Best Springer Nature Podcasts (2025)

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April 2025: Senior Investigator: Conversation with Avroy Fanaroff 16:01

14h ago16:01

16:01

This episode features a conversation with Senior Investigator Avroy Fanaroff, Emeritus Professor at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, who has had a long and impactful career in neonatology.By Springer Nature

1
What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spud 32:41

6d ago32:41

32:41

In this episode: 00:46 A potato pangenome Researchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the …

1
March 2025: What's hot in pediatric sepsis? 15:44

8d ago15:44

15:44

Listen to March's Pediapod episode: What's hot in pediatric sepsis research, with Sarah Kandil and Eleanor Molloy.By Springer Nature

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Long-awaited ape genomes give new insights into their evolution — and ours 29:48

13d ago29:48

29:48

00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-en…

1
From Hippocrates to COVID-19: the scientific fight to prove diseases can be airborne 32:27

15d ago32:27

32:27

Science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer's latest book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe dives into the invisible maelstrom of microbial life swirling in the air around us — examining how it helped shape our world, and the implications that breathing it in can have on human health. Carl joined us to discuss histori…

1
Trump team removes senior NIH chiefs in shock move 11:32

18d ago11:32

11:32

In this Podcast Extra, we hear the latest on how decisions by the Trump administration are affecting science in the US. Most recently, a purge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) leadership has seen the chiefs of multiple institutes and centres removed from their posts. Plus, after cancelling nearly all NIH projects studying transgender health, …

1
World’s tiniest pacemaker could revolutionize heart surgery 37:41

20d ago37:41

37:41

00:46 Millimetre-sized pacemaker fits inside syringe Researchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures. This new device…

1
Audio long read: How quickly are you ageing? What molecular ‘clocks’ can tell you about your health 17:56

25d ago17:56

17:56

With money pouring in and an unprecedented level of public attention and excitement, scientists are publishing a steady stream of papers on ways to measure how rapidly a person’s body is declining. However, there are mixed feelings of enthusiasm and apprehension among researchers about efforts to develop tests that measure the impact of ageing on t…

1
New lasso-shaped antibiotic kills drug-resistant bacteria 32:45

27d ago32:45

32:45

In this episode: 00:46 Newly discovered molecule shows potent antibiotic activity Researchers have identified a new molecule with antibiotic activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria, including those resistant to existing drugs. The new molecule — isolated from soil samples taken from a laboratory technician’s garden — is called lariocid…

1
Golden bandicoot and Australian conservation genomics 22:41

28d ago22:41

22:41

Best student paper of 2024 winner Kate Rick, along with Brenton Von Takach and Kym Ottewell, discuss the use of genomics in Australian conservation efforts, and their study on the golden bandicoot.By Springer Nature

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Tiny satellite sets new record for secure quantum communication 31:05

1M ago31:05

31:05

00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secure A tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleag…

1
Sapphire anvils squeeze metals atomically-thin 33:12

1M ago33:12

33:12

00:46 2D metals made using sapphire press Taking inspiration from industrial forging, researchers have demonstrated a way to squeeze molten metals into atomically-thin layers, creating relatively large flakes of 2D metals. Using a hydraulic press containing two sapphire anvils, a team was able to create sub-nanometer thick sheets of different metal…

1
Earliest crafted bone tools date back 1.5 million years 29:48

2M ago29:48

29:48

00:46 Ancient humans made bone tools 1.5 million years ago A 1.5-million-year-old cache of animal-bone tools reveals that ancient humans systematically crafted with this material much earlier than previously thought. Researchers uncovered 27 bone artefacts in Tanzania honed into sharp tools almost 40 cm long. This discovery pushes back the dedicate…

1
Endocannabinoid contributions to the perception of socially relevant, affective touch in humans 9:13

2M ago9:13

9:13

New drugs that target the endocannabinoid system are being proposed for disorders that are usually characterized by the dysregulation of social processing, like social anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Researchers have been trying to understand the mechanisms for how these drugs work. Leah Mayo is assistant professor at the University …

1
Audio long read: Why kids need to take more risks — science reveals the benefits of wild, free play 16:10

2M ago16:10

16:10

Over the past two decades, research has emerged showing that opportunities for risky play are crucial for children's healthy physical, mental and emotional development. However, because play is inherently free-form it has been difficult to study. Now, scientists are using innovative approaches, including virtual reality, to probe the benefits of ri…

1
If your heart stops, this smartwatch-AI can call for help 19:58

2M ago19:58

19:58

00:47 A ‘smart’ way to quickly detect cardiac arrest Google researchers have developed an AI for a smartwatch that will call for help if its wearer is having a cardiac arrest. Trained, in part, on data gained when patients had their hearts deliberately stopped during a medical procedure, the team’s machine learning algorithm can automatically detec…

