In this episode:

Nature: Hantavirus outbreak exposes uncertainty about how disease spreads

Nature: There is no vaccine for deadly hantavirus: what that means for future outbreaks

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In this episode:

Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein by Juanita Anders are those of the speaker and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of War.

Nature: The surprising science behind red-light therapy — and how it really works

Nature: Trafficked pangolins can be traced to their source by DNA — even to a specific forest

Nature: A wispy wrapper for a chilly, Pluto-like world

Research article: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration

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Although scientists have long been able to gather DNA from water and soil, it's only recently that they've started to see the air as a source of genetic information.

Airborne DNA is already being used to monitor individual species, but researchers hope its abundance could have multiple uses, including judging the success of conservation efforts or attacks with biological weapons.

However, there remains much to understand, such as how far DNA travels in the air, and the ethics involved in the potential identification of a person's genetic information.

This is an audio version of our Feature: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for

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Nature Feature: Are attention spans really shrinking? What the science says

Nature News Explainer: AI data hubs in space: when will they take flight?

Nature Comment: Space diplomacy: bridging the operating gaps between myriad missions

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In this episode:

Research Article: Katlowitz et al.

Nature: Even the unconscious brain can learn — and predict what you’ll say next

Nature: An electrifying test to find a good coffee

Nature: ​​​​​​​Forest pests hit trees hard as temperatures rise

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In this episode:

Nature: Mitochondria can spawn new ‘organelles’ — hinting at how modern cells evolved

Nature: Did kraken-like octopuses rule Cretaceous seas? Massive jaw fossils offer clues

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In this episode:

Research Article: Kumar et al.

Nature: Cosmic-ray detection heralds era of mega-observatories for neutrinos

Nature: Little ants groom big ones in a desert spa

World View: Forty years after Chornobyl, more nuclear disasters are inevitable — plan for them

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In this episode of Nature hits the books, we speak with Nature's Helen Pearson whose book Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works looks at the history of using evidence, rather than opinion, in decision making.

The book traces the course of the movement in various disciplines, such as the rise of evidence-based medicine in the 90s, looking at the rebels who led the charge, the barriers they faced, and why the use of evidence is crucial at a time when misinformation is rife.

Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works Helen Pearson Princeton University Press (in the press)

Music supplied by SPD/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images

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