The world, the universe and us

Episode 347

Drones have taken over the battlefield in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Tens of thousands of drones are being produced every day - operating as kill vehicles for both sides. Multiple types are being deployed, including flying artillery drones and ground drones.

Now the deadliest war since World War 2 - and considered the first “drone war” - the conflict is being fought in a way unlike we’ve ever seen before. With more than 80 per cent of military hits now made by drones. So on this special edition of the podcast we ask: is this the future of warfare? 

Driving these vehicles is in some ways like playing a video game, with operators sitting behind a screen with a handheld controller. And the gamification goes beyond this, with drone operators earning “points” for kills - that can be cashed in for more military equipment. AI is increasingly used to guide drones and to analyse targets. 

Joining hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are Matt Sparkes, who’s recently returned from a drone factory in Ukraine, and Serhii Andriev, Deputy Company Commander of “Kraken” 3rd Army Corps drone regiment. 

The team also hear from Andrii Hrytseniuk, CEO of Ukraine government organisation Brave 1 - and Trusta, an Ukrainian engineer and drone pilot trainer.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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Episode 346

The world is running out of water, with many countries suffering from significant water shortages. We’re now having to rely on groundwater that takes thousands of years to replenish – so what can we do? One group says, to save us from worldwide “water bankruptcy”, we need to artificially change the weather. Although “cloud-seeding” has been around for a long time, a new technique is getting big results in the US. But the idea is becoming increasingly controversial – with cloud-seeding held responsible for recent floods in Dubai and Texas. So will this help, or hurt?

Grief is a very normal experience for those who suffer a loss. But for 1 in 20 of us, this intense sadness doesn’t go away. “Prolonged grief disorder” was recognised as a distinct psychiatric condition in 2022 – but it was controversial, with some concerned we’re pathologising a normal human response. But new research suggests there really are unique things happening in the brains of those suffering from PGD. Could this help us find better ways to treat the condition?

Is the black hole in the centre of our universe actually a massive clump of dark matter? It seems ridiculous to ask, but the new theory is genuinely worth investigating. Researchers say Sagittarius A* is just the right size that it could defy everything we think we know about it. Could we have an answer to the puzzle of dark matter, right on our doorstep?

Hosted by Penny Sarchet and Timothy Revell, with guests Alec Luhn, Alexandra Thompson and Leah Crane.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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Episode 345

More than 8,500 years ago, ancient people crossed the ocean to the remote island of Malta for the first time. Long before compasses or sails were invented, these prehistoric people navigated the seas on logs, using the stars to travel vast distances. Recent findings show we’ve long underestimated the voyaging capabilities of stone-age hunter-gatherers. We discuss the many examples of ancient travel - and what this all tells us about the ancient mind.

Could just one hour of brain training a day be enough to stave off dementia? For the first time, an intervention against dementia has been tested in a randomised control trial. Lasting an impressive 20 years, participants in the trial played a brain training game for just a few hours a week - and the results were remarkable.

The legendary space scientist Maggie Aderin joins the show to discuss her new book, Starchild: My Life Under the Night Sky. The Sky at Night presenter discusses her motivation for writing a memoir, how her love of astronomy came about, what it was like as the only Black woman in her university class, her time working on the James Webb telescope - and more.

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Maggie Aderin, Michael Marshall and Alexandra Thompson.To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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Episode 344

Elon Musk has announced he wants to merge SpaceX with another of his companies, xAI, and launch one million satellites into space. One reason - according to Musk - is to eventually harness the entire power of the sun, a sci-fi sounding idea that would make us a Kardashev Type II civilisation. But he also wants the satellites to help power AI and move data centres off Earth. Is his goal realistic… and what would be the consequences?

Parents desperate to get their children to sleep are resorting to melatonin gummies - and it’s proving very effective. Melatonin is a sleep hormone which is only available on prescription in many countries. So some parents are importing them from America - where they can be bought over-the-counter. The trouble is the long-term side effects are not really known - and cases of melatonin overdose in children are on the rise.

Despite global agreement to cut the "overall risk" from pesticides by at least half by 2030 - new data shows we’re not even close. Countries made this commitment at a UN biodiversity meeting in 2022, but so far it’s been almost impossible to measure success. Thanks to a researcher in Germany, we now have a way to track our progress - and it’s not looking good. Could an increase in organic farming be the solution, or CRISPR gene editing?

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Jonathan O’Callaghan, Alice Klein and Michael Le Page.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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Episode 343

The task of growing human brains in a lab has taken a step forward. Scientists have been creating brain organoids since 2013, but have now grown blood vessels in them for the first time. These mini brains resemble the developing cortex - the area of the brain that thinks, feels and stores memories. These advancements will help us learn more about the brain and conditions like dementia. But what if we go too far and they become conscious?

Geoengineering is being talked about more and more as countries fail to hit emissions targets. Without reductions we are on course to hit 4.5°C of warming by 2100, so new solutions are needed. But will artificially cooling the climate really help, or do even more damage? One popular method is solar radiation management - but that would require at least 100 aircraft working for hundreds of years. And new research shows that while it could work, the moment we stop doing temperatures would rebound rapidly. So is it worth even trying?

An incredible trove of ancient fossils have been discovered in a quarry in China, dating from 512 million years ago, just after Earth’s first mass extinction event. More than 8000 fossils have been analysed and nearly 60 per cent of the species are new to science. This group of arthropods, molluscs and brachiopods contain some very weird and wonderful creatures - including one which looks remarkably like a penis with long branching tentacles growing out of the end.

Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Carissa Wong, Alec Luhn and Sam Wong.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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