about his scientific journey
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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
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