You have full access to this article via your institution.
Download the Nature Podcast 23 July 2025
In this episode:
00:46 How hot can solid gold get?
A new study suggests that gold can be superheated far beyond its melting point without it becoming a liquid. Using an intense burst from a laser, a team heated a gold foil to 14 times its melting point, far beyond a theoretical limit put forward in previous studies. The team suggest that the speed at which they heated the gold allowed them to shoot past this limit, but there is scepticism about whether the team actually achieved the level of heating they report.
Research Article: White et al.
News and Views: Solid gold superheated to 14 times its melting temperature
10:05 Research Highlights
How island life led to huge wingspans for flying foxes, and how a sugary diet ‘rewires’ a mouse’s brain.
Research Highlight: How the world’s biggest bats got their enormous wingspans
Research Highlight: How sugar overload in early life affects the brain later
12:30 Researchers warn about the threat of nuclear war
With increasing political polarisation and more nuclear-armed nations, researchers are warning about the threat of nuclear war. Reporter Alex Witze has been speaking to scientists, and she told us about their chief concerns and how to avoid a conflict in an era of AI and misinformation.
News Feature: How to avoid nuclear war in an era of AI and misinformation
23:22 Briefing Chat
What a new AI model from China means for science, and why some dolphins use sponges to hunt.
Nature: ‘Another DeepSeek moment’: Chinese AI model Kimi K2 stirs excitement
Associated Press: Some Australian dolphins use sponges to hunt fish, but it’s harder than it looks
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.
