The World, the Universe and Us

Episode 407

The latest UN climate report is out and we’ve blown past 1.5 degrees of warming. We’re now in “overshoot” - an acknowledgement that global temperatures will rise beyond 1.5 degrees, but can theoretically be brought back down again through cooling efforts.

But with the world on track fo r2.8 and even as much as 4.5 degrees of warming by 2100, is the challenge of keeping temperatures at a manageable level politically and technologically feasible?

As scientists argue whether “overshoot” is failure, conditions at Thwaites glacier in Antarctica are also worsening. The so-called “Doomsday” glacier is melting and an integral ice shelf is on the verge of collapse.

Now models show the melting is locked in - and can’t be stopped even if we keep global temperatures down. If it collapses, it could reshape the entire coastline of the world.

To discuss the news, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Madeleine Cuff and Alison George.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 406

The glymphatic system is the brain’s waste disposal system - responsible for clearing out harmful toxins that build up during the day.

Now a new mouse study has connected reduced glyphatic flow to Alzheimer’s disease. And because this glymphatic system cleans the brain during sleep, it’s thought poor sleep may contribute to this reduction in brain function.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by science writer Michael Marshall, who explains the study in detail, what we know about the effects in humans and the steps we can take to improve our own glymphatic flow.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 405

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a major system of ocean currents that plays a vital role in Earth’s climate. If it collapses, the consequences could be catastrophic. We could see ice-age level winters in Europe, coupled with scalding hot summers - and impacts on food production around the world. The trouble is it’s already weakening.

That’s why scientists are building an early warning system that'll warn us of imminent AMOC collapse. But will a warning come soon enough for us to act - and will anyone actually listen?

The team explains how the warning system would work, what happens if the AMOC does collapse and how soon it could happen. Plus they look at new research which suggests the AMOC may not be a classic tipping point - because we may be able to resuscitate it even if it stops.

To discuss this, Penny Sarchet and Rowan Hooper are joined by climate reporters Alec Luhn and Madeleine Cuff.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

Image Credit:

Tipping Points: CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148459736

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Episode 404

Jonathan the tortoise was born in the year 1832, on a beach in the Seychelles. 194 years later and Jonathan is still alive, celebrating his birthday. How exactly has he managed to survive for so long?

Jonathan is a giant tortoise and the world’s oldest known land animal. His genome has now been sequenced, revealing intriguing hints about longevity. And it seems the key to a long life is all down to mitochondrial function.

From Greenland Sharks to the enigmatic quahog, this also seems to be the case for Earth’s other longest-lived creatures - one of which survived for 507 years.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss what these animals tell us about the science of healthy aging, whether there are any takeaways for us humans - and they celebrate the amazing life of Jonathan.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 403

A new species of feathered dinosaur has been discovered - and it looks like a supercharged magpie with teeth. Fossil evidence and an artist’s reconstruction show the dinosaur looks remarkably like a bird - yet it’s not actually an ancestor of modern birds.

Over 100 million years old, Norellraptor barsboldi is named after two famous palaeontologists - one of whom taught palaeontologist Steve Brusatte.

Steve is the author of The Story of Birds and joins the team to discuss this incredible finding, which shows flight may have evolved at least two separate times. He also explains how dinosaurs didn’t go extinct - but still roam among us today.

On the panel are Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 402

The current El Niño is shaping up to cause catastrophe on a global scale. Global temperatures are being pushed up, unleashing extreme weather which could devastate ecosystems. The heat alone is expected to kill half a million people over the next five months.

Sea-surface temperatures are expected to climb 4°C above average in parts of the Pacific - and it’s becoming clear this is an issue that affects us all. From extreme heat in some places to heavy rainfall in others, many countries are bracing for impact. Combined with the threat of “king tides”, California has even declared a state of emergency.

Despite the sweltering heat we’ve just experienced, forecasters now say 2027 will be the hottest year on record - before it’s even begun. So how can we prepare?

To discuss the threat we’re facing and possible solutions (like geoengineering), Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by climate journalists Madeleine Cuff and Alec Luhn.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 401

Anxiety is everywhere. Climate change, political turmoil and a constant stream of alarming headlines can make optimism feel impossible. But to be hopeful you don’t need to ignore reality. What if it’s about paying attention to the breakthroughs that are already changing the world?

In this special episode Penny Sarchet and Rowan Hooper are joined by bestselling author Caitlin Moran, who spent a year chasing hope.

