Contributing Correspondent Ann Gibbons talks with host Sarah Crespi about a series of 120,000-year-old human footprints found alongside prints from animals like asses, elephants, and camels in a dried-up lake on the Arabian Peninsula. These are the earliest human footprints found so far in Arabia and may help researchers better understand the history of early hominin migrations out of Africa.
Continuing on the history of humanity theme, Sarah talks with Janet Kelso of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, about her team’s efforts to fish the elusive Y chromosome out of Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA. It turns out Y chromosomes tell a different story about our past interbreeding with Neanderthals than previous tales told by the rest of the genome.
Axios Today reports: Private companies are becoming more and more invested in entering the space race. That means smaller missions – with more freedom in what they can study and explore – could completely change our understanding of the universe.
Plus, democrats are changing up their voting strategy.
And, Johnson & Johnson has reached another vaccine trial milestone.
Guests: Axios’ Miriam Kramer, Alexi McCammond, and Caitlin Owens
Nature reports on: Coaxing tiny colloid particles into a diamond structure, rapid antigen tests and manipulating cell death and homeostasis in neurodegenerative disease.
In this episode:
00:45 Creating colloidal crystals
For decades, researchers have attempted to create crystals with a diamond-like structure using tiny colloid particles. Now, a team thinks they’ve cracked it, which could open the door for new optical technologies. Research Article: He et al.
In neurodegenerative disease, cell death can be prevented, however this can lead to the accumulation of incorrectly folded proteins. Now researchers have found targets that can be used to both stop cell death and protein aggregation. Research Article: Xu et al.
GOP Senators push to confirm Supreme Court nominee by election day, U.S. coronavirus death toll tops 200,000, and Illinois man has kept Richard Nixon’s unfinished sandwich for 60 years.
The Great Books presents: John J. Miller is joined by Missy Andrews of the Center for Literary Education to discuss Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel written by the American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Cuba, and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction written by Hemingway that was published during his lifetime. One of his most famous works, it tells the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba.
In his new book, Paul Nurse, Nobel prize winner and director of the Francis Crick Institute, addresses a question that has long plagued both philosophers and scientists – what does it really mean to be alive?
Speaking to Madeleine Finlay, Paul delves into why it’s important to understand the underlying principles of life, the role of science in society, and what life might look like on other planets.
Sir Paul Maxime Nurse FRS FMedSci HonFREng HonFBA MAE, is an English geneticist, former President of the Royal Society and Chief Executive and Director of the Francis Crick Institute.
Axios Today reports: We’re halfway through September which means members of Congress are shifting their focus towards their own re-election campaigns, and now a Supreme Court Justice pick. After months of back and forth on a new stimulus bill, it’s now even less likely one will pass before the election.
Plus, some not-bad news about our economic recovery.
And, on the road with the Biden campaign.
Guests: Axios’ Alayna Treene, Felix Salmon and Hans Nichols.
Supreme Court vacancy sets off debate as President Trump plans for Ginsburg successor, Joe Biden can’t count on Catholic vote as traditionalists swing to Trump, and scams spreading online that can cost you thousands.
D/W Radio News 24/7 reports: Thousands demonstrate against monarchy in Thailand, political battle to replace Supreme Court seat, and other top world news.
NPR News Now reports: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg dies at 87, Michigan court rules to allow mail-in ballots post-marked the day before the election, and other top news.
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