Download the Nature Podcast 27 November 2024
In this episode:
00:50 Fossilized faeces give news insights into dinosaurs’ diets and rise
A huge collection of fossilized digestive contents has provided clues as to how dinosaurs grew to become the dominant animals on the planet. Why these animals rose to dominance has been unclear, with one theory proposing that a chance event wiped out other species, whereas another suggests that dinosaurs had adaptations that better allowed them to thrive. By analysing more than 500 vomit and faeces fossils, researchers have better identified what dinosaurs ate, and their interactions with other animals. The new work suggests both of these theories are correct, with dinosaurs benefiting from one or the other at different points in time. The researchers believe this work demonstrates how useful fossilized food contents are for understanding these ancient creatures.
Research Article: Qvarnström et al.
News and Views: Wastes of time — faeces and vomit track how dinosaurs rose to prominence
News: Fossilized poo and vomit shows how dinosaurs rose to rule Earth
10:05 Research Highlights
Bacteria found on an asteroid actually came from Earth, and why play helps chimps to cooperate.
Research Highlight: Bacteria found on a space rock turn out to be Earth-grown
Research Highlight: Chimps tickle and wrestle in play to pave the way for teamwork
12:46 A commensal fungus found in mouse guts
By testing mice across the United States, researchers have identified a fungus that is well adapted to living in the gastrointestinal tracts of mice, an important step in modelling the role these microorganisms play in the body. Fungi are known to be a constituent of the gut microbiome, but very little is known about what they do. Now, a team has identified that the fungus Kazachstania pintolopesii is probably a long-term resident of mice guts, which they hope will allow them to study how these microbes interact with the immune system, and the role they play in host defence and allergies.
Research Article: Liao et al.
21:57 The key takeaways from COP29
The United Nations annual climate change conference, COP29, finished last week. Largely, the discussions revolved around climate finance — the idea that wealthier countries who have benefitted most from past carbon emissions should pay to help poorer, vulnerable countries adapt to the effects of climate change. Although a last-minute agreement was hammered out at the conference, not everyone was happy with the text and promised actions. We discuss this and the other key outcomes of COP29.
Nature: Is the COP29 climate deal a historic breakthrough or letdown? Researchers react
Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the Nature Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music or your favourite podcast app. An RSS feed for the Nature Podcast is available too.