Shamini Bundell

3 weeks ago | nature.com | Shamini Bundell

Half a century of caddisfly casings (Trichoptera) with microplastic from natural history collectionsTiny particles of plastic are everywhere today, but a discovery in a museum collection proves that this isn’t a new phenomenon. While combing through drawers of caddisfly specimens, researchers found evidence of microplastic particles being used as a building material by caddisfly larvae as far back as the 1970s and 1980s.

1 month ago | nature.com | Benjamin Thompson |Shamini Bundell

Download the Nature Podcast 09 April 2025In this episode:00:46 Complete sequencing of ape genomesResearchers have sequenced the complete genomes of six ape species, helping uncover the evolutionary history of our closest relatives and offering insights into what makes humans human. The genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang have been sequenced end-to-end, filling in gaps that have long eluded researchers. Research Article: Yoo et al.

1 month ago | nature.com | Noah Baker |Shamini Bundell

Download the Nature Podcast 02 April 2025In this episode: 00:46 Millimetre-sized pacemaker fits inside syringe Researchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures.

1 month ago | nature.com | Benjamin Thompson |Shamini Bundell

Download the Nature Podcast 26 March 2025In this episode:00:46 Newly discovered molecule shows potent antibiotic activityResearchers have identified a new molecule with antibiotic activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria, including those resistant to existing drugs. The new molecule — isolated from soil samples taken from a laboratory technician’s garden — is called lariocidin due to its lasso-shaped structure.

1 month ago | nature.com | Shamini Bundell |Nick J. Howe

Download the Nature Podcast 19 March 2025In this episode:00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secureA tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleagues over 12,000 km away.