The world, the universe and us

New Scientist

From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain. For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts

  1. −14 H

    Emergency in Antarctica; How movement changes the brain; Why women live longer than men

    Episode 323 Temperatures in Antarctica have soared by over 35°C. Scientists are concerned about how quickly things are changing on the continent as these warmer temperatures impact the polar vortex. Coupled with record lows in sea ice cover over the last decade, this could be a sign that Antarctic weather patterns have shifted permanently. What’s driving this change - and what happens if we have reached a tipping point of no return? Many mammals, including cats, can pivot their ears to focus on a particular sound. But our ears aren’t quite so flexible. But now it appears that a similar process happens inside our brain - ‘swivelling’ to focus on sounds from different directions. This has only recently been discovered thanks to new portable EEG equipment, as the process only happens when we’re moving. This finding may help us better understand how movement changes the brain - and could even help improve hearing aids.  Why do women tend to live longer than men? It could have something to do with the very chromosomes that determine biological sex. By looking at birds, whose sex chromosomes differ from those of mammals, researchers have discovered an intriguing hint at what’s going on. But does their new hypothesis hold up? Alongside all the emerging science, Rowan shares his own theory. And the team discusses the disappearance of the Y chromosome - and what that really means for men. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:04) Emergency in Antarctica (10:46) How movement changes the brain (19:34) Why women live longer than men Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Madeleine Cuff, Edward Doddridge, Caroline Williams and Sam Wong. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about Yakult at www.yakult.co.uk  Vote for New Scientist in the Signal Awards: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/science  Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min

  2. 26 SEP.

    Skull rewrites story of human evolution; Autism and Tylenol; discovery of wind coming from black hole

    Episode 322 An ancient skull discovered in China may have just rewritten the story of human evolution. It’s widely accepted that the common ancestor of Homo sapiens, Denisovans and Neanderthals came out of Africa. But this skull upends that assumption - potentially showing human evolution began in Asia. Discover how a new reconstruction of the Yunxian fossil skull could push back human origins by 400,000 years. Tylenol does not cause autism. The US government has made headlines with claims that this common painkiller, also known as paracetamol, is playing a big role in what’s been falsely dubbed the ‘autism epidemic’. As Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr call for pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, we discuss what we know from science, and hear from medical experts of the danger of this new advice. Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy, is more active than we thought. Historically our black hole has seemed rather quiet. But a new discovery shows the first clear evidence of winds - streams of hot gas - coming from it. The finding could help us figure out what Sag A* looks like and what it’ll do in the future. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:05) This skull could rewrite the story of human evolution (16:39) Autism and Tylenol (26:26) Black hole discovery Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Michael Marshall, Grace Wade, Alex Wilkins, Chris Stringer, Arthur Caplan and Gretchen Goldman. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/ Find the New Scientist CoLab episode with Octopus Energy here: https://www.newscientist.com/podcasts/inside-the-uk-s-energy-revolution/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  3. 19 SEP.

    The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives; the asteroid coming VERY close to Earth; how dinosaurs shaped the ecosystem

    Episode 321 Humans live a lot longer than other primates - and much of that is down to our immune system. But there’s a price we pay for the capacity to fight off infections: inflammation. Chronic inflammation is to blame for a range of health issues, especially those related to older age. And now research has revealed exactly why inflammation is good for longevity but bad for health. Find out how proteins called death-fold domains often malfunction - and what this could mean for the future of drug development. Bigger than the Eiffel Tower and closer than the moon - the asteroid Apophis will skim past Earth in 2029 and will be visible to the naked eye. Don’t worry, astronomers assure us it will NOT hit us. But it could be a good testbed for NASA’s asteroid deflection technology, helping us to prepare for more dangerous space rocks in the future. With two major space agencies due to visit Apophis - what will we find? If you thought there was nothing new to learn about the extinction of the dinosaurs, think again. Something we hadn’t yet considered was the impact dinosaurs had on the ecosystem. Given they were so massive, dinosaurs made wide-ranging changes to the planet’s landscapes, such as shifting rivers. So when they were wiped out, there were huge knock-on effects, which researchers have now been examining.  Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:41) The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives (13:47) The asteroid coming very close to Earth (26:42) How dinosaurs shaped their ecosystem Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Alison George, Alex Wilkins, Sam Wong and Richard Binzel. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  4. 12 SEP.

    Why we can't announce life on Mars (yet); The Romans' impact on the British economy; Link between exercise and your microbiome

    Episode 320 Was Mars once home to alien life? The evidence is stronger than ever, since NASA’s discovery of rocks marked by patterns similar to those made by microbes on Earth. Found in an area now named Bright Angel, these rocks give us a tantalising insight into Mars’ ancient past - but just how definitive is this finding? It’s long been thought that when the Roman Empire withdrew from Britain in the early 400s, the result was chaos and economic collapse. But a new archaeological discovery suggests that’s not the case. Signs show a boom in the ancient metalworking trade around that time. Do we need to rethink this period of our history entirely? We’re constantly discovering more and more ways to boost our microbiome and improve our health – everything from eating more fibre and fermented foods to having pets and embracing dirt. And now there’s something else to add to the list: weight lifting. After being put on a weight training programme, a group of sedentary adults showed a surprising uptick in beneficial gut bugs. But how are the two things connected? Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:19) Strongest evidence for past life on Mars (14:55) The Romans impact on the British economy (23:19) Link between exercise and your microbiome Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Mike Marshall, Mike Tice and Sanjeev Gupta. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

  5. 5 SEP.

