New Scientist Weekly

Episode 279 Antarctic sea ice is melting at an unprecedented rate. A collapse like the one we’re seeing was given just a 1 in 700 billion year chance of happening, based on climate models - we basically thought it was impossible. Melting ice in Antarctica will have global scale, knock-on ecological and climate consequences. To address the crisis, five hundred researchers met in Australia for an emergency summit for the future of the Antarctic. Sarah Thompson, one of the scientists at the conference, is working in Antarctica right now and shares her experiences assessing the damage in the region. Also hear from Sharon Robinson from the University of Wollongong, who explores how the ecology of the region is changing. A new type of brain implant technology is being developed that will allow direct access to a patient’s brain in a more intimate way. Most devices place metal electrodes and wires into the brain, but this method is instead using living neurons to form a connection with the brain. Brain-computer interfaces are used to help treat conditions like ALS or stroke, as well as allowing patients to control technology with their mind. Researchers at the Science Corporation in California have tested their new method on mice - but can it be done in humans? If you’re looking for a great science-based TV series or film to get stuck into this December, our resident TV critic Bethan Ackerley is here with all the highlights of 2024. She discusses everything from the unconventional superhero show ‘Supacell’, to the fabulous ‘3 Body Problem’ and the latest ‘Planet of the Apes’ film. Read Beth’s complete TV and film review here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435200-500-the-best-science-fiction-tv-shows-of-2024/  To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 278 Concerns about bird flu are rising as two cases in North America suggest the virus is adapting to humans. Evidence of human-to-human transmission is not yet conclusive but public health experts are worried. This year outbreaks have been found in both poultry and dairy cows in the US. Although it only causes mild symptoms in people at the moment, is there a chance it could evolve to become deadly? A last-minute deal has been struck at the UN climate summit COP29 – and people are not happy. Richer nations have agreed to give money to poorer nations to help them go green, but the financing promised doesn’t come close to what’s needed. Another year, another unsatisfactory outcome, once again begging the question is the COP process no longer fit for purpose?  Fancy stock-piling a load of new books ahead of the holiday season? We present to you 5 of the best science books of 2024, fiction and non-fiction. On the list are A City on Mars, What the Wild Sea Can Be, Frostbite, Nuclear War: A Scenario and Question 7. Read the full article of 18 must-reads here. Sign up to the New Scientist Book Club here:  https://www.newscientist.com/sign-up/bookclub/ Find more information about the Book Club here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2442618-welcome-to-the-new-scientist-book-club/ To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 277 Chimps are an intelligent species, capable of using tools and developing culture - so why have humans surpassed them to such a huge extent? How is it that we are busy exploring space while chimps remain stuck in the Stone Age? It’s long been thought it’s because their culture doesn’t evolve cumulatively, but that assumption has just been challenged. Hear from Cassandra Gunasekaram, the lead author of a paper that shows chimp culture develops in a more complex way than we realised. We also hear from primatologists Andrew Whiten from the University of St Andrews and Andrea Migliano of the University of Zurich. How often do you check the calories of your meal, before ordering at a restaurant? In 2020 in the UK it became mandatory for many restaurants to print calories on their menus, as part of an anti-obesity campaign - the question is, has it been effective or a complete waste of time? We dig into new research and the results may surprise you. We also explore why 85 per cent of overweight or obese people who lose a significant amount of weight end up putting it all back on again within a year. In a Black Mirror-like development, computer scientists have managed to create simulated replicas of 1000 real people. These digital twins were created using the model behind ChatGPT and can accurately simulate their personalities. The method is surprisingly simple to recreate - so should we be worried? To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 276 Are the COP climate summits doing enough to help us avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change, or are they not fit for purpose, and designed to fail? COP29 is underway in petrostate Azerbaijan, headed by a CEO who was secretly filmed making oil and gas deals. Despite this, the team finds reason for optimism. They also hear from climate philosopher and activist Rupert Read, who runs the Climate Majority Project. He argues the COP process was designed to fail, that 1.5 degrees is dead and that adaptation - not mitigation - is the way to go. What do you think? Bird migration is an extraordinary feat of evolution - but how exactly do they do it? We know the Earth’s magnetic field has something to do with it, but we’ve only just discovered the astonishing level of detail birds are able to get from it. Raising questions about bird intelligence, the team also hears how birds evolved from dinosaurs. Gophers have an incredible capacity to shape their landscape. Gophers are small, burrowing rodents with long front teeth. And a decades-long study has shown that just one day of work by a gopher can completely revitalise soil in an area, changing its microbial diversity and preventing disease. Gopher productivity surely puts humans to shame. Hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss with guests Madeleine Cuff and Sophie Bushwick. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn about the Climate Majority Project here. Find Rupert Read’s book here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices