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Podcast · 94 episodes

The World, the Universe and Us, page 2

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

All episodes, page 2

The Lost Solstice Monument That Predates Stonehenge By 500 YearsArchaeological discovery at Bulford (near Salisbury Plain) suggesting a wooden-pole solstice monument 500 years before Stonehenge, possibly an early prototype for Stonehenge’s summer-solstice sunrise…18 Jun 2026 · 21 min · 10 chapters
If We Can Make Genetically Engineered Designer Babies - Should We?Whether CRISPR “base editing” could make human embryo gene editing safer enough for “designer babies,” and whether society should allow it.15 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 7 chapters
Scientists Mapped Earth's Vast Fungal Network - And It's Critical For The ClimateScientists report the first global, predictive maps of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks (the underground symbiosis where fungi trade soil nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and water for…12 Jun 2026 · 26 min · 13 chapters
Millions of Fossil Whale Bones Found in Deep Ocean GraveyardResearchers mapped the world’s deepest known “whale graveyard” in the southern Indian Ocean’s Diamantina Trench/Zone at ~7 km depth, finding millions of fossil whale bones plus recent whale carcasses.11 Jun 2026 · 13 min · 8 chapters
DeepMind Is Simulating Entire Worlds - Ready for AI RobotsGoogle DeepMind’s “world models” that simulate how environments evolve given actions, aiming to train and evaluate embodied AI/robots for rare real-world scenarios via simulation rather than only…5 Jun 2026 · 28 min · 14 chapters
Ötzi the Ice Man Contains Still-Living MicrobesÖtzi the Iceman’s microbiome and what it reveals about Copper Age humans, plus how microbes may still be metabolically active and affect preservation.3 Jun 2026 · 16 min · 6 chapters
The Thwaites 'Doomsday' glacier's ice shelf is about to break awayThe Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica (“Doomsday Glacier”) is losing its floating ice shelf, threatening major sea-level rise.25 May 2026 · 17 min · 8 chapters
Some Scientists Want To Resurrect Extinct Species – Is It Even Possible?De-extinction feasibility and ethics, sparked by Colossal Biosciences’ claim to create a moa “artificial eggshell” and broader plans (mammoths, dire wolves, dodos, thylacine).22 May 2026 · 27 min · 7 chapters
The Hidden Methane Time Bomb That Could Accelerate The Climate CrisisMethane hydrates under ice sheets and the ocean could be released as “methane time bombs” as glaciers retreat, accelerating climate warming; a newly reported pathway involves meltwater flushing…20 May 2026 · 18 min · 8 chapters
Science Reveals Neanderthals Had Dentists 60,000 Years AgoThe episode argues that Neanderthals practiced deliberate dentistry 59,000–60,000 years ago.15 May 2026 · 21 min · 11 chapters
Scientists Concerned By a Sudden Increase in the Rate of Sea Level RiseScientists discuss a satellite-observed “step change” in sea level rise around 2012, with the rate increasing from about 2.9 mm/year to about 4.1 mm/year, and connect it to accelerating global…13 May 2026 · 17 min · 8 chapters
The Strange Case Of The Man Immune To Alzheimer’sThe episode investigates why Doug Whitney, a man with a pre-senilin-2 mutation that usually causes early-onset Alzheimer’s (around ages 44–53), has not developed Alzheimer’s symptoms by age 76.8 May 2026 · 17 min · 12 chapters
Astronomers Stunned by a Tiny World With an AtmosphereAstronomers report a surprise atmosphere around Kuiper Belt object 2002-XV93 (a “Plutino”), about 500 km wide, challenging assumptions that such small bodies can’t retain air.6 May 2026 · 21 min · 9 chapters
Craig Venter’s Legacy: The Most Influential Geneticist Since Watson and CrickThe episode is about Craig Venter’s scientific legacy after his death at 79, arguing he was the most influential geneticist since Watson and Crick.1 May 2026 · 27 min · 10 chapters
Record Heat, Wildfires and Drought - The Climate Crisis Is About To AccelerateEurope is warming faster than anywhere else, driving record heat, drought, wildfires, and marine heatwaves; the episode links climate change to biodiversity loss and highlights a rare coral-survival…30 Apr 2026 · 24 min · 10 chapters
The Wood Wide Web: The Forest Discovery That Sparked a BacklashForest ecology and forestry controversy—Suzanne Simard’s “mother tree” and “wood wide web” idea that trees connect via fungal networks to share resources, plus the backlash and her current “Mother…27 Apr 2026 · 37 min · 13 chapters
Chernobyl 40 Years On: Legacy of the World’s Worst Nuclear DisasterThe episode (The World, the Universe and Us) marks 40 years since the April 26, 1986 Chernobyl reactor 4 explosion and examines its legacy: radiation science, ecology in the exclusion zone, and how…23 Apr 2026 · 32 min · 15 chapters
A “Super El Niño” Is Coming - And It Could Trigger Global Climate ChaosWeather models suggest a very strong “super El Niño” (also dubbed “Godzilla El Niño”) could develop later in 2026, potentially driving extreme global heat, droughts, floods, and record-hot years,…20 Apr 2026 · 15 min · 5 chapters
Britain’s First Astronaut on the New Race to the Moon | Helen SharmanArtemis II’s successful crewed lunar flyby/return and what it means for a renewed “space race” toward sustained Moon presence—especially the South Pole—plus the science/biology experiments, landing…17 Apr 2026 · 37 min · 17 chapters
How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower: New Scientist's stargazing companionA guide to spotting the Lyrid (Lyraids) meteor shower, including when to watch, where to look, what to bring, and how to tell meteors from satellites.16 Apr 2026 · 6 min · 4 chapters
Genetic analysis reveals how the Neanderthals went extinctThe episode explains how genetic data clarifies Neanderthal decline and extinction.10 Apr 2026 · 21 min · 11 chapters
The Male G-Spot Has Finally Been FoundA New Scientist episode reports a “male G-spot” validated by anatomy research, identifying a triangular, nerve-rich region on the underside of the penis near the head/shaft junction, and discusses…6 Apr 2026 · 13 min · 5 chapters
Food shock is inevitable due to the Iran war – and it could get badThe episode argues that food “shock” is inevitable due to war-driven disruptions in Middle East supply chains, especially for fertilizer and pesticides, and could worsen into major global food-price…2 Apr 2026 · 29 min · 12 chapters
World’s First Antimatter Truck Carries Most Valuable And Volatile Substance on EarthCERN’s “antimatter truck” proof-of-principle: a vehicle carrying 92 antiprotons (antimatter) around the CERN campus for 20 minutes on a 4 km track, aiming to enable future antimatter delivery…27 Mar 2026 · 19 min · 12 chapters