A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, is the office finished? Land reform in poor countries (09:55), and Mexico’s unsellable presidential jet (18:10).
Extreme heat and 50 mile per hour wind gusts are fueling major fires across 11 Western States. Two towns in Oregon are completely burned down. Also, the president told famous Watergate journalist Bob Woodward in early February that he believed coronavirus was “deadly” despite offering reassuring public statements.
And, a whistleblower at the Department of Homeland Security says he was ordered to alter intelligence reports on white supremacists, Russia and China, all to please the president.
On Tuesday’s episode of “Axios on HBO,” Mike Allen questioned Mark Zuckerberg about Facebook’s content moderation policies before the November election – and what they’re doing to stop the spread of misinformation.
Guests: Axios’ Mike Allen, Hans Nichols and Erica Pandey.
Wildfires rage in California, stoked by extreme heat, President Trump and Joe Biden go on the offensive, and renegotiating your bills.
Health experts are warning that with Labor Day celebrations in full swing, the US could see another COVID-19 spike. Also, rescue operations continue after a record heat wave in California intensifies wildfires trapping campers in the Sierra National Forest this weekend. And, Beirut’s search for survivors ends as the country continues to recover one month after a massive blast tore through the city.
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, America’s ugly election: How bad could it get? How Abe Shinzo changed Japan (8:35) and why Britons walk their dogs so much (16:00).
NPR News Now: Portland shooting, New York protests, Bangladesh explosion and more top news.
Joe Biden is visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin today, the city where Jacob Blake was shot by police last week. And where two people died after the black lives matter protests turned violent. His visit comes a few days after Trump’s own visit on Monday.
Axios talked to 10 swing voters in Wisconsin about their feelings on the protests in their state and the upcoming election.
Guests: Axios’ Alexi McCammond, Sam Baker, and Miriam Kramer.
Nature reviews: Engineering yeast to produce medicines, immunity to Covid-19, and the mechanism of anaesthetic action.
In this episode:
00:44 Making medicine with yeast
The tropane alkaloids are an important class of medicine, but they are produced agriculturally leaving them vulnerable to extreme weather and world events. Now, researchers have engineered yeast to produce these important molecules. Research Article: Srinivasan and Smolke
06:36 Coronapod
We discuss the complex story of immunity to COVID-19, and how this may affect vaccine development. News Feature: What the immune response to the coronavirus says about the prospects for a vaccine
16:33 Research Highlights
The neurological reason for overindulgence, and the bacteria that harness copper electrodes. Research Highlight: The brain circuit that encourages eating for pleasure; Research Highlight: Microbes with mettle build their own electrical ‘wires’
19:07 The molecular mechanisms of general anaesthetics
Despite over a century of use, there’s a lot we don’t know about how anaesthetics function. This week, researchers have identified how some of them they bind to a specific neuronal receptor. Research Article: Kim et al.
26:34 Briefing Chat
Whilst the Nature Briefing is on its summer holidays, we take a look at some other science from around the web. This time we discuss Elon Musk’s latest showcase of a brain-chip, and the physics behind how boats can float upside down on levitating liquid. New Scientist: Elon Musk demonstrated a Neuralink brain implant in a live pig; Business Insider: Elon Musk’s AI brain chip company Neuralink is doing its first live tech demo on Friday. Here’s what we know so far about the wild science behind it.; Research Article: Apffel et al.; Video: The weird physics of upside down buoyancy
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