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The world, the universe and us

The world, the universe and us

New Scientist

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

Categories: Science & Medicine

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Episode 332 For only the second time, the genome of an ancient Denisovan has been sequenced - thanks to the discovery of a 200,000-year-old tooth found in a Siberian cave. This ancient member of the human family has long been a mystery, so this genome is being described as a bombshell moment, revealing an early stage of Denisovan history. We explore how this reshapes our understanding about the origins of our species. Some 95 per cent of us have a dormant virus, lurking in our bodies - waiting to strike when the moment’s right. Epstein-Barr virus causes glandular fever - also known as mono or kissing disease - but only in a small number of people. Though new evidence is showing that even dormant viruses may still cause long term health problems. Formula E electric race cars may have surpassed their fossil fuel counterparts. From greater efficiency to faster acceleration, this is a big turning point for the sport - but they don’t have the edge on F1 cars in all areas just yet. We find out where they’re winning and where they’re falling behind - and how this could translate to better electric road cars for us. And the legendary science writer Bill Bryson joins the team to discuss the process of revising his bestselling book A Short History of Nearly Everything. He explores some of the most fascinating (and surprising) facts he’s had to update in the 20 years since the book came out. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:45) Second Denisovan genome sequenced (11:15) We all have dormant viruses that are causing diseases (18:37) Are Formula E cars faster than F1? (27:17) Bill Bryson on revising his bestselling book Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Bill Bryson and Alec Luhn. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Check out the CoLab feature with DEEP at https://newscientist.com/deep Shop our Black Friday sale at www.newscientist.com/sale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous episodes

399 - New genome of ancient human; 95% of us have a dormant virus that causes disease; Formula E cars faster than F1; Bill Bryson joins the pod!
Fri, 14 Nov 2025