Prompted by her new book How to Be Hopeful, the New Scientist team shares eight recent developments that genuinely make them optimistic about the future. From the explosive growth of solar energy and the possibility of crops that make their own fertiliser, to new classes of medicines, AI-assisted scientific discovery, and even the search for life beyond Earth, this episode is a celebration of progress, curiosity and human ingenuity.

Also on the panel are Madeleine Cuff, Catherine de Lange, and Michael Le Page.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

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Episode 400

Should we really be afraid of AI? Many headline statements from the likes of Anthrophic, OpenAI and even the King are raising alarm bells over the threat of AI to humanity. AI companies are even calling to be more highly regulated. But does that mean the threats are worth considering - or are there ulterior motives?

Among the apocalyptic or disastrous ways it could go wrong, there are genuine issues we should be thinking about today. Alignment is one of those - how closely AI aligns with human values and whether it continues to obey us. And the threat of supercharged cyber attacks is another. But is extinction really on the cards?

To discuss the reality of the situation we’re facing, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Timothy Revell, Matthew Sparkes and Jacob Aron.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

Image credits:

Sam Altman: TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mark Zuckerberg: Anthony Quintano from Honolulu, HI, United States, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Episode 399

Some aspects of childbirth have remained surprisingly mysterious - and scientists haven’t been able to agree on what actually kicks off the labour process. But they’ve finally worked out what’s going on - and the discovery could turn birth into a much more predictable occasion.

The labour process in humans is much more complex than in other mammals. But researchers have now worked out the driving force that kicks it all off is the immune system - a special type of inflammatory macrophage sending mitochondria to the uterus just before birth.

To explain this new discovery and why it might be game-changing for avoiding pre-term births, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Australia reporter Alice Klein.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 398

OpenAI says it has just solved one of the hardest problems in mathematics. The Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem has been unsolved for more than 200 years. Now AI has cracked it, some claim we’ve finally reached “AGI” - artificial general intelligence.

Navier-Stokes is one of the Millennium Prize Problems, chosen for being famously challenging. And as OpenAI sets its sights on solving more of these problems, what does it mean for the future of mathematics and even for the future of humanity?

This comes as fear mounts over the safety of AI - supercharged by the resignation of a researcher from Anthrophic who believes AI companies are “gambling with our lives.”

So have we really reached AGI? Is this new solution a good thing for humanity? To discuss all of this, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Matthew Sparkes and Timothy Revell.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 397

The first evidence has been discovered that Denisovans lived in south-west China. This ancient species of human spent over 100,000 years in the region and left behind incredible artefacts that tell us how they lived.

64,000 fragments of bone have been discovered from Bianfu Cave in Yunnan province. And the site tells us a lot about the food they ate and the animals they hunted - including rhinoceroses, hyenas and prime-age deers.

As we discover an increasingly sophisticated culture in this previously mysterious species, what does it teach us about ourselves, and how exceptional Homo sapiens really are?

To discuss the findings, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by science writer Michael Marshall.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

Image Credits:

Homo longi - Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Homo floresiensis - Cicero Moraes, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Neanderthal: Neanderthal-Museum, Mettmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Episode 396

A devastating climate disaster has killed at least 1,200 people in Nepal. A mass of ice and rock came crashing down off the Langtang mountain into the valley below. The climate crisis has made events like this much more likely.

This is just one of many retreating glaciers. We’re also on track for a record year of ice-loss in the European alps. As the world is reshaped before our eyes, what does this mean for the planet - and the 1.9 billion people who live downstream of glacier ice mountains?

This all comes as experts predict this year’s Super El Nino event will be the biggest in 1,000 years - plus an admittance from The UN Environment Programme that we will overshoot 1.5 degrees of global warming.

To discuss the tragedy in Nepal and the growing concern in the Alps, Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Professor of Glaciology Bethan Davies and climate journalist Alec Luhn.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com// Image Credit: The aftermath of severe flooding along the Bhotekoshi river in Nuwakot, Nepal, on 28 August Ambir Tolang/JNA/ZUMA Press/Alamy

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Episode 395

Dark matter particles may have finally been spotted for the first time. LUX-ZEPLIN is the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth - and what it’s discovered has the potential, if confirmed, to shake up all of physics.

Despite making up about 85 per cent of the universe, dark matter has been notoriously difficult to spot. WIMPs, or weakly-interacting massive particles, are the leading theory to explain dark matter. That’s what this new, powerful detector has been built to search for.

To explain how LZ works and what it means if its results are supported, Rowan Hooper is joined by space reporter Leah Crane.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

Image Credits:

Dark Matter illustration: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/J. Pinto, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Dark matter gif: Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Episode 394

A new technique using a woman’s own fat cells has been used to reconstruct her breast without silicone implants. By injecting her own tissue into a dissolving scaffold, it’s hoped this technique will make breast augmentation safer.

