Physicists examine the gravitational pull between two tiny masses, and how fossil lampreys could shake-up the field of vertebrate evolution.
In this episode:
00:47 Gravity, on the small scale
This week, researchers have captured the smallest measurement of gravity on record, by measuring the pull between two tiny gold spheres. This experiment opens the door for future experiments to investigate the fundamental forces of nature and the quantum nature of gravity.
Research Article: Westphal et al.
News and Views: Ultra-weak gravitational field detected
07:37 Research Highlights
Research shows that people often don’t know when a conversation should end, and the cuttlefish that show remarkable self control.
Research Highlight: How long should a conversation last? The people involved haven’t a clue
Research Highlight: Arms control: cuttlefish can pass the ‘marshmallow test’
10:18 Lamprey evolution
The larval stage of lamprey growth has long been thought to resemble the kind of early animal that all vertebrates evolved from. However, new research looking at the fossils of lamprey species suggests that this popular hypothesis may be incorrect.
Research Article: Miyashita et al.
17:38 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, glow-in-the-dark sharks, and scientists’ reflections on the nuclear industry 10 years on from Fukushima.
The Guardian: 'Giant luminous shark': researchers discover three deep-sea sharks glow in the dark
Nature Comment: Nuclear energy, ten years after Fukushima
Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.
Video: Deep-sea soft robots
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X-ray analysis hints at answers to fossil mystery
How galaxies could exist without dark matter
Coronapod: 'viral ghosts' support idea that SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs could be behind long COVID
Retinas revived after donor's death open door to new science
Swapping in a bit of microbial 'meat' has big eco-gains
Coronapod: COVID and diabetes, what the science says
How virtual meetings can limit creative ideas
Audio long-read: The quest to prevent MS — and understand other post-viral diseases
We could still limit global warming to just 2˚C — but there's an 'if'
Coronapod: Infected immune cells hint at cause of severe COVID
Why do naked mole rats live as long as giraffes?
Five years in the coldest fridge in the known Universe
Audio long-read: A more-inclusive genome project aims to capture all of human diversity
Winding roads could make you a better navigator
Milky Way's origin story revealed by 250,000 stars
Coronapod: How vaccine complacency is plaguing 'COVID zero' strategies
The coin toss of Alzheimer's inheritance
The vest that can hear your heartbeat
The AI that deciphers ancient Greek graffiti
Coronapod: why stopping COVID testing would be a mistake
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