x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The world, the universe and us

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

science

All Episodes

33:57

Skull rewrites story of human evolution; Autism and...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/09/26

Episode 322An 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

en

32:59

The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives; the...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/09/19

Episode 321Humans 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

en

29:59

Why we can't announce life on Mars (yet); The Romans'...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/09/12

Episode 320Was 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

en

31:10

First complete map of brain activity; Queen ant lays...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/09/05

Episode 319Scientists 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

en

25:50

Scientists discovered a 100,000-year-old organism;...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/08/29

Episode 318An 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

en

20:41

Could we end winter illness?; Cold fusion’s comeback;...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/08/22

Episode 317Winter 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

en

44:25

Climate special: How to fix the climate crisis with...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/08/14

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 –

en

34:06

80 years since Hiroshima: Forgotten victims of the...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/08/05

Episode 315It’s been 80 years since the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war - events that altered the course of history. The consequences of the widespread destruction, deaths and nuclear fallout are still being dealt with today. On 6th August 1945, a bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan, and three days later Nagasaki was also bombed. Tens of thousands of people were killed. Since then, many nuclear tests have been carried out. Despite efforts to clean up the fallout, a big threat

en

28:24

Ozempic and Wegovy slow down biological ageing;...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/08/01

Episode 314 Weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy have been shown to slow down - or even reverse - the ageing process. In a trial of 84 people taking semaglutide, their biological age dropped by 3.1 years on average, with some organs becoming almost 5 years younger. Based on this new research, this finding could make these some of the most impactful anti-ageing drugs on the market. So how are they doing it? Scientists have very nearly created a new lifeform. A synthetic bacterium has been created

en

28:48

AI wins first gold at maths Olympic games; How...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/07/25

Episode 313AI has won gold at the world’s hardest maths event. For the first time, AI programs that use entirely natural language like ChatGPT, have used general reasoning to solve incredibly difficult tests at the International Maths Olympiad in Australia. Humans are still in the lead…for now. But could this be a big leap forward in the quest for artificial general intelligence? Mitochondria - famously the powerhouses of our cells - are linked to sleep in ways we never realised. In a study on

en

30:23

Scientists test engineered microbes to fight disease;...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/07/18

Episode 312People have been given genetically engineered microbes to prevent a common health condition - and it worked. The gut microbiome is now known to be associated with many health conditions - and in this case, the team managed to treat 9 people who get recurring kidney stones. With the gut’s links to mental health, cancer and more, could engineered microbes be used to treat more conditions in the future? Is 1.5C dead? It’s looking increasingly likely that we’re going to breach 1.5C of

en

33:02

How geoengineering could save us from climate...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/07/11

Episode 311Geoengineering could be the best way to avoid catastrophic climate disaster - but there’s a big catch. In the recent Global Tipping Points Conference in the UK, scientists discussed growing concerns that the AMOC may be on the verge of collapsing. This is a system of ocean currents that plays a crucial role in regulating global climate. With the window of action rapidly closing, one climate model suggests geoengineering is the fastest way to stop this from happening. But without global

en

29:31

First full genome of Ancient Egyptian sequenced; Wild...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/07/04

Episode 310An ancient Egyptian's complete genome has been read for the first time. The DNA of a man who lived in Egypt over 4500 years ago offers a new window into the ancient society and hints at surprising genetic connections with Mesopotamia. Based on forensic analysis of the man's skeleton and preserved images of different Egyptian occupations, the researchers think his most likely occupation was a potter. The team discusses what the breakthrough means for our understanding of early Egypt and

en

28:32

This breakthrough could let gay couples have...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/06/27

A groundbreaking experiment in reproductive biology has resulted in mice being born from two biological fathers. By fusing sperm and putting them into an emptied egg cell, researchers in China have produced healthy and fertile offspring from two male mice. While it’s early days and the technique requires hundreds of embryos to get results, it opens up the possibility of same-sex reproduction in mammals, including humans, in the future.New insights into the power of sleep reveal how short naps can

en

36:18

First skull of mysterious human ancestor; Decoding...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/06/20

Episode 308An ancient skull discovered in China has been confirmed to belong to a Denisovan. It’s been tough to study this mysterious human ancestor, as we’ve only ever found a finger and jaw bone - so this new discovery could reshape our understanding of them. After being kept secret for decades, the “dragon man” skull is opening up a new window into our past. We’ve unlocked another clue in our quest to decode whale language. Analysis of 15 sperm whales in the Caribbean suggest their language

en

31:23

Is this the first step to cyborg brains? How drones...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/06/13

Episode 307Using new “ultrasoft” electronics, researchers at Harvard have effectively created tadpole cyborgs. A soft bioelectronic device has been implanted into their brains - one which grows with them as they develop into frogs. This neural implant is a first step in helping us better understand the inner workings of the brain. But could this work in mammals…or humans? Discussing just that, the Royal Society held a meeting this week called Cyborg Futures. How soon until humans become one with

en

25:37

$1 trillion of platinum on the moon; how your brain...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/06/06

Episode 306It’s been discovered that the moon is probably home to $1 trillion worth of platinum. Researchers suggest nearly 6500 of the Moon’s craters were made by asteroids containing commercial quantities of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. Does that mean space companies are going to head out on mining missions imminently…and should they? Hear the reasons for and against mining on the Moon. When you imagine something in your mind, how does your brain know that it’s

en

34:43

The real threat of AI - ethics, exploitation and the...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/05/30

Episode 305As artificial intelligence grows into more and more aspects of our lives, it seems we’re just at the beginning of the boom. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being pumped into advancing AI capabilities, making it the best funded area in science. But, just like the dot-com revolution, is it a bubble waiting to burst? In this special episode of the podcast, we explore the growing promise of AI - and also the existential threat it poses. Despite the amount of money going into AI,

en

23:24

Are smartphones really causing mental illness in...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/05/23

Episode 304It seems the world is on heightened alert about the impact smartphones are having on our children’s brains. But are we right to be worried? Jonathan Haidt’s book the Anxious Generation has played a big role in this debate, with many researchers agreeing smartphones cause harm and action needs to be taken. But is there actually any scientific evidence to back all of these claims up? The “strongest evidence” for alien life was announced just a few weeks ago - but not everyone was happy

en

27:55

China’s carbon emissions fall; norovirus vaccine;...

The world, the universe and us ·

2025/05/16

Episode 303China is becoming a de facto leader in the fight against climate change. Right now it’s the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, but after years of keeping its emissions steady, they have finally begun to fall. And this is all while China’s power demands have increased - suggesting its efforts to build clean energy are paying off. But is this enough to make a realistic dent on curbing global warming? And how will the uncertainty of President Trump’s administration impact this

en

349 results

Similar Podcasts

X Minus 1 - Old Time Radio Show

Inception Point Ai

Science, Spoken

WIRED

This Week in Space (Audio)

TWiT

DarshanTalks Podcast

Darshan Kulkarni

The Best of Coast to Coast AM

iHeartPodcasts and Coast to Coast AM