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Podcast · 94 episodes

The World, the Universe and Us

by New Scientist · English

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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This El Niño Is About To Cause a Global CatastropheThe “super” El Niño expected to peak in Nov–Dec, driving record-breaking Pacific sea-surface temperatures (up to ~4°C above average), intensifying extreme heat and weather worldwide, and potentially…25 Sep 2026 · 22 min · 9 chapters
How to Be Hopeful: Caitlin Moran and New Scientist Look to the FutureA “How to Be Hopeful” special episode arguing that hope comes from noticing progress, not doom-scrolling.21 Sep 2026 · 49 min · 26 chapters
THIS Is What You Need To Worry About With The Rise Of AIThe episode examines AI risk claims made by major tech figures, focusing on (1) how AI could “compete with humans,” (2) how AI could “go wrong” (especially hacking and cyber misuse), and (3) the…18 Sep 2026 · 31 min · 10 chapters
The Mystery of Childbirth Is Finally Being UnravelledEvolutionary biology of childbirth—maternal-fetal “conflict” over timing and resources, and new evidence that the immune system triggers labor via mitochondria transfer to uterine muscle.16 Sep 2026 · 23 min · 10 chapters
AI Just Solved One of the Hardest Problems in MathematicsThe episode discusses OpenAI’s claimed breakthrough on the Navier–Stokes Millennium Prize problem, explaining what the Navier–Stokes equations model (fluid flow) and why the open question is whether…11 Sep 2026 · 32 min · 13 chapters
New Discovery Reveals the Secret Lives of DenisovansA New Scientist discussion of new evidence about Denisovans—close human relatives—found at Bianfu Cave in southwest China, showing they lived there for 100,000+ years and revealing aspects of their…10 Sep 2026 · 24 min · 10 chapters
The Nepal Disaster: How Climate Change is Reshaping the WorldNepal glacier disaster and broader climate impacts—glacier retreat, permafrost thaw, extreme heat, and the need for early warning and “loss and damage” funding.4 Sep 2026 · 23 min · 10 chapters
Scientists Find Best Evidence Yet For Dark MatterA New Scientist discussion of a potential dark matter detection from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment, and what it would mean if confirmed.3 Sep 2026 · 15 min · 6 chapters
Why Humans Like Bigger Breasts - And a New Way to Augment ThemEvolutionary reasons humans prefer larger breasts, plus history of breast augmentation and a new clinical-trial technique using a person’s own fat cells with a dissolvable 3D-printed scaffold.25 Aug 2026 · 13 min · 6 chapters
ADHD Is Not a Myth - What the Science Really SaysThe episode argues that ADHD is a real, evidence-based neurodevelopmental disorder—not a “myth,” social construct, or brand-new condition—while addressing why diagnoses have risen and how ADHD can be…21 Aug 2026 · 34 min · 18 chapters
Wildfires Changed Human Evolution - Is It Happening Again?How wildfire-driven climate variability may have shaped human evolution, especially the emergence of Acheulean stone tools and possible use of fire, and what that implies for today’s wildfire era.17 Aug 2026 · 17 min · 8 chapters
New Treatment Saves Children With Terminal Brain CancerA New Scientist interview about TAAT (Tumor-Associated Antigen T-cell therapy), an experimental immunotherapy for children and young adults with terminal brain cancer, plus related advances in…11 Aug 2026 · 12 min · 8 chapters
Latitude Special: Why Festivals Make You Live Longer; Clearing Alzheimer’s Proteins from the Brain;Clouds Made of Rocks and Rubies; Orcas Blow Up Giant FishA Latitude Festival special covering: (1) orca behavior in the wild, (2) an early-stage Alzheimer’s idea using inhaled CO2 to boost brain waste clearance, (3) why clouds matter for climate and what…5 Aug 2026 · 50 min · 19 chapters
Climate 2026: Record Heat, Tens of Thousands Dead, Mass EvacuationsEurope and the US are experiencing extreme heat and heatwaves, driven by the climate crisis, with longer events linked to jet-stream patterns (omega blocking and northward jet shifts).31 Jul 2026 · 22 min · 7 chapters
Scientists Pioneer Surgical Methods for Human Head and Eye TransplantsTwo transplant-surgery breakthroughs: (1) keeping human retinas alive after death to enable future eye transplants that could restore vision; (2) “fusogenic neurosurgery” to reconnect severed spinal…27 Jul 2026 · 17 min · 11 chapters
The Most Promising Alien Planet We've Ever Found?LHS 1140b, a rocky exoplanet 50 light-years away, and two major “life ingredient” findings: a secure atmosphere detection and sugar molecules in interstellar space.20 Jul 2026 · 11 min · 8 chapters
Climate Crisis Is Triggering Global Food Shortages - New Predictions Are DevastatingClimate-driven extreme heat and drought are projected to slash crop yields and trigger global food shortages, with knock-on risks like food poverty, social unrest, ecosystem collapse, pest spread,…17 Jul 2026 · 20 min · 7 chapters
7 Essential Lessons We Can Learn From Homer’s OdysseyThe episode uses Homer’s Odyssey to extract “seven timeless lessons” about resilience, coping with stress/war/grief, meaning-making after trauma, and goal pursuit amid life’s “flux.” It also connects…13 Jul 2026 · 32 min · 12 chapters
Chris Packham on the Untold Story of EvolutionChris Packham discusses his BBC2 series Evolution, which tells the evolutionary “backstories” of five iconic animals using CGI to recreate pivotal ancestors and explain deep questions about sensing,…9 Jul 2026 · 28 min · 15 chapters
Heatwaves Are Getting Deadlier - And It’s Going To Get WorseDeadlier heatwaves driven by climate change, with a focus on Europe and the UK.7 Jul 2026 · 20 min · 7 chapters
Breakthrough Synthetic Cell Has Just Reproduced - But Is It Alive?The episode discusses a “breakthrough” in synthetic biology: a synthetic minimal cell called “spud cell” that can complete a cell cycle and replicate to a limited degree, but is not fully alive yet.3 Jul 2026 · 21 min · 8 chapters
The Science of Football: Inside the 2026 World CupWhether “science” (medicine, neuroscience, and data/AI) can give teams an edge at the 2026 World Cup, with a focus on heat, penalties, decision-making, youth vs experience, coaching, and injury risk.2 Jul 2026 · 48 min · 21 chapters
Ancient Human DNA Found in Stone Age Cave Art For First TimeFor the first time, researchers report extracting ancient human DNA preserved in calcite layers over Stone Age cave art, potentially enabling identification of individual artists and new…30 Jun 2026 · 17 min · 9 chapters
A “Super” El Niño May Be Coming - Here’s What It MeansThe episode explains the start of an El Niño event and why models suggest a “super” (very strong) El Niño, potentially amplified by global heating, with knock-on extreme weather and major…22 Jun 2026 · 26 min · 11 chapters