Traditional plastic surgery involves silicone or saline, which can cause health issues like breast implant illness and even cancer. And they typically only last 10-20 years before needing to be removed.

Penny Sarchet speaks to Australia reporter Alice Klein to find out how the surgery works and why humans evolved to prefer bigger breasts in the first place.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 393

A controversial TV show has suggested ADHD is a myth - a largely made up condition that is really just a “social construct”. But the science just doesn’t back this up. Decades of research prove ADHD is a real condition that impacts lives - and often needs treatment, which saves lives.

But at a time when diagnoses are rising, people are wondering what’s causing the increase. Are we overdiagnosing the condition? Are we medicalising normal behaviour? That’s what this documentary might have you believe - but such messaging is damaging.

Katya Rubia of King’s College London is one of the scientists featured in the documentary - and has spoken out about being misrepresented. She features on this episode to explain how harmful shows like this can be.

From the benefits of ADHD medication to emerging data on women with the condition, we explore what the science really shows.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are also joined on the panel by science writer and author Caroline Williams who is open about having ADHD and New Scientist’s Alexandra Thompson.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 392

Ancient wildfires may have shaped the course of human evolution. A reconstruction of the environment in East Africa 1.75 million years ago suggests a particularly volatile period of climate change made our species adapt rapidly.

Climate swings may have led our species to develop sophisticated tools. Ancient hominins may have also learnt to control fire thanks to frequent wildfires during this period.

As wildfires become increasingly common, currently devastating parts of Europe including the UK, will humans have to adapt again? Could it even force rapid evolution in our species?

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Sam Wong and Michael Le Page to discuss the finding and what it means for humans today.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 391

Brain tumours are the most common and most deadly form of solid tumours in children. But a brand new kind of immunotherapy has shown incredible promise, saving four terminally ill children.

By using a child’s own immune cells, this new treatment seems to work better than existing immunotherapies and causes fewer adverse side effects. Although it saved just 4 out of 33 participants, it’s still encouraging and researchers hope to continue trials.

Join James Woodford and Alice Klein to find out how this new therapy works, how researchers plan to improve it, why brain tumours are so common and difficult to treat and what the future of treatment looks like.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 390

In a special episode recorded live at Latitude Festival in England, we open with the finding that orcas in the Gulf of California have been making fish explode like piñatas. Sunfish are too large for orcas to get their teeth around, but they’ve been seen working together to tackle them - another amazing display of their ability to coordinate.

We also discuss a surprising new way to clear proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease from the brain. An early-stage experiment shows that inhaling carbon dioxide could boost your brain’s waste disposal system and clear out harmful proteins. But don’t try this at home.

Also on the agenda, the clouds on distant exoplanets are now being studied - and they are made of incredible materials. Some are made of sand, molten iron and even rubies and sapphires. As we explain how materials like this can stay suspended in the air, we also discuss the importance of clouds on Earth.

And we wrap up with the finding that festivals protect the brain and help keep us young. A study involving 3500 people found that those who attended social gatherings like festivals and concerts showed clear reductions in their biological age. Discover why this happens, plus the wider benefits of music on brain health.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by:

Astrophysicist Hannah Wakeford

Neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday

Musician Steve Pretty

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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Episode 389

Europe is burning through another summer of extreme heat. Temperatures are soaring across the continent, wildfires are forcing mass evacuations in France and Spain, and scientists warn that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting as the climate warms.

The fires are changing too. Hotter, drier conditions are creating larger and more destructive wildfires. Some are even generating their own weather systems, pyrocumulonimbus thunderstorms, in regions we’d never seen before.

Find out what is driving Europe’s escalating heat and wildfire crisis, and whether district cooling networks could help cities stay livable in a much hotter future.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Alec Luhn and Michael Le Page.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

Image credit: Death Valley: Mikenorton, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Episode 388

Two extraordinary breakthroughs have been made in transplant surgery. First, scientists have found a way of keeping human eyes alive for up to 10 hours after death, opening up the possibility of eye transplants in the future.

And in a second controversial surgery, another team has managed to restore severed spinal cords in pigs, allowing them to walk again after being paralysed. While it’s hoped this will eventually allow people with spinal injuries to walk again, one of the scientists involved is a proponent of human head transplants - or body transplants as they should really be known. Is that the ultimate goal?

Find out how the scientists achieved these feats - and what’s required to take both surgeries to the next level.

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by Alexandra Thompson.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com//

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