    First complete map of brain activity; Queen ant lays eggs of another species; The perils of scrolling while on the toilet

    Episode 319 Scientists have created the first complete activity map of a mouse’s brain. Combining brain images from multiple mice, researchers recorded more than 650,000 neurons while these mice manipulated little Lego steering wheels in a driving game. This complex behaviour has allowed scientists to examine the interplay between various parts of the brain - and could help us better understand consciousness. This might be the weirdest discovery about ants ever. Some eggs laid by Queen Iberian harvester ants (Messor ibericus) contain males of another species - that of the builder harvest ant (Messor structor). They are somehow cloning these males to create workers for the colony - a highly unusual form of reproduction. Find out how they’re doing it - and let us know what your favourite ant is. Do you scroll on your phone when you’re on the toilet? Well, you might want to stop doing that. For a long time we’ve thought straining on the loo increased your risk of developing haemorrhoids, also known as piles. But a new study shows it might be more to do with how long you’re spending on the loo. Find out how scrolling through addictive apps could increase your risk of haemorrhoids by 50 per cent. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:21) First map of mammalian brain activity (14:21) Queen ant lays eggs of another species (23:53) The perils of scrolling while on the toilet Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Alexandra Thompson, Sam Wong, Michael Le Page, Alexandre Pouget, Anne Churchland, Matteo Carandini and Jessica Purcell To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min

  6. 29 AUG.

    Scientists discovered a 100,000-year-old organism; Breakthrough brain implant uses AI to treat pain; How climate change leads to revolutions

    Episode 318 An ancient organism has been discovered that has been alive for at least 100,000 years. Found in the Siberian permafrost, this lifeform doesn’t appear to have just remained dormant - but instead has actually been growing extremely slowly. Our understanding of life is already quite fuzzy, and this finding adds to the idea that life itself is a fuzzy state of being.  A breakthrough method of treating previously untreatable chronic pain is showing promise. An intuitive form of deep brain stimulation, guided by machine learning, has provided targeted relief to patients in a small trial. The method also improved various other conditions and may even help with weight loss. Find out how it works. Throughout history, dramatic changes in the climate often coincide with major revolutions and rebellions. Rapid warming or cooling often have a cascading effect on food production, leading to shortages and rising prices. As the effect of climate change increase today, will we see a repeat of history? Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:22) 100,000-year-old organism (10:37) Brain implant treats chronic pain (18:02) How climate change leads to revolutions Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Alexandra Thompson, James Dinneen and Karen Lloyd. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 min

  7. 22 AUG.

    Could we end winter illness?; Cold fusion’s comeback; The delicious microbiome of chocolate

    Episode 317 Winter bugs are notoriously hard to vaccinate against. But as cold, flu and covid season is about to descend on us once more, one group researchers are working on an entirely new solution to the misery. A team out of Columbia University has been testing an mRNA-based treatment that could prime our immune systems to fight against any kind of viral infection, perhaps in the form of an asthma-like inhaler. But there is a catch… New life has been breathed into one of the most controversial ideas in science. In 1989, a surprising way to generate nuclear fusion at room temperature gained worldwide attention - but the initial experiment couldn’t be replicated. Dead in the water for many years, the idea of ‘cold fusion’ is now being revisited - and it could help us create futuristic electronics. Ever wondered what makes chocolate taste so good? As with many things, it turns out we have microbes to thank. Chocolate, like kimchi and cheese, is a fermented food product - and scientists are beginning to discover which microbes give chocolate its many flavours. These findings could help us create more delicious chocolate, or even create new flavours we’ve never tasted before. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:29) Could we end winter illness? (08:27) Cold fusion’s comeback (15:23) The delicious microbiome of chocolate Hosted by Penny Sarchet and Chelsea Whyte, with guests Michael Le Page, Alex Wilkins and Sam Wong. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min

  8. 14 AUG.

    Climate special: How to fix the climate crisis with Tim Lenton and Kate Marvel

    Episode 316 “All of the other planets out there are just complete garbage. The Earth is the only good place.” – Kate Marvel The climate crisis can leave many of us feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. But, as climate scientists Kate Marvel and Tim Lenton say, there are many reasons to be optimistic.Both have new books out that hope to reframe the way we think about the issue. Kate’s book Human Nature grapples with the complicated emotions that the climate crisis evokes, from anger to hope and love – and explores how we can harness each of them to fight for a better future. Tim’s book Positive Tipping Points looks at the possibility that we may cause irreversible damage to the Earth’s climate system, from Amazon dieback to ice sheet collapse. But as the name suggests, he also examines the opportunities in leveraging global action against climate change to create “positive tipping points”. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (01:26) Why Tim and Kate have dedicated their lives to climate science (3:53) Exploring Kate’s book Human Nature - starting with anger (6:33) How Tim channels his climate anger (10:16) Processing the 9 emotions of Kate’s book (13:10) What are negative tipping points? (15:33) How to use positive tipping points (21:13) Where can we find hope for change right now? (23:16) The positive emotions that inspire climate action (26:50) Kate’s process of writing (29:52) Why non-violent campaigns are so effective (35:19) Have we seen any of these positive tipping points yet? (39:31) How Americans really feel about climate change (40:46) Kate and Tim’s dream outcomes for their books Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Madeleine Cuff, with guests Kate Marvel and Tim Lenton. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min
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From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain. For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts

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