In this episode:
T cell based immunotherapies have revolutionised the treatment of certain types of cancer. However these therapies — which involved taking someone’s own T cells and reprogramming them to kill cancer cells — have struggled to treat solid tumours, which put up multiple defences. To overcome these, a team has taken mutations found in cancer cells that help them thrive and put them into therapeutic T cells. Their results show these powered-up cells are more efficient at targeting solid tumours, but don’t turn cancerous themselves.
Research article: Garcia et al.
How researchers solved a submerged-sprinkler problem named after Richard Feynman, and what climate change is doing to high-altitude environmental records in Switzerland.
Research Highlight: The mystery of Feynman’s sprinkler is solved at last
Research Highlight: A glacier’s ‘memory’ is fading because of climate change
As electric cars become ever more popular around the world, manufacturers are looking to improve the batteries that power them. While conventional lithium-ion batteries have dominated the electric vehicle market for decades, researchers are developing alternatives that have better performance and safety — we run though some of these options and discuss their pros and cons.
News Feature: The new car batteries that could power the electric vehicle revolution
How a baby’s-eye view of the world helps an AI learn language, and how the recovery of sea otter populations in California slowed rates of coastal erosion.
Nature News:This AI learnt language by seeing the world through a baby’s eyes
News: How do otters protect salt marshes from erosion? Shellfishly
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Amino acid slows nerve damage from diabetes, in mouse study
Laser 'lightning rod' diverts strikes high in the Alps
The science stories you missed over the past four weeks
Science in 2023: what to expect this year
The Nature Podcast’s highlights of 2022
The Nature Podcast Festive Spectacular 2022
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Oldest DNA reveals two-million-year-old ecosystem
Gaia Vince on how climate change will shape where people live
Mysterious fluid from ant pupae helps feed colony
Audio long read: Science and the World Cup — how big data is transforming football
The satellite-free alternative to GPS
How a key Alzheimer's gene wreaks havoc in the brain
Audio long read: She was convicted of killing her four children. Could a gene mutation set her free?
Molecular cages sift 'heavy' water from near-identical H2O
Audio long read: The controversial embryo tests that promise a better baby
Flies can move their rigid, omnidirectional eyes – a little
Racism in Health: the harms of biased medicine
Ancient DNA reveals family of Neanderthals living in Siberian cave
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