1
Population dynamics of Atlantic orcas 24:21

2M ago24:21

24:21

Chérine Baumgartner and Andy Foote discuss working with orcas and their recent paper on diet and population dynamics in North Atlantic killer whalesBy Springer Nature

1
What's Hot in Pediatric Oncology? 13:58

2M ago13:58

13:58

Listen to November's Pediapod episode: What's hot in Pediatric Oncology? with Jeffrey DomeBy Springer Nature

1
What's hot in pediatric microbiome research? 14:58

2M ago14:58

14:58

Listen to January's Pediapod episode: What's hot in pediatric microbiome research, with Namasivayam Ambalavanan.By Springer Nature

1
Conversation With Senior Investigator Karin Nelson 10:51

2M ago10:51

10:51

Listen to January's Pediapod episode: Conversation With Senior Investigator Karin NelsonBy Springer Nature

1
Racist ratings linger in five-star systems — a thumbs up could fix that 31:45

2M ago31:45

31:45

01:14 A simple switch to reduce racist ratings 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…

1
Record-breaking neutrino detected by huge underwater telescope 34:56

2M ago34:56

34:56

In this episode: 00:45 An elusive, cosmic neutrino with a record-breaking energy An enormous array of detectors, deep under the Mediterranean Sea, has captured evidence of the highest-energy neutrino particle ever recorded, although researchers aren’t sure exactly where in the cosmos it originated. Calculations revealed this particle had over 30 ti…

1
Episode 31: Education, Business and Community: Brian Tomamichel on Navigating Change 25:32

2M ago25:32

25:32

In this episode of Luminate: Navigating the Unknown Through Creative Leadership, host Sarah Hempstead speaks with Brian Tomamichel, assistant superintendent for business and operations at Westfield Washington Schools. Tomamichel shares his unconventional path to education leadership, his passion for the outdoors, and his approach to managing growth…

1
From viral variants to devastating storms, how names shape the public's reaction to science 35:11

2M ago35:11

35:11

In episode 2 of 'What's in a name' we look how choosing names can help, or hinder, attempts to communicate important messages. Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. In our series What…

1
Kids' real-world arithmetic skills don't transfer to the classroom 34:47

3M ago34:47

34:47

In this episode: 00:45 How arithmetic skills don’t transfer between applied and academic environments Mathematics skills learnt in real-world situations may not translate to the classroom and vice versa, according to a new study. A team surveyed children in India who work in markets, to see whether the skills they learnt there transferred to the cl…

1
The AI revolution is running out of data. What can researchers do? 16:31

3M ago16:31

16:31

The explosive improvement in artificial intelligence (AI) technology has largely been driven by making neural networks bigger and training them on more data. But experts suggest that the developers of these systems may soon run out of data to train their models. As a result, teams are taking new approaches, such as searching for other unconventiona…

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Ep 20: w/ John Kandulu | Flinders University | environmental economics + economic value of green spaces + policy impact + economic analysis 39:58

3M ago39:58

39:58

On this show we’ll be chatting with John Kandulu, from Flinders University, about the economic value of green space. John is a Senior Research Economist. He has over 15 years of experience as an applied economist, having worked across the education, not-for-profit, private and government sectors. His research focuses on formulation and assessment o…

1
Asteroid Bennu contains building blocks of life 34:51

3M ago34:51

34:51

In this episode: 00:46 Evidence of ancient brine reveals Bennu’s watery past Analysis of samples taken from the asteroid Bennu reveal the presence of organic compounds important for life, and that its parent asteroid likely contained salty, subsurface water. Collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, these rocks and dust particles give insights into t…

1
Popgroup 2025, with Katja Guschanski 20:49

3M ago20:49

20:49

Katja Guschanski discusses working with mammal evolution, museomics and her plenary talk at Popgroup 2025By Springer Nature

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What's the best way to become a professor? The answer depends on where you are 32:42

3M ago32:42

32:42

00:56 How the paths to professorship vary A huge analysis of hiring practices has revealed that criteria to get a promotion to full professorship is hugely variable around the world. The authors suggest that this variability results in researchers from countries that value one type of metric being locked out of professor positions in others. They h…

1
Sex differences in sensitivity to dopamine receptor manipulations of risk-based decision making 9:46

3M ago9:46

9:46

The scientific literature has shown that females demonstrate more aversion to risk-taking than males. Studies have also demonstrated that the basal lateral amygdala, or BLA, is a critical hub for processing risk and reward information. And yet further research has shown that activity in the amygdala differs between males and females, and that the e…

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