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Insulin cream offers needle-free option for diabetes
Researchers have developed a skin-permeable polymer that can deliver insulin into the body, which they say could one day offer an alternative to injections for diabetes management. The skin’s structure presents a formidable barrier to the delivery of large drugs but in this work a team show that their polymer can penetrate though the different layers without causing damage. Insulin attached to this polymer was able to reduce blood glucose levels in animal models for diabetes at a comparable speed to injected insulin. While further research is required on the long-term safety of this strategy, the team hope it could offer a way to non-invasively deliver other large-molecule drugs into the body.
Research Article: Wei et al.
How extreme drought may be humanity’s biggest challenge after a huge volcanic eruption — plus, turning a bacterium into a factory for a colour-changing pigment
Research Highlight: Volcano mega-eruptions lead to parched times
Research Highlight: Dye or die: bacterium forced to make pigment to stay alive
The human brain responds in a similar way to both familiar and unfamiliar languages, but there are some key differences, according to new research — a finding that may explain why learning a language can be difficult. A study looking involving 34 people showed that listening to an unfamiliar language triggers similar neural activity to listening to their native tongue. The finding implies that human speech triggers a common reaction in the brain regardless of understanding. However, there were subtle differences when listening to a known language that may help explain how people actually understand words.
Research Article: Bhaya-Grossman et al.
Neuron: Zhang et al
Signs that greenhouse-gas emissions may peak around 2030 — plus, evidence of dog breeding by ancient humans.
Nature: Global greenhouse-gas emissions are still rising: when will they peak?
Nature: How ancient humans bred and traded the first domestic dogs
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Behind the scenes with Artemis II’s scientists during the historic Moon fly-by
13:40|In this episode:On Monday, reporter Alexandra Witze was in the heart of the Artemis II mission’s science operations. She tells us about the experience and what NASA’s researchers have learnt from the mission so far.Nature: I was with Artemis II’s scientists during the Moon fly-by. Here’s what I sawNature: First photos from Artemis II: see stunning ‘Earthset’ and moreNature: Historic Artemis II Moon fly-by — Nature’s live coverage as it happenedSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Briefing Chat: The tongue trick that helps sunbirds suck
13:52|In this episode:00:41 Exosome therapies could deliver drugs to hard to reach placesNature: Eye drops made from pig semen deliver cancer treatment to mice5:08 The impact of parenthood on women’s academic careersNature: Motherhood derails women’s academic careers — these data reveal how and why10:34 The unusual suction that lets Sunbirds drinkScience: These birds suck—literallySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Artemis II is go: humans head to the Moon after half-century absence
15:20|In this podcast we'll talk about NASA's Artemis II launch, which has ushered in a new era of lunar exploration.Nature: Lift off! Artemis II mission sends humans to the Moon — opening a new era of explorationNature: Artemis II mission is about to fly humans to the Moon — here’s the science they’ll doNature: Humanity is heading back to the Moon — why aren’t more scientists thrilled?Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.These scientists chased a jet to learn more about ‘lean-burn’ contrails
24:48|In this episode:00:46 Collecting contrails at 30,000 feetResearch Article: Voigt et al.11:23 Research HighlightsNature: Sunken Soviet nuclear submarine’s radioactive releaseNature: History of ‘forever’ chemicals is written in Antarctic snow13:34 Fakery in scienceApril Fakes DaySubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Briefing Chat: ‘Zombie cells’ resurrected with new genes
11:01|Nature staff discuss some of the week's top science news.00:18 ‘Zombie cells’ revived with genome transplantNature: ‘Zombie cells’ return from the dead — after a genome transplant05:27 A limit to cloning, in miceNature: Can a mouse be cloned indefinitely? Decades-long experiment has answersSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.Why insects aren't huge: a new challenge to a decades-old idea
22:42|00:44 Why insects aren’t massiveResearch Article : Snelling et al.11:39 Research HighlightsNature: Faster ticking of ‘biological clock’ predicts shorter lifespanNature: Mighty mini-magnet is low in cost and light on energy use14:05 CRISPR creates CAR-T cancer therapy inside miceResearch Article: Nyberg et al.News & Views: A gene-editing method generates immunotherapeutic CAR T cells in the bodyNature: CRISPR makes enhanced cancer-fighting immune cells inside miceSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
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.