Share
Nature Podcast
Racist ratings linger in five-star systems — a thumbs up could fix that
A study of almost 70,000 ratings showed that racial discrimination could be eliminated from an online platform by switching from a five-star rating system to a thumbs up or down. The platform connected customers to workers who performed home repair jobs, and prior to the shift people categorised by the study authors as ‘non-white’ had lower ratings and got paid less than their white counterparts. Through follow up studies the authors also showed that the five-star system allowed people to impart their personal opinions, whereas a thumbs up or down just focused them on whether a job was good or bad. The team hopes this could be an easy-to-implement shift to tackle racial discrimination.
Research Article: Botelho et al.
News and Views: Racial bias eliminated when ratings switch from five stars to thumbs up or down
Experimental evidence that cockatoos like flavouring their food, and the harsh climate of sixteenth century Transylvania.
Research Highlight: Gourmet cockatoos like to fancy up their food
Research Highlight: Transylvanian diaries reveal centuries-old climate extremes
A Nature investigation has revealed where the most retractions come from, with hospitals in China and institutions in India and Pakistan topping the list. Retractions are a normal part of science and may be a sign of necessary scrutiny, but they can also signal misconduct and use of paper mills. Features Editor Richard Van Noorden joins us to discuss what this means for science and tackling sloppy research.
Nature: Exclusive: These universities have the most retracted scientific articles
Layoffs in the US’s Environmental Protection Agency, reactions to the DEI purge at NASA, and what RFK Jr.’s role as secretary of Health and Human Services could mean for health research.
Nature: ‘Targeted and belittled’: scientists at US environmental agency speak out as layoffs begin
Nature: NASA embraced diversity. Trump’s DEI purge is hitting space scientists hard
Nature: Vaccine sceptic RFK Jr is now a powerful force in US science: what will he do?
More episodes
View all episodes
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.