In this episode:
Oxygen 28 is an isotope of oxygen with 20 neutrons and eight protons. This strange isotope has long been sought after by physicists, as its proposed unusual properties would allow them to put their theories of how atomic nuclei work to the test. Now, after decades of experiments physicists believe they have observed oxygen 28. The observations are at odds with theory predictions, so they imply that there’s a lot more physicists don’t know about the forces that hold atomic nuclei together.
Research article: Kondo et al.
News and Views: Heaviest oxygen isotope is found to be unbound
How venus fly traps can protect themselves from wildfires, and a ball-point pen that can ‘write’ LEDs.
Research Highlight: Venus flytraps shut their traps when flames approach
Research Highlight: A rainbow of LEDs adorns objects at the stroke of a pen
AIs have been beating humans at games for years, but in these cases the AI has always trained in exactly the same conditions in which it competes. In chess for example, the board can be simulated exactly. Now though, researchers have demonstrated an AI that can beat humans in a place where simulation can only take you so far, the real world. The Swift AI system is able to race drones against champion-level humans, and beat them most of the time. The researchers hope this research can help improve the efficiency of drones in general.
Research article: Kaufmann et al.
News and Views: Drone-racing champions outpaced by AI
Video: AI finally beats humans at a real-life sport - drone racing
This time, the Indian Space Research Organization’s successful moon landing, and the low level of support offered to researchers whose first language isn’t English by journals.
Nature News: India lands on the Moon! Scientists celebrate as Chandrayaan-3 touches down
Nature News: Scientists who don’t speak fluent English get little help from journals, study finds
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Starting up in science: Episode 4
Starting up in science: Episode 3
Starting up in science: Episode 2
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Audio long-read: Can artificially altered clouds save the Great Barrier Reef?
Coronapod: solving the COVID vaccine manufacturing problem
The floating sensors inspired by seeds
How to help feed the world with 'Blue Foods'
The billion years missing from Earth’s history
Dead trees play an under-appreciated role in climate change
Audio long-read: why sports concussions are worse for women
Coronapod: How Delta is changing the game
What’s the isiZulu for dinosaur? How science neglected African languages
Coronapod: COVID boosters amidst global vaccine inequity
The brain cells that help animals navigate in 3D
Coronapod: Ivermectin, what the science says
Flood risk rises as people surge into vulnerable regions
Has the world’s oldest known animal been discovered?
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