From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain.
For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts
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From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain.
For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts
Emergency in Antarctica; How movement changes the brain; Why women live longer than men
The world, the universe and us
30 minutes
3 days ago
Emergency in Antarctica; How movement changes the brain; Why women live longer than men
Episode 323
Temperatures in Antarctica have soared by over 35°C. Scientists are concerned about how quickly things are changing on the continent as these warmer temperatures impact the polar vortex. Coupled with record lows in sea ice cover over the last decade, this could be a sign that Antarctic weather patterns have shifted permanently. What’s driving this change - and what happens if we have reached a tipping point of no return?
Many mammals, including cats, can pivot their ears to focus on a particular sound. But our ears aren’t quite so flexible. But now it appears that a similar process happens inside our brain - ‘swivelling’ to focus on sounds from different directions. This has only recently been discovered thanks to new portable EEG equipment, as the process only happens when we’re moving. This finding may help us better understand how movement changes the brain - and could even help improve hearing aids.
Why do women tend to live longer than men? It could have something to do with the very chromosomes that determine biological sex. By looking at birds, whose sex chromosomes differ from those of mammals, researchers have discovered an intriguing hint at what’s going on. But does their new hypothesis hold up? Alongside all the emerging science, Rowan shares his own theory. And the team discusses the disappearance of the Y chromosome - and what that really means for men.
Chapters:
(00:00) Intro
(01:04) Emergency in Antarctica
(10:46) How movement changes the brain
(19:34) Why women live longer than men
Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Madeleine Cuff, Edward Doddridge, Caroline Williams and Sam Wong.
To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
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The world, the universe and us
From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain.
For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts
