<h2>00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes</h2><p>Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers.</p><br><p><em>Research Article:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08816-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Yoo et al.</em></a></p><p><em>News and Views:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00912-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Complete ape genomes offer a close-up view of human evolution</em></a></p><p><em>News:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01079-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>What makes us human? Milestone ape genomes promise clues</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>08:47 Research Highlights</h2><p>How sunflower stars are evading a mysterious epidemic, and how solar panels made of moon dust could power lunar bases.</p><br><p><em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00970-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Revealed: where rare and giant starfish hide from an enigmatic killer</em></a></p><p><em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00971-x" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Solar cells made of Moon dust could power up a lunar base</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>11:36 How to make a competitive laser-plasma accelerator</h2><p>After decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales.</p><br><p><em>Research article:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08772-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Winkler et al.</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>19:55 Briefing Chat</h2><p>A drug that makes blood poisonous to mosquitoes, and how an AI worked out how to solve key challenges in&nbsp;<em>Minecraft&nbsp;</em>by ‘imagining’ solutions.</p><br><p><em>Science Alert:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/drug-for-rare-disease-turns-human-blood-into-mosquito-poison" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison</em></a></p><p><em>Nature:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01019-w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>AI masters Minecraft: DeepMind program finds diamonds without being taught</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>Vote for us in this year's Webby Awards</h2><p>Vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/science-education" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved</em></a></p><p>Vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/limited-series-specials/health-science-education" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>What's in a name: Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals</em></a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><em>Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.</em></strong></a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Nature Podcast

Springer Nature Limited

Long-awaited ape genomes give new insights into their evolution — and ours

APR 9, 202529 MIN
Nature Podcast

Long-awaited ape genomes give new insights into their evolution — and ours

APR 9, 202529 MIN

Description

<h2>00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomes</h2><p>Researchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers.</p><br><p><em>Research Article:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08816-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Yoo et al.</em></a></p><p><em>News and Views:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00912-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Complete ape genomes offer a close-up view of human evolution</em></a></p><p><em>News:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01079-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>What makes us human? Milestone ape genomes promise clues</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>08:47 Research Highlights</h2><p>How sunflower stars are evading a mysterious epidemic, and how solar panels made of moon dust could power lunar bases.</p><br><p><em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00970-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Revealed: where rare and giant starfish hide from an enigmatic killer</em></a></p><p><em>Research Highlight:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00971-x" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Solar cells made of Moon dust could power up a lunar base</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>11:36 How to make a competitive laser-plasma accelerator</h2><p>After decades of research, physicists have demonstrated that, in principle, an alternative kind of particle accelerator can work just as well as more conventional designs. Many particle accelerators that power huge experiments like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are radio-frequency accelerators, but they are large and limited in how strong their magnetic fields can be. The new work shows that accelerators that instead use plasma to accelerate particles could be a viable alternative and could be built at much smaller scales.</p><br><p><em>Research article:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08772-y" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Winkler et al.</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>19:55 Briefing Chat</h2><p>A drug that makes blood poisonous to mosquitoes, and how an AI worked out how to solve key challenges in&nbsp;<em>Minecraft&nbsp;</em>by ‘imagining’ solutions.</p><br><p><em>Science Alert:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/drug-for-rare-disease-turns-human-blood-into-mosquito-poison" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Drug For Rare Disease Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito Poison</em></a></p><p><em>Nature:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01019-w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>AI masters Minecraft: DeepMind program finds diamonds without being taught</em></a></p><p><br></p><h2>Vote for us in this year's Webby Awards</h2><p>Vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/science-education" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved</em></a></p><p>Vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/limited-series-specials/health-science-education" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>What's in a name: Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals</em></a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.nature.com/briefing/signup" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><em>Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.</em></strong></a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>